Michael Chernew, PhD, professor of healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School, joins Josh Israel, MD, and Sean Cavanaugh to discuss the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and its role in the Medicare program, including Medicare Advantage (MA) and the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). Dr. Chernew, who served as MedPAC chair from 2020-2026, shares how MedPAC provides evidence-based recommendations to Congress on payment policies, access and quality of care in Medicare. They examine Medicare solvency, cost-effectiveness concerns in both MA and MSSP, as well as larger challenges to improving the healthcare system for patients and physicians.