Purple Solutions to Fix Healthcare in America

Interview with former state Representative Curt Gielow on his attempt at a bipartisan (Purple) solution to healthcare reform, in the 2005 bill he submitted with Democratic colleague Jon Richards. Gielow discusses his bill that includes private and competitive markets, coupled to universal care, and how a truly Purple solution was politically difficult – or even impossible – to move forward. The frustration of polarized politics, and an inability to reach across the aisle, is discussed.

Interview with David Balat, former healthcare executive and director of the Right on Healthcare Initiative with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. David discusses how direct primary care from physicians, and direct care from other providers, results in better quality and lower cost care to patients. Removal of third-party surrogates, like insurance or government payers, ends up giving patients more control and better care at lower cost.

Interview with the former President of the American Medical Association (AMA) and CEO and co-founder of the New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants. Dr. McAneny is a practicing oncologist and strong advocate for small physician groups that are delivering better healthcare at lower cost.  In this episode we discuss the growth of the anti-competitive Medical-Industrial Complex that threatens to squeeze out smaller physician groups that provide better care at lower cost. Dr. McAneny presents solutions that include an increase in price/cost transparency and competition, as well as uniform access to essential services, such as from emergency rooms. She also shines a light on the surprisingly anti-competitive behavior of large hospitals and providers.

Interview with a practicing physician with experience running a large hand clinic and overseeing quality metrics and compliance, Dr. Greg Watchmaker.  In this episode we discuss the unintended negative consequences of too much centralized regulation of healthcare delivery at the federal level. Dr. Watchmaker gives concrete examples of how this well-intentioned regulatory oversight disempowers front-line providers and leads to one-size-fits-all healthcare that is not in the best interest of patients, and often is not responsive to technological and scientific advances in medicine.

Interview with Cynthia Fisher, Founder and President of PatientRightsAdvocate.org. In this episode we hear real-life stories of how patients and providers are getting better healthcare at lower cost when there are functioning markets with price transparency, as Ms. Fisher shares the same stories she shared with policymakers and leaders on The Hill. Ms Fisher, an accomplished healthcare entrepreneur and patient rights advocate, also discusses changes occurring at the federal level and as a result of COVID-19 that will better empower patients. 

Interview with Mercatus Center healthcare scholar and Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Robert Graboyes. In this episode, we discuss the disruptions that are needed in healthcare (disrupting the “Fortress”) to enable better and more innovative delivery of care (the “Frontier), and how this is being catalyzed by the easing of regulations that occurred because of Covid-19.  Dr. Graboyes is author of “Fortress and Frontier in American Healthcare,” and a sought-after speaker and frequent OpEd and media spokesperson.

Interview with practicing physician, free-market advocate and prominent healthcare policy blogger Dr. Michel Accad.  In this episode we discuss the important role of free markets and competition in healthcare delivery, including direct primary care as Dr. Accad himself offers in the San Francisco Bay area. Dr. Accad runs a prominent healthcare policy blog, AlertandOriented, and cohosts the Accad and Koa Report.

Interview on healthcare reform with policy expert and author David Riemer.  In this episode we discuss Riemer’s proposal for universal healthcare that also includes a role for markets and competition. His proposal is called YoungMedicare, and builds on his prior policy work at the state and federal (e.g. with Senator Ted Kennedy) level, and his book “Putting Government in its Place: The Case for a New Deal 3.0.”

Interview on healthcare reform with Dr. Stephen Klasko.  This episode covers a range of topics including identifying problems, potential solutions, and advice for presidential hopefuls.