Howie and Harlan discuss the outlook for U.S. healthcare spending over the next five years, the state of seasonal and avian flu, and an expensive AI-based cardiac test.

Show notes:

Life expectancy and expenditures

"How does U.S. life expectancy compare to other countries?"

ACOs and cost savings

"After Fifteen Years, is Value-Based Care Succeeding?"

Health & Veritas Episode 115: Farzad Mostashari: Aligning Incentives to Fix Primary Care

World Prematurity Day

WHO: World Prematurity Day 2025

WHO: World Prematurity Day Key Messages

WHO: Preterm birth

AI concerns

"'It keeps me awake at night': machine-learning pioneer on AI's threat to humanity"

"Why neural net pioneer Geoffrey Hinton is sounding the alarm on AI"

"AI pioneer: 'The dangers of abuse are very real'"

"'Malicious use is already happening': machine-learning pioneer on making AI safer"

"Fathers of the Deep Learning Revolution Receive ACM A.M. Turing Award"

"Deep learning"

Bird flu

"First U.S. case of human bird flu in 9 months confirmed in Washington state"

Cleveland Clinic: Bird Flu (Avian Influenza)

"Flu in numbers: NHS faces one of worst winters ever, officials warn, amid concern over mutated strain"

"New flu virus mutation could see 'worst season in a decade'"

"Australia posts record-breaking flu numbers as vaccination rates stall"

FDA: Influenza Vaccine Composition for the 2025-2026 U.S. Influenza Season

Cardiology and AI

"Coronary CT angiography evaluation with artificial intelligence for individualized medical treatment of atherosclerosis: a Consensus Statement from the QCI Study Group"

"Medicare will pay more than $1,000 for AI to analyze a heart scan. Is that too much?"

Free speech and drug promotion

"High-Engagement Social Media Posts Related to Prescription Drug Promotion for 3 Major Drug Classes"

Health & Veritas Episode 195: Jerry Avorn: Countering the Drug Marketing Machine

Medicare premiums

"Medicare premiums to jump 10% heading into 2026"

"Social Security Announces 2.8 Percent Benefit Increase for 2026"

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid: 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles

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