The pandemic led to an explosion in telehealth use. Now, as we start going back into the doctor’s office, more people are still using telehealth than ever would have before the pandemic. As insurers and plan sponsors look to cash in on this shift to virtual care, Paige Minemyer interviews Teladoc's Rob Bressler about the challenge of striking the balance between virtual care and traditional brick-and-mortar services. 

Also on Podnosis, Anastassia Gliadkovskaya spoke with Mariana Socal, M.D., Ph.D., physician and Johns Hopkins scientist, about tackling the drug pricing crisis in the U.S, where prices are among the highest in the world. A 2018 Department of Health and Human Services study found that drugs in the U.S. were between 170% and 779% more expensive than in the 32 other similar countries included in the research. We dig into ways to make drugs more affordable, like switching up PBMs' business model and efforts like billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban's new company Cost Plus Drugs. 

To learn more about topics in this episode:

• Teladoc's Gorevic bullish on fending off Amazon, rivals in telehealth space 
• Amwell exploring $200M buyout of online therapy provider Talkspace: media report 
• How Philips, HealthAlliance health system teamed up to bring leading-edge tech to rural communities 
• 2 new PBM launches aim to bring greater transparency to the market 
• FTC launches investigation into major pharmacy benefit managers' business practices 
• Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company announces first health plan partner, Capital Blue Cross 
• HHS: More than 1,200 drugs' prices rose past inflation in 2021

Podnosis is produced by senior multimedia producer Teresa Carey with managing editor Querida Anderson and senior editors Heather Landi and Paige Minemyer. The sound engineer is Caleb Hodgson. The stories are by all our “Fierce” journalists. Like and subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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