Broken Healthcare

What happens when Sir Winston Churchill walks into a modern podcast studio… and then steps out of character? In this unforgettable episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Randy Otto — a financial advisor, historian, and the only man ever endorsed by the Churchill family to portray Sir Winston Churchill. For over 54 years, Randy has embodied Churchill on stages around the world. In this conversation, he does something extraordinary: 🎩 Part one: He is Winston Churchill — recounting war, leadership, failure, resilience, and the legendary “black dog” in Churchill’s own voice. 🧠 Part two: He steps out of character as Randy Otto, revealing what decades of studying Churchill taught him about creativity, mental health, destiny, money, and leadership. You’ll hear: - How Churchill survived his greatest failure (Gallipoli) - Why painting saved his life — and his mind - The real story behind the “black dog” of depression - Leadership lessons forged in war that still apply today - What it means to believe in destiny — and fight for it This isn’t history class. This is living history, performed by the man who knows Churchill better than anyone alive. 🎙️ Sit back, listen closely — and decide for yourself when the character ends and the wisdom begins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America doesn’t have a healthcare problem. It has a healthcare business problem — and we’re all trapped inside it. In this powerful episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Chris Deacon — attorney, healthcare policy expert, former Director of State Health Benefits for New Jersey, and author of The Great American Healthcare Heist — to expose how America’s healthcare system became a $5 trillion machine that patients, employers, and taxpayers can’t escape. Chris isn’t a theorist. She ran healthcare for nearly 800,000 lives and managed a $6–7 billion annual healthcare budget inside government. What she discovered changed everything. In this episode, you’ll learn: - Why Americans are paying $17,000–$50,000 per family per year and still can’t afford care - How insurers, PBMs, and hospitals operate as vertically integrated monopolies - Why “nonprofit” hospitals behave like Wall Street corporations — without paying taxes - How consolidation destroyed community hospitals and accountability - Why politicians of both parties are trapped by lobbying and reelection incentives - How young government staffers are “educated” by industry lobbyists - Why $1.5 BILLION in savings was realistically achievable — without cutting benefits - How employers blindly write healthcare checks they’d never approve anywhere else - Why Americans are handed a $50,000 system with no instruction manual - How the healthcare system itself can become dangerous if navigated incorrectly Chris delivers one of the most important analogies in healthcare today: “We hand people a $50,000 Volvo and say ‘good luck’ — no driving lessons, no instruction manual — and then blame them when it goes wrong.” This conversation isn’t partisan. It’s not theoretical. And it’s not about selling you anything. It’s about education, accountability, and taking control of a system that quietly drains families, employers, and communities. If you’ve ever: 1- Been afraid to seek care because of cost 2- Opened a medical bill and thought “this can’t be real” 3- Managed employee benefits and felt completely boxed in 4 - Wondered why healthcare feels impossible to fix This episode will change how you see everything. Watch. Share. And start asking better questions. ABOUT CHRIS DEACON Chris Deacon is an attorney, healthcare policy expert, former Director of State Health Benefits for New Jersey, national speaker, whistleblower, and featured voice in the documentary It’s Not Personal, It’s Just Healthcare. She oversaw healthcare for nearly 800,000 public employees and dependents and managed one of the largest state healthcare budgets in the country. She now focuses on education, policy consulting, and public advocacy to help employers, policymakers, and the public understand how the system actually works — and how it can be improved. PURCHASE HER BOOK The Great American Healthcare Heist by Chris Deacon Available at: Amazon Major online book retailers Independent bookstores (by request) (Search: The Great American Healthcare Heist – Chris Deacon) HOW TO CONTACT CHRIS DEACON LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdeaconc/ Active on LinkedIn with regular healthcare insights and commentary Long-form writing available via Substack: https://substack.com/@chrisdeaconahealthcareheist Open to messages, dialogue, and education-focused engagement SUPPORT THE SHOW If this episode resonated: Like the video Subscribe to Broken Healthcare Share with someone who’s tired of the status quo Healthcare doesn’t change without informed pressure — and that starts here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Broken healthcare is failing millions of Americans — especially hourly and frontline workers. In this episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, host Ray Kober sits down in-studio with Lexie Leitner, PA-C, Vice President of Clinical Operations at River Health, to unpack why the traditional U.S. healthcare system no longer works — and what it will take to fix it. Lexie shares her journey from family medicine to healthcare innovation, and explains how River Health is rethinking access, affordability, and care delivery for workers who are often left behind by employer-sponsored insurance. One of the most powerful parts of River Health’s model? Mental health is treated as essential care — not an add-on. Members receive unlimited virtual therapy plus free access to the Calm app, helping address anxiety, burnout, depression, and everyday stress without barriers, copays, or long wait times. In this episode, we cover: Why high-deductible health plans leave Americans functionally uninsured How hourly workers fall through the cracks of traditional healthcare The real reason healthcare costs keep rising (and who actually pays) How River Health delivers unlimited virtual primary care, labs, prescriptions, imaging, and urgent care access for a flat monthly cost Why unlimited teletherapy and Calm access are critical in today’s mental health crisis How employers can support workforce health without $40,000 insurance plans The difference between insurance and actual access to care How healthcare became so complex — and what simplicity looks like again If you’re an employer, HR leader, healthcare professional, or someone frustrated with the cost and confusion of U.S. healthcare, this conversation will challenge how you think about coverage, value, and care. 🎧 Subscribe to Broken Healthcare for real conversations about what’s broken — and what can actually fix it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. healthcare system is broken — and doctors are burning out just as fast as patients. In this powerful in-studio episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, host Ray Kober sits down with Dr. Dana Mincer, a board-certified osteopathic physician and Direct Primary Care (DPC) doctor, to expose what’s really happening behind the scenes of American healthcare. Dr. Mincer shares her raw, unfiltered journey — from medical training and provider burnout to mental health struggles, patient advocacy, and ultimately walking away from the insurance-driven system to build a direct primary care practice centered on time, transparency, and human connection. In this episode, we cover: - Why traditional insurance-based healthcare is failing both patients and doctors - What Direct Primary Care (DPC) actually is — and why it works - The healthcare insurance cartel, price opacity, and hospital consolidation - Doctor burnout, moral injury, and why so many physicians want out - Mental health, ADHD, anxiety, and the limits of medication-only care - Why relationship-based medicine leads to better outcomes and lower costs - How free-market healthcare models are restoring trust and autonomy This conversation is a must-watch for patients, employers, physicians, and anyone who knows the system feels wrong but hasn’t been able to put it into words. 🎙️ If you care about: ✔ Broken healthcare ✔ Direct primary care ✔ Medical burnout ✔ Mental health reform ✔ Free-market healthcare solutions — this episode is for you. 👉 Subscribe for more conversations on fixing the U.S. healthcare system from the inside out. 👉 Like & comment to help this message reach more people who need to hear it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America doesn’t have a healthcare system — it has a sick care system. In this powerful episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, host Ray Kober sits down with Dr. Kyle Rickner, a pioneer of the Direct Primary Care (DPC) movement and co-founder of Primary Health Partners, to expose why U.S. healthcare is failing patients and doctors — and what it will take to fix it. Dr. Rickner shares his journey from being an employed physician inside a hospital system to breaking free and helping build a multi-state Direct Primary Care network that puts doctors and patients back in control. If you’ve ever wondered: Why healthcare costs keep exploding Why doctors are burned out and leaving medicine Why insurance dominates every medical decision How Direct Primary Care actually works How employers can slash healthcare costs without sacrificing care This episode will change how you think about healthcare forever. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why insurance and hospital systems broke healthcare How Direct Primary Care eliminates middlemen Why doctors have lost autonomy — and how DPC restores it The truth about cash-pay healthcare and transparent pricing How employers are quietly escaping traditional insurance Why prevention actually works when doctors have time What it takes to scale DPC nationally Why this fight is about saving doctors’ lives, not just money What Is Direct Primary Care? Direct Primary Care (DPC) is a membership-based healthcare model where patients pay a flat monthly fee for unlimited access to their doctor — no insurance billing, no copays, no rushed visits. Patients get: ✔ Longer appointments ✔ Same-day or next-day access ✔ Direct communication with their doctor ✔ Transparent pricing ✔ Better outcomes at lower cost Doctors get: ✔ Autonomy ✔ Time with patients ✔ Freedom from insurance bureaucracy ✔ A sustainable career 🔔 Subscribe for More Conversations That Expose Broken Healthcare If you’re tired of confusing bills, rushed visits, and a system that puts profits over people — subscribe to Broken Healthcare for real conversations with doctors, employers, and innovators rebuilding healthcare from the ground up. 👍 Like 💬 Comment 🔔 Subscribe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Karen Van Caulil, President & CEO of the Florida Alliance for Healthcare Value — one of the nation’s most respected employer coalitions driving real healthcare reform. Karen shares insider-level insights from 14+ years of working with public and private employers to reduce costs, improve quality, and fight back against the entrenched interests that keep U.S. healthcare expensive, confusing, and opaque. What We Cover in This Episode: - Why U.S. healthcare remains broken — and what employers can realistically do about it - The truth about PBMs, 340B, and the lack of price transparency - Why employers still struggle to obtain their own claims data (despite the law) - How the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) changes employer fiduciary responsibility - How business coalitions (like the Florida Alliance) are reshaping healthcare markets - Real-world examples: Rosen Hotels, MarineMax, and employers who cracked the code - The role of brokers — and how misaligned incentives block meaningful change - What policymakers get wrong — and why employer voices matter more than ever - Practical steps employers can take right now to protect their plan, members, and dollars If you’ve ever wondered how employers can fight back against waste, fraud, and abuse in a $5 trillion system — this is the episode you need. About Karen Van Caulil: Karen leads the Florida Alliance for Healthcare Value, representing 80+ employers across the state and nationally. With a deep background in health policy, administration, and clinical planning, she is one of the leading voices advocating for employer-led healthcare reform, transparency, and accountability. Connect with Karen: https://flhealthvalue.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenvancaulilphd/ Subscribe for more conversations with the leaders fixing U.S. healthcare from the inside out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tiffany Ryder walked into the studio like she walks through life — calm, confident, and not here for anybody’s nonsense. A former NFL cheerleader turned physician assistant, Tiffany has seen the best and worst of America’s healthcare system, and this episode hits on everything people wish they could ask their doctors but never do. Tiffany grew up in rural Louisiana with almost no access to care. Later she found herself working with wounded veterans at Walter Reed, studying medicine in Germany, and eventually serving on the front lines of emergency medicine — right through COVID. In this conversation, we get into: • why so many patients get bad advice • the stuff you’re not told about vaccines, Tylenol, metabolic health & chronic disease • what really happens behind the scenes in emergency rooms • how she reversed prediabetes and PCOS with lifestyle changes her doctor never mentioned • why she believes you are the only true advocate for your health • how politics has hijacked medicine — and the cost of staying silent • what she learned treating wounded service members • the culture of “diagnose & prescribe” that keeps people sick • her transition from NFL cheerleader to PA • and what she’s working on through her Substack, Signal and Noise Tiffany keeps it real. She doesn’t sugar-coat and she’s doing something incredibly rare in this space: She’s using her press access to cover FDA and HHS to actually ask the questions most people are afraid to touch. This episode is packed with perspective, data, lived experience, and a level of honesty that’s rare in healthcare conversations. If you care about your health, your kids, or the future of medical transparency, this one’s worth every minute. Subscribe to Signal and Noise on Substack: https://signalandnoise.online/p/welcome-to-signal-and-noise-c79 Connect with Tiffany on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanyryder/ If you want Tiffany to cover a topic, she’s an open book — just send her a message. Drop a comment with your thoughts, your story, or your biggest takeaway from Tiffany’s journey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does Wall Street have in common with America’s broken healthcare system? In this powerful in-studio conversation, host Ray Kober sits down with Barbara Delaney, a trailblazing financial leader who’s been shaping the retirement and fiduciary landscape since 1981. Barbara shares her incredible journey—from being the only woman in her Wall Street training class at EF Hutton, to transforming the retirement industry, to exposing the hidden parallels between finance and healthcare. They dive deep into: The fiduciary crisis in both finance and healthcare How ERISA laws tie Wall Street and health benefits together Why employers are unknowingly running “mini healthcare companies” Lessons learned from the 2008 crash and how they apply to today’s healthcare costs How transparency, accountability, and fiduciary duty could finally fix what’s broken If you care about money, healthcare, or the future of fiduciary responsibility, this episode is a must-watch. 🎧 Listen now and join the movement to fix the system. 🔗 Subscribe for more episodes of Broken Healthcare with Ray Kober. #BrokenHealthcare #BarbaraDelaney #FiduciaryDuty #WallStreet #HealthcareReform #FinancePodcast #ERISA #RayKober Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the dojo to the battlefield to the operating room — this is the story of a real-life warrior healer. In this episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Dr. Demetri Aguila — a plastic and nerve surgeon, U.S. Air Force veteran, and lifelong martial artist on a mission to fix America’s broken healthcare system. 🥋 Martial Arts. He earned his first black belt at 13, mastered Aikido, and became a 4th-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do. The discipline, focus, and humility he learned on the mat shaped the surgeon he became. ✈️ The Air Force. As a combat surgeon in Afghanistan, Dr. Aguila performed life-saving operations under fire — and saw firsthand the cost of pain, trauma, and courage. 🩺 The Surgeon. Back home, he’s changing lives through nerve surgery and pain elimination, helping patients walk again, smile again, and live again — often after decades of suffering. 💜 The Mission. Through Healing Hands of America and Operation Warrior’s Hope, Dr. Aguila and his team provide affordable, debt-free surgeries — including free care for Purple Heart veterans who’ve been told “nothing more can be done.” ⚡ In this episode: • How martial arts discipline shaped his surgical precision • Lessons from Afghanistan and the battlefield of modern medicine • The truth about Tylenol, data, and dangerous misinformation • Why faith and focus belong in healthcare • How free-market medicine is restoring hope to patients nationwide 💡 About Dr. Aguila: Dr. Demetri Aguila is a board-certified plastic and peripheral nerve surgeon, founder of Total Pain Solutions and Healing Hands of America, and a 4th-degree Tang Soo Do black belt. His work merges science, soul, and service to bring healing back to healthcare. 🗣️ Join the Movement: Comment, share, and subscribe if you believe healthcare can be human again. #BrokenHealthcare #DrDemetriAguila #MartialArts #AirForceVeteran #PainManagement #NerveSurgery #HealingHandsOfAmerica #OperationWarriorsHope #FaithInMedicine #HealthcareReform #PurpleHeartVeterans #TangSooDo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This dermatologist just changed cancer detection forever. In this powerful episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down in studio with husband-and-wife innovators Dr. Mike and Elizabeth Webb, the creators of CheckMySpot — a revolutionary app that lets anyone screen potential skin cancers from their phone. Dr. Webb, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon, shares his 30-year journey in medicine, from tackling advanced skin cancer cases to developing a simple, life-saving technology. Elizabeth reveals how a small-town problem inspired a nationwide solution — helping people get faster access to care when it matters most. Together, they unpack: ✅ Why early detection means a 99% survival rate for melanoma ✅ How the broken healthcare system delays life-saving diagnoses ✅ The science and myth of sun exposure and sunscreen safety ✅ What “appraisal delay” is — and how it costs lives ✅ How Check My Spot eliminates wait times and saves employers money ✅ Why validation from the Validation Institute proves this app works Whether you’re a patient, healthcare leader, or benefits advisor — this episode will open your eyes to what’s truly possible when innovation meets compassion. 🧠 Key Takeaways: - 1 in 5 people will develop non-melanoma skin cancer. - Early detection = 99% cure rate; late detection can drop survival below 40%. - Access to care is one of the biggest failures in modern healthcare. - Check My Spot empowers users to get fast, expert triage for suspicious moles. - Validation Institute confirmed the app’s clinical and financial impact. - The Webbs’ goal: democratize dermatology and save lives through technology. 📱 Connect & Learn More: 🔗 Download the app: CheckMySpot 💼 https://www.checkmyspot.com/how-it-works Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 3 of 3 - Woody Waters This is the final chapter — an unfiltered, eye-opening conversation with Woody Waters, founder of Reference-Based Pricing and CEO of Imagine360. In this finale, Woody and Ray pull no punches. They uncover why real healthcare reform will never come from Washington — and why business leaders must take control of their plans, their costs, and their people’s wellbeing. Woody reveals why Imagine360 had to bring every solution under one roof — handling balance bills, claims, and member advocacy in-house to deliver the service excellence employers and employees deserve. You can’t rely on the same system that broke healthcare to fix it. He also shares a shocking discovery: after hiring a consultancy to survey brokers and producers, over 70% claimed to be experts in Reference-Based Pricing — but only three could accurately explain how it works. The takeaway? The market is flooded with noise, and true expertise is rare. In this episode: - Why healthcare reform starts with leadership, not legislation - How Imagine360 solves every issue under one roof — and why that matters - The shocking truth about “RBP experts” who don’t understand the model - Why owning a TPA became mission-critical for lasting change - How empathy, transparency, and courage drive real reform 🎙 Hosted by Ray Kober 💬 Featuring Woody Waters, Founder of Reference-Based Pricing & CEO of Imagine360 (https://www.imagine360.com) 👉 Watch the full Broken Healthcare trilogy here: https://www.youtube.com/@BrokenHealthcarePodcast #BrokenHealthcare #WoodyWaters #Imagine360 #HealthcareReform #Leadership #RBP #HealthcareCosts #BusinessChange #PodcastSeries Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

America spends $5 TRILLION on healthcare… and ranks DEAD LAST. Ask yourself WHY?! The Senate hearing on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda was a circus — and what happened to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proves just how broken our system is. I feel it’s my personal duty to bring you the facts the media won’t. In this video, I break it all down: - Why I stand with RFK Jr. after watching the abuse he took in this hearing - The shocking truth from CommonwealthFund.org — the U.S. spends $5 TRILLION on healthcare yet ranks dead last worldwide - A live screen share of OpenSecrets.com showing six-figure campaign donations — conflicts of interest that drive healthcare costs through the roof - The ugly reality of PAC money and agency corruption - Why we’re being lied to about what’s possible in healthcare — and how we can actually cut costs in half while getting better care You’ll also see a raw, unfiltered clip of the Senate grilling — the kind of footage you won’t find on the news or any mainstream outlet. Healthcare shouldn’t be political. But as long as money and corruption run the show, we’ll all keep paying the price. #RFKJr #MAHA #HealthcareCorruption #SenateHearing #FollowTheMoney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 2 of 3 – Woody Waters In this powerful second installment of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober continues his deep, unfiltered conversation with Woody Waters, the founder of Reference-Based Pricing and a pioneer determined to expose what’s really happening inside America’s healthcare system. Woody pulls no punches as he reveals how corruption, greed, and broken incentives have turned healthcare into a profit machine — one that’s stacked against patients, families, and even well-intentioned brokers. In this episode: - The brutal truth about how big insurers, PBMs, and politicians keep costs sky-high - Why companies like Coca-Cola and Delta could change everything — but won’t - How business leaders can fix what the government can’t - The shocking story of how one mother’s fight against hospital overbilling changed everything - And the unsung heroes behind Woody’s mission: military spouses, teachers, and social workers — empathetic people who left everything behind to help patients fight back against an unfair system “You can’t teach empathy,” Woody says. “That’s why we hire people who already care — military spouses, former teachers, social workers — people who understand what it means to serve.” This is the human side of healthcare reform — the real people behind the fight to take back control from corporate greed. 👉 Don’t miss Part 3 — coming next week — as we uncover what it will really take to rebuild the system from the ground up. 🎧 Catch Up: 🔹 Part 1 – The Origin of Reference-Based Pricing → https://youtu.be/dcmFlDerEnA 🔹 Subscribe & hit the bell so you don’t miss the finale. #BrokenHealthcare #WoodyWaters #HealthcareCorruption #HealthcareReform #ReferenceBasedPricing #RayCober #MedicalCosts #HealthcareSystem #MilitarySpouses #EmpathyInAction #BusinessLeadership #Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former hospital CEO Darrell Moon ran ten hospitals before walking away — disillusioned by how America’s healthcare system rewards sickness instead of health. Today, he’s on a mission to help CEOs take control of the second-largest expense in business and lead the revolution to fix healthcare. In this powerful episode of The Broken Healthcare Podcast, host Ray Kober and Darrell unpack: 🏥 Why hospitals are incentivized to keep beds full — not people healthy. 💰 How misaligned incentives have CEOs unknowingly funding their own rising costs. 📊 Why Darrell believes CEOs — not HR, not brokers — must own healthcare decisions if real change is ever going to happen. 🌎 The NUKA System of Care: how a Native Alaskan community built the best healthcare model in the world at half the cost. ❤️ How relationships and trust — not procedures — hold the key to better outcomes and lower costs. This is a masterclass in understanding America’s $5 trillion healthcare problem — and what real leaders can do about it. 📘 Darrell’s book: Make Healthcare Work for You (available on Amazon) 🔗 Follow us for insights that challenge the status quo and inspire action. #BrokenHealthcare #DarrellMoon #HealthcareReform #EmployerLeadership #HealthRosetta #HealthcareRevolution #RayKober #CEOs #HealthcareCosts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered where Reference-Based Pricing (RBP) came from — or who helped create it? In this episode, host Ray Kober sits down with Woody Waters, one of the original founders of RBP and a true pioneer in bringing transparency and fairness to healthcare costs. Woody shares his 33-year journey through the insurance world — from his early days as a broker to co-founding the model that reshaped how employers manage healthcare spending. Learn how his work helped lay the foundation for what eventually became Imagine360 (👉 imagine360.com). 💬 In this episode: The origin story of Reference-Based Pricing Why healthcare pricing became so broken How employers can regain control of their healthcare costs What “cost + Medicare” pricing really means The truth about self-funded and level-funded plans 🔥 Don’t miss Part 2 next week, where Woody dives deeper into how RBP evolved and what’s next for employers and employees in the healthcare space. 👍 If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you don’t miss Part 2 and future episodes of the Broken Healthcare Podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. healthcare system is failing millions of patients with diabetes and chronic disease. My guest, Dr. Arti Thangudu, an endocrinologist, disruptor, and patient advocate, saw it firsthand—and decided to do something radical. After leaving one of the largest endocrine clinics in the country, Dr. Thangudu launched her own direct care practice, Complete Medicine, proving that real outcomes—lower A1Cs, fewer hospitalizations, and better lives—are possible when doctors put patients first. In this powerful conversation, we cover: ✅ Why traditional healthcare is broken for patients with chronic disease ✅ How direct care endocrinology works (and why it’s a game-changer) ✅ The shortage of endocrinologists across the U.S.—and what that means for patients ✅ Dr. Thangudu’s inspiring journey from journalism student to physician entrepreneur ✅ The truth about hormone replacement therapy (HRT/MHT): why women were misled, what the science really shows, and how the right treatment can be life-changing ✅ How she’s rebuilding trust in medicine, one patient at a time If you’ve ever wondered why our system feels so impersonal—and what can actually be done to fix it—this is an episode you won’t want to miss. 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more stories on how we can rebuild healthcare together. #BrokenHealthcare #DiabetesCare #DirectPrimaryCare #ArtiThangudu #HormoneReplacementTherapy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. healthcare system is broken—and today, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood programs driving billions of dollars in drug pricing. In this episode of Broken Healthcare, Ray Kober sits down with Thomas Johnson—an attorney by trade and Executive Director of the Alliance to Save America’s 340B Program (ASAP 340B)—to uncover the truth about how the 340B drug pricing program, originally designed to help underserved communities, has ballooned into a $120+ billion system with little oversight. Thomas’s career is rooted in public policy and advocacy. While working with the Medical Society of DC, he helped get the city council to pass the first comprehensive anti-smoking ban in the country—a groundbreaking public health milestone that shaped his commitment to reform. 🔎 You’ll learn: How the 340B program started with good intentions but drifted far from its mission Why hospitals are marking up drugs by 500–1000% and who really pays the price The staggering 20% annual growth of the program and its hidden impact on businesses and patients Why transparency, accountability, and reform are urgently needed How ordinary people can take action to demand change 🔥 Thomas: “Let’s get back to our mission of making sure that covered entities can help those who are in underserved areas.” If you care about healthcare costs, patient access, or just want to understand how Washington works behind the scenes, this is a must-listen. 🌐 Connect with Thomas Johnson & ASAP 340B 👉 Website: https://www.asap340b.org 📌 Support the Show If you found this eye-opening, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. Together, we can fix America’s broken healthcare system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re live in Salt Lake City at Ascend 2025 with the incredible Naama O. Pozniak — entrepreneur, meditation guide, health insurance disruptor, and true believer that we can turn “sick care” into real healthcare. In this episode, Naama shares her journey from running an insurance agency to leading global meditation sessions, her chance encounter with Deepak Chopra, and why meditation is more than just a practice — it’s medicine for our broken healthcare system. We dive into: ✨ The power of yoga + meditation in transforming health ✨ How to bring mindfulness into corporate America ✨ Why blockchain + healthcare might be the future ✨ A guided meditation you can join in right from the podcast This one is equal parts soulful and practical — perfect for anyone curious about better healthcare, wellness, or just needing a reset. Together, we can make healthcare better for everyone. #Healthcare #Meditation #Blockchain #NaamaPozniak #Ascend2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take a mindful pause with Naama O. Pozniak as she leads a powerful guided meditation — recorded live at Ascend 2025 in Salt Lake City. In just a few minutes, Naama helps us: ✨ Release stress + tension ✨ Reconnect with breath, body, and spirit ✨ Center ourselves with gratitude and compassion Whether you’re new to meditation or a longtime practitioner, this short session is the perfect reset for your day. #Meditation #GuidedMeditation #NaamaPozniak #Ascend2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this in-studio episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, host Ray Kober sits down with David C Smith, Senior Vice President at eBen Benefits, for a powerful conversation on how employers can finally take control of their healthcare costs while improving care for employees. David’s path is unique: he went to law school and worked as an attorney before ultimately finding his calling in the benefits and insurance industry. That legal foundation gives him a sharp perspective on contracts, compliance, and the forces shaping healthcare costs — insights he now uses to help organizations save millions. “We’ve been told healthcare is unfixable — but the truth is, employers have more leverage than they realize.” – David Smith What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅ How David’s legal background informs his approach to healthcare strategy ✅ Why healthcare costs keep climbing despite worsening employee experience ✅ The hidden forces inflating employer healthcare spend ✅ How eBen Benefits is helping organizations break free from the status quo ✅ Practical strategies to save money and improve employee benefits ✅ Why lasting reform starts with business leaders, not Washington If you’re a CEO, CFO, HR leader, or benefits strategist, this conversation is a must-watch. 🔗 Learn more about David & eBen Benefits: 🌐 Website: https://www.ebenbenefits.com/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcurtissmith/ 📌 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to the Broken Healthcare Podcast for more conversations on fixing America’s healthcare system. #BrokenHealthcarePodcast #DavidSmith #eBenBenefits #EmployerBenefits #HealthcareReform Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.