The FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies

We are continuing our series on the FLATLINING Podcast which takes a look at the healthcare policies of the presidential candidates. One of the Republicans who has some concrete ideas is former United Nations Ambassador and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Haley has proposed: Fulcrum Strategies President and CEO Ron Howirgon and Matthew Handley discuss Haley's proposals, their viability, and how they might affect American healthcare. Follow Matthew on X. Follow Ron on LinkedIn. --- Pulse Check on Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Pulse Check on Perry Johnson --- Articles mentioned in this program: Nikki Haley is coming for your retirement - Paul Krugman in the New York Times Nikki Haley's Medicare Advantage - The Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal Nikki Haley Calls For Eliminating 'Certificate of Need' Bills [sic] to Lower Medical Costs - Timcast

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies, Ron Howrigon and Matthew Handley discuss recent reporting that the American Medical Association may lobby to ban corporate medicine. Corporate medicine is the practice of entities owning physicians, such as an insurance company or a large hospital system. They also discuss the potential cuts to the Medicare fee schedule in 2024. Articles mentioned in this episode: The AMA Debates a Federal Ban on Corporate Medicine - The American Prospect --- Follow Matthew on X and LinkedIn. Follow Ron on LinkedIn. Subscribe and find more at FLATLINING.net.

Yesterday, Reuters reported that Cigna is in talks to sell its Medicare Advantage line of business. Upon the release of the news, Cigna's stock price was down nearly 4% at points and ended the day down 3.85%. As other insurers (namely Humana) aim to get out of their commercial business because Medicare Advantage was much more profitable, how is it that Cigna was unable to make their plans as profitable as they would have liked? Matthew Handley and Fulcrum Strategies CEO Ron Howrigon (also a former Cigna executive) discuss. Reuters - Cigna explores shedding Medicare Advantage Follow Matthew on X and LinkedIn. Follow Ron on LinkedIn. Subscribe and have every episode delivered to your email inbox!

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies, Ron Howrigon and Matthew Handley discuss UnitedHealthcare's new variable co-pay product called Surest. They talk about these questions providers and patients may have about the product: Follow Matthew Handley on X. Subscribe and have each episode delivered to your email inbox!

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies, Matthew and Ron discuss a recent move by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina to purchase the NC locations of retail healthcare chain FastMed. What does that mean for patients and nieghboring providers? Then, they dive into a recent LinkedIn post by Ron that discussed a call he had with a managed Medicaid payer who wanted one of his clients to take on a lot of risk for Medicaid patients. What does risk mean in the healthcare world and should providers take on risk? BCBS North Carolina to purchase more than 50 FastMed urgent care clinics - Becker's Payer Issues Follow Matthew Handley on X. Subscribe and have each episode delivered to your email inbox!

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued new guidance for the No Surprises Act after the previous guidance was struck down in federal court. In short: the Department of Health and Human Services handed a win to the insurance companies that will surely end up back in court. Fulcrum Strategies president and CEO Ron Howrigon discusses with Matthew Handley what it means for emergency medicine doctors, radiologists, and anesthesiologists. Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, TuneIn, and Audible. Follow Matthew Handley on X: @radioHandley Subscribe to have every episode delivered to your email each week.

As we enter the open enrollment period, there is little doubt that you will be seeing ads for Medicare Advantage ads on TV. Several weeks ago on the Friday Pulse Check Newsletter, Matthew Handley broke down the top plans by tv ads in recent years. Regardless if you are a patient or a provider, there are things you ought to know about Medicare Advantage plans. Can they pay a provider less than Medicare rates? Can a patient use out-of-network benefits? What is the deal with all these promotional ties with grocery stores? Matthew Handley and Ron Howrigon discuss. Follow Matthew Handley on X. Subscribe and get this podcast and other newsletters delivered to your email inbox!

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies, Matthew Handley and Ron Howrigon discuss recent actions by the Biden Administration to combat medical debt. The White House announced last week that they would be working to bar medical debt from being reported to the major credit bureaus which would then help patient's credit scores. But what happens to physicians and hospitals when consequences are taken away from medical debt? Plus: you'll be suprised to hear that the Biden Administration is taking on action on an issue that most credit agencies have already dealt with. Matthew and Ron look at these questions: Like, comment, and share. Let us know what you think by emailing us: flatlining@substack.com Follow and message Matthew Handley on Twitter: @radioHandley Read more healthcare news and subscribe to our newsletters at www.FLATLINING.net. Find out what Fulcrum Strategies can do for your practice at www.FSDOC.com.

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies, CEO Ron Howrigon and Matthew Handley discuss political holdups to Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. The House wants to separate the Medicaid from the state budget and pass it with a casino bill but the state Senate is refusing to agree. So who gets hurt? Is the state ready to handle more patients on Medicaid? Why should you care? Matthew and Ron break it down on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies. Articles mentioned in this program: House to vote on budget and separate casinos-Medicaid bill this week, top appropriator says - The News and Observer The fate of North Carolina's Medicaid expansion could be tied to casinos - Becker's Payer Issues Follow Matthew Handley on X.

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies, Matthew and Ron break down several healthcare news items that are relevant to the business administration of provider practices. They take a look at these stories: Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and BlueCross BlueShield of Michigan claim they have cut prior-authorizations by 20% - Becker's Payer IssuesAffordable Care Act (ACA) compliant plan enrollment reaches record high - Kaiser Family FoundationPrisma Health and UHC get into a nasty contract negotiation - Becker's Payer Issues Matthew and Ron discuss whether or not the prior authorization cuts will help patients and their physicians. They also talk about ACA Marketplace plan reimbursement and how the record enrollments will affect provider revenue. And they share some tips on what to do in nasty negotiations. Follow Matthew and Ron on X. Matthew is @RadioHandley and Ron is @RonHowrigon. Subscribe, like, and share!

Matthew and Ron dive into the debate on whether Medicare should cover every FDA-approved drug, focusing on the case of Aduhelm and Leqembi, two Alzheimer's drugs. Aduhelm was is not covered by Medicare due to limited effectiveness and high cost. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Leqemebi would be in certain circumstances. Key highlights Follow Matthew and Ron on X: Matthew Handley on X Ron Howrigon on X Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast from Fulcrum Strategies to stay informed about healthcare and policy topics.

Matthew Handley and Fulcrum Strategies president and CEO Ron Howrigon discuss the recent rulings in the third Texas Medical Association case against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), commonly known as TMA 3. Judge Jeremy Kernodle ruled that CMS violated the No Surprises Act by publishing guidelines on the Qualified Payment Amount that contradicted the law in several ways. However, Judge Kernodle ruled against the plaintiffs by deciding that the QPA does not have to be transparent. Matthew and Ron discuss what this means for physicians, hospitals, and the general public. Follow Matthew and Ron on X.

Matthew Handley and Ron Howrigon discuss the ongoing relevance of COVID, the cost of weight loss drugs in the US, and public opinion on prescription weight loss drugs. Key highlights Resources mentioned Health System Tracker - How do prices of drugs for weight loss in the U.S. compare to peer nations’ prices? Kaiser Family Foundation - KFF Health Tracking Poll July 2023: The Public’s Views Of New Prescription Weight Loss Drugs And Prescription Drug Costs Facts Action steps Listener challenge: Reflect on your own opinion about prescription weight loss drugs and consider the potential impact of covering them under insurance. Matthew Handley on X Ron Howrigon on X Subscribe to the Flatlining Podcast to never miss an episode and join the conversation about important healthcare topics.

We received the news last week that Dr. Dan Hurley, who Matthew interviewed on the FLATLINING Podcast several months ago, had lost his battle with cancer. This week, Fulcrum Strategies president and CEO Ron Howrigon shares how Dr. Hurley's story affected him and continues to motivate him to fight for physicians. You can listen to our entire interview with Dr. Dan Hurley by clicking here.

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast, Matthew and Ron discuss a claim made by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) that millions of Americans cannot access a primary care physician or have to wait months to get an appointment. Are these claims true? If so, what can be done? Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, TuneIn, and Audible. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.flatlining.net

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast, Matthew and Ron talk about Senator Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) SMART Prices Act which would speed up the drug price “negotiations” in the Inflation Reduction Act. They also talk about an idea that would eliminate the difference in costs between seeing a doctor at a hospital versus and office. Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, TuneIn, and Audible. Articles mentioned in this program: Klobuchar, Welch, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Boost Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation, Lower Costs for Americans - Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s Office Text of the SMART Prices Act - Congress.gov The SMART Prices Act Deserves a Failing Grade - RealClear Health Fix Medicare Payments - RealClear Health This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.flatlining.net

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast, Matthew and Ron talk about three current healthcare proposals from three different groups. First, the Biden administration is proposing changes to how short-term health plans work. These were deregulated during the Trump administration and allowed to last 364 days and be renewed four times. Ron explains why that doesn’t really work. Then, the US House of Representatives passed the CHOICE Act which expands association plans. This would allow more different businesses to get together to buy healthcare. How might that affect patients though? Finally, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has proposed the Personalized Care Act which expands and deregulates Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The problem is that this legislation will not actually lower costs or help people get healthcare. Matthew and Ron explain why. Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, TuneIn, and Audible. Articles mentioned in this program: Everything Old Is New Again? The Latest Round of Health Policy Proposals Reprises Existing Ideas - KFF Health News Rep. Roy introduces the Personalized Care Act to help restore Americans’ healthcare freedom - Roy.House.gov This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.flatlining.net

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast, Matthew and Ron discuss a few news items in North Carolina. First, the state budget has been held up by members of the state Senate effectively putting Medicaid expansion on hold. When can we see any changes and how many more Medicaid patients should providers expect to see? Then, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina got approval from the state legislature and the governor to act more like a for-profit insurance company. What does this mean for patients and providers? How will this change the healthcare landscape in North Carolina. Matthew and Ron break it down on the FLATLINING Podcast. Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, TuneIn, and Audible. Articles mentioned in this episode: North Carolina indefinitely delays specialty Medicaid plans - Becker’s Payer Issues North Carolina Governor Signs Bill Allowing Blue Cross to Restructure - US News Despite state budget deadlock, Wake County plans for Medicaid expansion - WRAL News This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.flatlining.net

This week on the FLATLINING Podcast, Matthew Handley takes a look at the “two cents to save America” plan touted by Michigan businessman Perry Johnson. Johnson says it will save America’s debt crisis. Who knew it could be so simple? Plus, Matthew tells you what federal department Johnson wants to cut completely and how his policies affect your healthcare. Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, TuneIn, and Audible. Previous Pulse Check on the Candidates: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. - 24 May 2022 - CLICK HERE TO LISTEN NOW This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.flatlining.net

Matthew Handley and Ron Howrigon continue their discussion about Ron’s new book. In this second part of the episode, they discuss what some possible reforms would be to fix the system and save the economy. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE BOOK. (https://amzn.to/3CgXfmt) From the description: With healthcare spending accounting for nearly 20% of the U.S. economy and growing, Ron lays out a logical approach to healthcare reform that is needed to change this unsustainable trajectory. Subscribe to the FLATLINING Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pandora, TuneIn, and Audible. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.flatlining.net