Medicare Advantage, Payer Drama & Alleged Blackmail: A Healthcare Soap Opera with Jakob Emerson

In this episode, Dr. Alicia Pilarski, Chief Well-Being Officer at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, discusses innovative strategies for improving healthcare worker well-being, fostering social connection, and reducing burnout. She shares insights on leadership, organizational growth, and the evolving challenges in the healthcare landscape.

In this episode, Rylee Wilson speaks with Dr. James O’Dea and Dr. J. Craig Allen of Hartford HealthCare about the future of behavioral health and addiction medicine. They discuss the critical importance of access to care, strategies for keeping patients engaged in treatment, and the latest advancements in addiction medicine, including new technologies and value-based care approaches.

In this episode, Steve Tringale, President of Mass General Brigham Health Plan, discusses the evolving landscape of healthcare, the challenges and opportunities brought by change, and how the organization is leveraging AI and integrated care to improve member outcomes and experiences. He also shares insights into leadership in a time of rapid industry transformation.

Okey Agba, CFO at Hartford HealthCare, dives into the rising cost of care delivery and how the organization is tackling it through innovation and efficiency. He emphasizes AI integration not as a replacement for human labor, but as a powerful tool to enhance productivity. Okey also shares exciting breakthroughs and projects underway at Hartford HealthCare, along with the system’s continued commitment to expanding access and driving innovation in patient care.

In this episode, Jakob Emerson, Associate News Director at Becker’s Healthcare, joins Scott Becker to break down developments in the payer world, including Centene's Texas CEO firing amid blackmail allegations and the Medicare Advantage rate hike under new CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.

In this episode of the Becker's Healthcare Podcast, Erica Carbajal speaks with Jennifer Baron, Chief Experience Officer at NRC Health, and Kathryn Peisert, Editor in Chief & Senior Director at TGI, about the critical role of trust in shaping the future of patient experience. Drawing from NRC Health's 2025 Experience Perspective report, they explore how health systems can strategically embed trust into their culture, improve engagement, and stay ahead of shifting expectations.This episode is sponsored by NRC Health.

In this episode, Madeline Ashley speaks with Craig Collins, Senior Vice President and CFO of UK HealthCare, about the system’s rapid expansion, major technology investments, and strategies for financial sustainability. Collins shares insights on Project Blue Connect, UK HealthCare’s statewide impact, and how the organization is shaping the future of patient care in Kentucky.

Omkar Kulkarni, MPH, Vice President and Chief Transformation & Innovation Officer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, shares how the organization is leveraging AI in ways that align with its mission—highlighting what excites him most about the technology and how it's being integrated across the system. He discusses workforce improvements and how they’re preparing for the future, while also addressing challenges such as adapting to rapidly evolving technology and the critical need to rely on strong, core operational processes.

In this episode, Scott Becker shares insights into seven healthcare stories, including credit downgrades for struggling health systems, mergers for survival, Medicaid planning, tariff cuts, and more.

Renee Bernard, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Brown University Health - Rhode Island Hospital, joins Becker's to discuss overcoming access and throughput challenges, leveraging data for resource management, and preparing for the future of structural heart interventions.This episode is sponsored by Edwards Lifesciences.