American Optimism with Joe Lonsdale

Join a16z general partners Marc Andreessen, Julie Yoo, and Vijay Pande for an incisive exploration of what's driving—and stalling—transformation in healthcare. With the industry now consuming nearly 20% of U.S. GDP yet delivering poor outcomes relative to other developed countries, is technology the remedy or a red herring?This episode, cross-posted with the a16z podcast, dissects the inertia holding healthcare back, from regulatory bottlenecks to misaligned incentives, while offering actionable insights for entrepreneurs navigating this complex space. Plus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Seth Hain, SVP of R&D at Epic, joins a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo to explore technology in healthcare. Reflecting on over two decades of industry shifts, Seth shares how Epic has transitioned from enabling integrated systems within health systems to driving cross-ecosystem collaboration and rapid innovations like generative AI.They also discuss orchestration of patient care across diverse settings, the transformative impact of AI on clinical workflows, and whether "electronic health record" is really the best term for clinical record-keeping software. Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Elliot Cohen, cofounder of PillPack, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner. Together, they discuss Elliot's experience designing and building a consumer-first pharmacy alongside TJ Parker.Elliot's journey with PillPack began when he noticed his father struggling with a mail-order pharmacy that couldn’t get the simplest thing right: the correct version of a pill.Elliot shares the nitty-gritty of building a consumer-centric business in healthcare, including how they had to adapt CSV files and cake boxes to get their initial product off the ground, and how they balanced the needs of a healthcare system with the desires of their customers. Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

In this episode, Slingshot AI cofounders Daniel Cahn and Neil Parikh join a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo to explore how their mission to transform mental health care with AI took shape. Drawing from their unique journeys—Daniel as the son of a psychologist and Neil as a former medical student-turned-entrepreneur—they discuss the challenges and opportunities of building AI models to model psychological processes and how this could expand access for subclinical mental health support. Listen for candid reflections on Slingshot's innovations, visions for AI's role in preventative care, and a future where technology empowers therapists and patients alike. More in "The Opportunity for Healthcare in a Post-LLM World":An Ironman Suit for Doctors with Muthu AlagappanVoice AI: Solving Healthcare's Workforce Challenges with Ankit JainSuper Staffing in Healthcare with Munjal ShahPlus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Dr. Muthu Alagappan, MD, founder and CEO of Counsel Health, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to dive deep into the company's vision for revolutionizing healthcare through AI-powered asynchronous care. Together, they unpack how Counsel enables on-demand access to real doctors for instant medical guidance, lessening patient reliance on Google and alleviating system inefficiencies and physician burn-out. Dr. Alagappan also explores the duo of efficiency and scale that large language models bring to clinical workflows, making its “clinician cockpit” a superhuman support system for physicians. More in "The Opportunity for Healthcare in a Post-LLM World":Voice AI: Solving Healthcare's Workforce Challenges with Ankit JainSuper Staffing in Healthcare with Munjal ShahTransforming Clinical Trials with Alexander Saint-AmandPlus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Ankit Jain, CEO and cofounder of Infinitus Systems, Inc, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to discuss Infinitus's work in solving one of healthcare's most pressing challenges: workforce shortages. Leveraging LLMs and AI voice agents, Infinitus automates repetitive tasks, such as benefits verification and prior authorization, freeing up human talent for higher-value roles. Ankit reflects on the company’s journey—from early proof-of-concept calls to scaling over five million patient-centric interactions—and shares their approach to mitigating the risks of AI errors through layered guardrails. More in "The Opportunity for Healthcare in a Post-LLM World":Super Staffing in Healthcare with Munjal ShahTransforming Clinical Trials with Alexander Saint-AmandPlus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X

Alexander Saint-Amand, cofounder and CEO of Topography, reflects on his journey from leading Gerson Lehrman Group (GLG), a pioneer in expert networks, to tackling systemic barriers in clinical trials at his current company, Topography. Inspired by personal experiences, Alexander’s mission centers on democratizing access to clinical research by transforming community-based practices into thriving hubs for trials. Alongside a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo, he discusses the pervasive challenges in enrollment, physician participation, and the inefficiencies plaguing the current model.Alexander also talks through Topography's hybrid approach—combining technology, services, and AI—and its potential to lower the barrier to entry for providers, improving patient access. 

Rajaie Batniji, MD, PhD, Afia Asamoah, JD, and Sanjay Basu, MD, PhD, cofounders of Waymark, join Vineeta Agarwala, MD, PhD, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to discuss their transformative approach to Medicaid care delivery. This episode dives into their rising risk signal prediction framework, where cutting-edge machine learning predicts patient needs and enables community-based care teams to reduce preventable ER visits and improve health outcomes at scale. The team recently published their real-world results—including a 23% reduction in unnecessary acute care—in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst.Additional resources:Supporting Rising-Risk Medicaid Patients Through Early Intervention, NEJM CatalystThe Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills, by David Stuckler and Sanjay Basu

Hippocratic AI cofounder and CEO Munjal Shah joins a16z Bio + Health general partner Julie Yoo to explore the incredible potential of generative AI in transforming healthcare delivery. Together, they discuss the emerging "voice renaissance" in healthcare, the nuances of designing safe and empathetic AI interactions, and how Hippocratic AI is addressing safety concerns with innovations like multi-LLM architecture and rigorous training with thousands of nurses. This episode also discusses a shift toward viewing AI tools as an opportunity for healthcare "super staffing," and strategies for integrating AI into complex healthcare systems.

Jeff Margolis, founder of TriZetto, joins Julie Yoo, a16z Bio + Health general partner, to share the journey of building an iconic company in healthcare infrastructure. From the early days of managed care to creating a three-pronged platform uniting computing power, software, and data analytics, Jeff reflects on TriZetto’s groundbreaking model that reshaped payer-provider transactions and set industry standards. Together, they also delve into the strategic importance of scaling through acquisitions, aligning with industry standards, and crafting innovative pricing models.