Why Healthcare Costs Keep Rising

Send us a textAccess to healthcare in the U.S. is broken, with millions forced to choose between essential needs and seeing a doctor. Traditional clinics are too costly to scale, and telemedicine has hit adoption limits. In this episode of CareTalk, John Driscoll sits down with Karthik Ganesh, CEO of OnMed, to discuss how OnMed’s “clinic in a box” is expanding access to care. Ganesh shares his journey across healthcare, why access has always been his passion, and how OnMed’s innovative care stations blend the trust of in-person visits with the scalability of telemedicine to address one of the nation’s most pressing healthcare challenges.🎙️⚕️ABOUT KARTHIK GANESHKarthik is drawn toward companies that want to challenge the status quo. With a focus on tech-enabled healthcare services, he's built and transformed companies, delivered market-leading results, created significant enterprise and investor value, developed high-performing teams, and driven meaningful M&A transactions with strategic investors and private equity.He's had the privilege of touching our healthcare ecosystem from most angles including payers (Aetna, Cigna), PBMs (EmpiRx Health, Express Scripts), provider-sponsored plans + ACOs + value-based care (QualCare, CareAllies), consulting (EY, Deloitte)...and now OnMed.Making healthcare more accessible is a hugely important purpose that drew Karthik to OnMed. He is the CEO of OnMed, a tech-enabled hybrid care company that is partnering with public and private organizations to reimagine healthcare access in underserved communities across America. OnMed was the top pick at CES 2025 and is a 2025 Inc. 5000 company.A prolific writer and speaker on healthcare, leadership, and resilience, Karthik has been featured in leading industry journals and podcasts. He is also the author of The Happiness Model: A Roadmap to Inner Peace.🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textHealthcare spending continues to surge, with pharmacy costs now representing 30-40% of total healthcare spend.   In this episode of CareTalk Executive Features, David Williams speaks with Dr. Alan Pannier, SVP of Product Strategy at SmithRx, about how legacy PBMs’ misaligned incentives drive up costs, the toll on patients, employers, and independent pharmacies, and how a modern PBM model focused on transparency, fair reimbursement, and aligned incentives could finally fix what’s broken in pharmacy benefits.🎙️⚕️ABOUT DR. ALAN PANNIERAlan Pannier, Pharm D,MBA has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a background in managed care pharmacy. Alan has held various leadership positions at companies such as SmithRx, Magellan Health, and Veridicus Health. Alan completed their Doctorate of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration at Idaho State University, following a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at Westminster University.🎙️⚕️ ABOUT SMITHRXSmithRx is a modern PBM dedicated to reducing the cost and complexity of pharmacy benefits. They empower organizations of all sizes to take control of their pharmacy spend with a radically transparent, universal pass-through model, innovative cost-saving programs, and intuitive technology. Unlike legacy PBMs, SmithRX eliminates hidden fees, pass through 100% of rebates and discounts, and provide their clients with real-time prescription pricing and detailed savings reports. This gives them the insights they need to make informed decisions and achieve meaningful savings for both their business and their employees.To learn more about how SmithRx is inventing a new kind of PBM, tune into Alan Pannier’s new Youtube series. Subscribe and keep an eye out for more installments, coming soon.🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textForget about the price of eggs. It’s healthcare costs that are rising fast. Double digit increases are coming for 2026 and cost sharing is rising for employees. Weight loss drugs like Ozempic are adding billions to the bill and AI is a wild card, which could bring costs down or make them rise even faster.  In this episode, David E. Williams and John Driscoll unpack what’s driving the rising cost of healthcare and what it means for the future.🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textClinical trials are the backbone of medical progress, but they've become increasingly complex, costly, and slow. Can technology smooth the process without compromising rigor?Scott Chetham, Founder and CEO of Faro Health and former clinical operations leader at Verily, explains why outdated processes bog down research and how Faro’s digital trial platform is making studies faster, more efficient, and more patient-friendly. By transforming static documents into connected, intelligent systems, Faro helps sponsors and regulators streamline design, reduce amendments, and improve trial outcomes.🎙️⚕️ABOUT SCOTT CHETHAMCommitted, strongly clinical and technical research executive with proven experience in developing innovative solutions to complex medical problems.Experience spanning private startups, hospitals, university research labs, venture capital and patient advocacy groups.Established strength in forging partnerships between leading academic medical centers, community clinics, advocacy groups and government organizations to solve complex clinical syndromes. Strong technical skills in large complex data sets, electromagnetics and human disease.🎙️⚕️ABOUT HEALTH BIZ PODCASTHealthBiz is a CareTalk podcast that delivers in-depth interviews on healthcare business, technology, and policy with entrepreneurs and CEOs. Host David E. Williams — president of the healthcare strategy consulting boutique Health Business Group — is also a board member, investor in private healthcare companies, and author of the Health Business Blog. Known for his strategic insights and sharp humor, David offers a refreshing break from the usual healthcare industry BS.GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textAccess to mental health care remains out of reach for millions, especially in rural communities. In this episode of Caretalk, John Driscoll speaks with Dr. Tom Milam, Chief Medical Officer of Iris Telehealth, about breaking down barriers through telehealth, tackling stigma, and the promise of technology and AI in expanding timely, compassionate mental health support.🎙️⚕️ABOUT DR. TOM MILAMDr. Tom Milam manages our team of clinicians and guides them in telemedicine and industry best practices. He received his undergraduate degree from WVU in Anthropology, graduating summa cum laude, and received his M.D. from the University of Virginia. His residency training in psychiatry took place at Duke and UVA. Dr. Milam has served in a leadership role throughout his psychiatric career and spearheaded the telepsychiatry initiative at his previous hospital. Dr. Milam is also an ordained Episcopalian priest and got his Master of Divinity Degree from Yale. He is a fan of various sports and traveling with his wife and four children. In his free time, he enjoys DIY projects, “honey-do” lists, and driving his convertible sports car.🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textPatients today are flooded with health information. Much of it inaccurate or misleading At the same time, trust in healthcare providers and institutions has eroded. So how can patient education cut through the noise and actually help?Dr. Joseph Feuerstein, integrative medicine physician and Chief Health Advisor to Caravan Wellness, explains how to identify trustworthy sources, why empathy is essential in care, and how clinicians can build lasting relationships with patients. He shares strategies for finding credible wellness and medical guidance, and why reputable institutions and vetted content are key to better health outcomes.🎙️⚕️ABOUT DR. JOSEPHJoseph Feuerstein, MD, is a board certified family medicine physician who specializes in integrative medicine. He provides comprehensive care for his patients, including access to alternative therapies such as nutrition therapy, acupuncture, and hypnosis. Dr. Feuerstein completed his medical education in London before serving for four years in the Israeli navy. In 2004, he began his residency training in family medicine at Stamford Hospital. He then completed fellowship training in Integrative Medicine at University of Arizona. He has also completed training in acupuncture, hypnosis, and homeopathy. He is both a licensed medical doctor and licensed homeopathic physician in the state of Connecticut.Dr. Feuerstein uses safe, clinically tested complementary therapies to care for a wide range of health problems, including pain and anxiety. He strives to help people use dietary approaches and lifestyle changes to improve their long-term health.Dr. Feuerstein participates in research to help advance the field of integrative medicine, and discover new ways to treat health conditions without the use of prescription medication. His research has been published in numerous journals and presented at conferences across the country.Dr. Joseph Feuerstein now serves as integrative medicine physician and Chief Health Advisor to Caravan Wellness.🎙️⚕️ABOUT HEALTH BIZ PODCASTHealthBiz is a CareTalk podcast that delivers in-depth interviews on healthcare business, technology, and policy with entrepreneurs and CEOs. Host David E. Williams — president of the healthcare strategy consulting boutique Health Business Group — is also a board member, investor in private healthcare companies, and author of the Health Business Blog. Known for his strategic insights and sharp humor, David offers a refreshing break from the usual healthcare industry BS. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textSubstance use disorder affects millions, yet less than 10% receive treatment. In this episode of CareTalk, John Driscoll speaks with Dr. Yusuf Sherwani, CEO and Co-Founder of Pelago, about a new approach to addiction care. They explore how Pelago is using virtual treatment, data, and value-based care to break down barriers like stigma, access, and cost—reshaping how we treat one of healthcare’s most persistent challenges.🎙️⚕️ABOUT DR. YUSUF SHERWANIYusuf is the Co-Founder and CEO at Pelago, the leading digital clinic for substance use management. He is a Londoner living in New York City.He likes to back hungry, foolish and humble founders. Occasionally angel investing in category defining companies, with a healthcare bias, including: Curebase, Healthie, Levels, firsthand, Mytos, Finni Health, Anterior, Replit, Safi, Mercury, Sequence and others. Previously he bootstrapped two startups (1 modest exit, 1 failed). He was born and brought up in London, UK and studied Medicine (MD) and Management (BSc) at Imperial College London. In 2019, he was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative Business People and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs.🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textThe future of cancer treatment is on the horizon, but can we afford it, regulate it, and deliver it at scale?In this episode of the HealthBiz Podcast, Dr. Jason Bock, Co-founder and CEO of CTMC, discusses the progress of CAR T cell therapy, the challenges of scaling manufacturing for personalized treatments, and how new payment and policy models can support broader access. He shares inspiring patient success stories, insights into the future of solid tumor therapies, and CTMC’s mission to bring advanced therapies to more patients, faster.🎙️⚕️ABOUT DR. JASON BOCKDr. Jason Brock is the Co-Founder and CEO of CTMC. Jason has over twenty years of research and leadership experience in pharmaceuticals and biotech creating new divisions and companies from the ground up. He sits on several scientific advisory boards. He has a BS in Biology and PhD in Molecular and Cellular Physiology.🎙️⚕️ABOUT HEALTH BIZ PODCASTHealthBiz is a CareTalk podcast that delivers in-depth interviews on healthcare business, technology, and policy with entrepreneurs and CEOs. Host David E. Williams — president of the healthcare strategy consulting boutique Health Business Group — is also a board member, investor in private healthcare companies, and author of the Health Business Blog. Known for his strategic insights and sharp humor, David offers a refreshing break from the usual healthcare industry BS.GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk Newsletter#healthcare #healthcarepodcast #healthcarebusiness #healthcarepolicy #healthinsurance #healthcaretechnology #caretalk #ctmc #cart #cartcelltherapySupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textPhotos of President Trump's bruised hands prompted a rare public medical update, but what really happens behind closed doors when a President's Health is at stake? Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, former physician to President Obama and Chief Quality and Safety Officer at AdventHealth, joins hosts John Driscoll and David Williams to explore the tension between patient privacy and public trust, the need for cognitive testing in aging leaders, and how principles of presidential medicine can improve care for everyone.🎙️⚕️ABOUT DR. JEFFREY KUHLMANDr. Jeffrey Kuhlman is Senior Vice President and Chief Quality and Safety Officer for AdventHealth. Before joining AdventHealth, he served for 30 years as a Navy Physician, spending 16 years with the President and the White House as Physician to the President, Director of the White House Medical Unit, White House Physician, and Senior Flight Surgeon for Marine One. Dr. Kuhlman is triple board-certified in Aerospace, Family, and Occupational Medicine. He is board-certified in medical management, was awarded a certificate in traveler’s health, and holds credentials as a Certified Professional in Patient Safety and a Certified Physician Executive.🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.

Send us a textGenerative AI is transforming the way clinicians interact with technology. In this episode, Dr. Holly Urban, VP of Business Development at Wolters Kluwer, joins John Driscoll to discuss how AI, ambient listening tools, and trusted medical content like UpToDate are improving clinical workflows, easing documentation burdens, and making healthcare delivery more precise, efficient, and human-centered.🎙️⚕️ABOUT DR. HOLLY URBANAfter practicing as a primary care pediatrician, Dr. Urban worked for several EHR technology and evidence-based content companies, and has served in healthcare IT leadership roles for over fifteen years. With this experience, she brings unique insight into how evidence and workflow can optimally merge to benefit clinical users and healthcare teams. Her experience with both provider and payer customers allows her to holistically understand the healthcare ecosystem with all the complicated drivers that influence how care is provided.Dr. Urban believes generative AI holds a tremendous opportunity to improve healthcare for customers, through improved clinician efficiency and patient contextualized clinical decision support. However, clinical GenAI needs to be built on trust, both in terms of data consumed by the AI model and by clinical validation of the output.Dr. Urban also holds a BA from Stanford University, an MD from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and an MBA from Regis University. Before joining Wolters Kluwer Health, she served as CMIO at Oracle Cerner, Director of Product Management at MCG Health, and VP of Product Management at McKesson Horizon Clinicals. 🎙️⚕️ABOUT CARETALKCareTalk is a weekly podcast that provides an incisive, no B.S. view of the US healthcare industry. Join co-hosts John Driscoll (President U.S. Healthcare and EVP, Walgreens Boots Alliance) and David Williams (President, Health Business Group) as they debate the latest in US healthcare news, business and policy. GET IN TOUCHFollow CareTalk on LinkedInBecome a CareTalk sponsorGuest appearance requestsVisit us on the webSubscribe to the CareTalk NewsletterSupport the show⚙️CareTalk: Healthcare. Unfiltered. is produced by Grippi Media Digital Marketing Consulting.