The 2026 midterm elections could have major consequences for Medicare, Medicaid, health insurance, prescription drug prices, and the future of American healthcare. But what will actually change after November 3?

In this episode of Healthcare Nation, Dr. Rick and Joe break down what’s at stake for patients, hospitals, healthcare providers, and taxpayers as Republicans and Democrats debate the future of healthcare policy.

From rising Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums to new Medicaid work requirements, Medicare Advantage, and the growing debate over Medicare for All, this conversation goes beyond political talking points to explore how Washington’s decisions affect everyday Americans.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the 2026 midterms could be a defining healthcare election
• Republican vs. Democratic approaches to healthcare policy
• How the Affordable Care Act and insurance premiums could change
• New Medicaid work requirements and their impact on coverage
• What Medicare beneficiaries should know about Medicare Advantage
• Whether Americans actually support Medicare for All
• The future of private health insurance and universal healthcare
• Prescription drug pricing and pharmaceutical innovation
• Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and healthcare regulation
• Private equity, hospital consolidation, and healthcare costs
• What happens to healthcare policy if Republicans or Democrats control Congress

Healthcare policy affects far more than Washington. It influences the cost of your insurance, your access to doctors, the financial stability of hospitals, and the quality of care available to your family.

Dr. Rick explains the potential benefits, risks, and trade-offs behind competing policy proposals, helping viewers understand the issues without partisan rhetoric.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Why the 2026 Midterms Matter for Healthcare
02:35 Republicans vs. Democrats on Healthcare Policy
04:45 What Can Actually Change After the Midterms?
06:01 The Affordable Care Act and Rising Insurance Premiums
08:24 How Insurance Changes Impact Hospitals
09:57 Medicaid Work Requirements Explained
11:42 Will Medicaid Changes Cause People to Lose Coverage?
15:05 Why Hospital Executives Are Watching the Election
16:45 Is Medicaid Really a Partisan Program?
17:38 Medicare and Medicare Advantage in 2027
19:28 Is Medicare Advantage Working?
21:23 Medicare for All: What Americans Really Think
23:35 Does America Actually Want Medicare for All?
25:25 The Future of Private Health Insurance
27:24 Can States Create Universal Healthcare?
28:36 Prescription Drug Prices: Where Both Parties Agree
30:07 Could Lower Drug Prices Hurt Innovation?
31:27 AI, Cybersecurity, and Healthcare Regulation
33:51 Private Equity and Hospital Consolidation
36:52 What Happens After the November 3 Election?
38:28 What If Democrats Control Congress?
39:24 The Biggest Healthcare Issues Beyond Election Day

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Which healthcare issue matters most to you heading into the 2026 midterms: affordability, Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drug prices, or access to care?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Subscribe to Healthcare Nation for thoughtful conversations about healthcare policy, innovation, leadership, and the future of American healthcare.

ABOUT HEALTHCARE NATION

Healthcare Nation explores the policies, technologies, economic forces, and leadership decisions shaping healthcare in America. Through informed discussions and expert perspectives, we examine the challenges facing patients, providers, hospitals, and the broader healthcare industry.

DISCLAIMER: Healthcare Nation is a nonpartisan, educational podcast. The opinions expressed are intended to encourage informed discussion and do not constitute medical, legal, financial, or political advice.

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We speak with Hedgeye’s Emily Evans about how healthcare policy is increasingly driving market outcomes, arguing Wall Street is underestimating policy’s impact. They discuss Medicaid work requirements as a renewed eligibility philosophy that may also reduce fraud, waste, and abuse, with managed Medicaid insurers (e.g., Centene, Molina, UnitedHealth, Elevance) most exposed to enrollment declines. Evans explains how the IRA redesign of Medicare Part D shifts risk away from federal reinsurance, likely raising standalone Part D premiums after the 2023 premium subsidy/risk corridor ends, potentially worsening adverse selection and pushing beneficiaries toward Medicare Advantage amid rural provider tensions. They cover AI’s near-term use in administrative battles and productivity within hospitals, skepticism about “AI cures cancer” hype, and a bearish view on hospitals and Medicare Advantage, bullishness on big pharma and GLP-1s (including direct-to-consumer channels), bearishness on biotech, and the market implications of expanding price transparency, including the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act.

00:00 Welcome and Setup

00:14 Policy Drives Markets

01:50 Meet Emily Evans

03:28 What Markets Misprice

06:01 Wall Street Policy Blindspots

10:03 Medicaid Work Requirements

18:20 Who Bears Medicaid Risk

20:13 Part D Risk Shift

23:47 Premiums and Adverse Selection

27:30 AI and EHR Power

29:03 AI Capital Cycle

35:51 Lightning Round Outlook

43:58 Price Transparency Shock

48:58 Wrap Up and Disclaimer

In this thought-provoking episode of Healthcare Nation, host Rick Gannotta sits down with pediatrician Dr. Amna Husain to explore one of healthcare's most important—and often overlooked—topics: the future of children's health.

From the rise of anxiety and the impact of social media to vaccine confidence, mental health, pediatric workforce shortages, Medicaid, technology in schools, and the importance of early childhood investment, Dr. Husain shares both optimism and concern about where America is headed.

The conversation also examines the growing pressures placed on children, the changing role of parents and pediatricians, and why investing in children's health may deliver the greatest long-term return for our healthcare system.

Whether you're a parent, clinician, educator, policymaker, or healthcare executive, this episode offers valuable insights into the challenges—and opportunities—facing the next generation.

00:00 – Introduction

03:15 – Are America's children healthier than they were 15 years ago?

05:15 – Where we've made progress—and where we're still struggling

06:10 – Why careers focused on children are becoming harder to sustain

07:15 – The growing mental health challenges facing children

09:05 – Anxiety, college pressure, and growing up too fast

10:00 – Are we asking too much of our kids?

12:05 – Vaccine confidence, trust, and evidence-based medicine

17:05 – Building trust between physicians and families

18:15 – Has trust in medicine really declined?

20:15 – Medicaid, CHIP, and access to pediatric care

22:10 – The pediatric workforce shortage

25:15 – Investing in children before problems begin

28:10 – School-based healthcare and supporting families

30:10 – Social media, technology, and the developing brain

32:10 – The impact of screens in education

35:00 – Phones, gaming, and social comparison

37:00 – Influencers, privacy, and protecting childhood

40:05 – What today's children tell us about tomorrow's healthcare system

42:15 – Why universal parental leave matters

44:15 – Dr. Husain's message to healthcare leaders

As the Summer Solstice brings the longest day of the year, Rick Gannotta and Joe Woolworth take a step back to examine the forces shaping healthcare at the halfway point of 2026. From healthcare policy and Medicaid reform to the explosive growth of GLP-1 therapies, artificial intelligence, chronic disease management, and the future of patient trust, this special midyear episode explores where healthcare stands today, and where it's headed next.Topics include the growing focus on accountability in Washington, the evolution of Medicare Advantage, the impact of the MAHA movement, emerging evidence around GLP-1 medications and cancer outcomes, AI's role in reducing clinician burnout, healthcare investment trends, public health preparedness, and why trust remains healthcare's most valuable currency. Whether you're a healthcare executive, clinician, policymaker, investor, or simply interested in the future of healthcare, this Summer Solstice Special offers a wide-ranging look at the opportunities and challenges defining the industry in 2026.

00:00 - Summer Solstice reflections and healthcare at midyear
02:40 - Why accountability defines healthcare in 2026
05:00 - Medicaid reforms and new work requirements
09:35 - Medicare Advantage under increased scrutiny
11:45 - Affordability challenges and ACA marketplace premiums
13:20 - What people misunderstand about MAHA
16:20 - Chronic disease as healthcare's defining challenge
17:30 - The GLP-1 revolution begins
18:40 - GLP-1s, cardiovascular health, and lives saved
23:10 - Why oncologists are paying attention to GLP-1s
24:25 - The economics and future access questions surrounding GLP-1s
26:00 - Markets, AI, and the future of healthcare innovation
27:45 - The hidden costs of AI adoption
30:40 - The biggest misconceptions about AI in healthcare
32:15 - How AI can reduce clinician burnout
34:15 - Healthcare investment opportunities beyond AI
36:35 - Why investors remain bullish on pharma
38:20 - The importance of speed and innovation in healthcare
41:00 - Why healthcare leaders should pay attention to Ebola
44:15 - Research funding, science, and political influence
47:00 - Why trust is healthcare's ultimate competitive advantage
49:30 - Healthcare isn't broken—it's transforming
51:00 - Final Summer Solstice reflections on healthcare's future

In this episode of the Healthcare Nation Podcast, the focus is on the major shifts in U.S. healthcare, touching on policy, payers, and the delivery system. Joined by Emily Evans, Managing Director of Healthcare Policy at Hedgeye Risk Management, LLC, the discussion spans a wide array of topics including the pivotal role of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical channels, structural changes within the healthcare system, and the financial implications for established health systems. Emily offers her insights on the influence of regulatory environments, demographic changes, the rise of digital health, and emerging trends in biotech and medical technology. Tune in to explore how these factors may shape the future of healthcare.

00:00 Introduction to Healthcare Nation Podcast

00:31 Meet Emily Evans: Healthcare Policy Expert

01:57 Macro-Level Shifts in US Healthcare

02:33 Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Trends

06:20 The Wellness Movement and Longevity

11:09 System-Level Effects of GLP-1 Drugs

14:44 Challenges for the Established Healthcare System

17:53 Public Health and Market Dynamics

23:30 The Role of Government in Healthcare Innovation

27:13 Memory Loss and Primary Care Challenges

28:03 Hormone Replacement Therapy Controversy

29:41 Statins and Medicare Quality Measures

31:17 Affordable Care Act Subsidies

34:40 Healthcare Policy and Market Dynamics

37:42 Innovation and Investment in Healthcare

42:16 Hospital Price Transparency

49:15 Looking Ahead to 2026

In this episode of the Healthcare Nation Podcast, host Rick looks at the ongoing healthcare crisis aggravated by the looming expiration of ACA premium tax credits and the unprecedented government shutdown. The discussion, featuring producer Joe Woolworth, covers the significant impact on healthcare coverage, potential premium spikes, and broader economic ramifications. The episode also addresses the roles of both political parties in the current healthcare landscape, the need for innovation, and actionable solutions to build a more resilient system. Tune in for critical insights into how these political dramas affect everyday Americans and the healthcare industry as a whole. Don't miss this essential episode to stay informed about what's at stake and the possible paths forward.

00:00 Introduction to the Healthcare Nation Podcast

00:19 The Affordable Care Act: 15 Years Later

00:59 The Impact of the Government Shutdown on Healthcare

01:35 Casual Friday with Joe Woolworth

02:28 The History and Current State of Healthcare

03:36 Democratic and Republican Perspectives on Healthcare

05:54 The Reality of Healthcare Costs

06:44 Mental Health and Insurance Coverage

08:15 The Government Shutdown's Effect on Healthcare

10:24 Healthcare Secession: A Divided Nation

11:45 Blame Game: Who Failed in Healthcare?

14:20 The Healthcare Problem: A Bipartisan Issue

14:54 Proposed Solutions and Political Moves

15:53 Middle-Class Affordability and Innovation

18:03 Impact on Small Business Owners

18:34 Midterm Elections and Healthcare

24:49 The Need for a Resilient Healthcare System

28:23 Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Join host Rick Gannotta on the Healthcare Nation podcast as he interviews Dr. Arthur Caplan, the founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone. They discuss the erosion of public trust in healthcare, the weaponization of misinformation, and the ethical challenges posed by social media and private capital in medical decision-making. Topics include the government's role as a source of truth, the impact of political appointees on scientific messaging, and the influence of social media on health perceptions. Dr. Caplan offers insights into the ethical standards needed for public health announcements and stresses the importance of maintaining an ethical infrastructure in both government and private sectors. Don't miss this crucial conversation on defining truth in healthcare and the implications for clinicians, patients, and the future of medical innovation.

00:00 The Erosion of Trust in Healthcare
00:46 Introducing Dr. Arthur Caplan
00:59 Government's Role in Public Health
03:09 The Impact of Political Influence on Science
07:00 Misinformation and Public Perception
19:57 The Role of Social Media in Health Misinformation
28:21 Challenges of Regulating Online Speech
28:50 Unsubstantiated Medical Claims and the Role of Regulatory Agencies
29:44 The Ethics of Medical Testimonials and Paternalism
32:51 The Influence of Social Media and Capital Markets on Healthcare
34:43 Ethics and Profit in Healthcare Innovation
35:50 The Role of Ethics in Modern Capitalism
38:03 Challenges in Healthcare Markets and Insurance
41:29 The Future of Healthcare Innovation and Technology
45:50 Addressing Moral Injury in Healthcare Professionals
50:37 The Realities of Wellness and Longevity
52:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode of the Healthcare Nation Podcast, host Rick welcomes Dr. Zain Husain, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Noor Dermatology. They delve deeply into the multifaceted world of skin health, exploring the psychological and social impacts of appearance, the latest advancements in dermatology, and the intersection of beauty, biology, and business. From personal patient stories to the role of AI in dermatology and the rise of med spas, Dr. Zain Husain provides an insightful look into the industry's future and its current challenges. Whether you're a provider, a patient, or an investor, this episode provides valuable insights into the critical importance of skin health.

00:00 Introduction to the Healthcare Nation Podcast
00:31 Exploring the Intersection of Beauty, Biology, and Business
02:01 Welcome, Dr. Zain Husain
02:34 A Powerful Patient Story
06:27 Common Skin Conditions and Their Risks
08:13 Skin as a Barometer of Overall Health
10:09 Misunderstood Skin Conditions
11:58 Preventative Dermatology and Mental Health
14:34 Beauty, Bias, and Belonging
21:17 Systemic Blind Spots in Dermatology
24:48 Switching Gears: Inside Out Health and Longevity
25:07 Integrating Dermatology with Metabolic Health
27:33 Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity Products
29:44 Addressing the Ozempic Face Phenomenon
32:49 The Rise of Subscription-Based Skincare
37:05 The Med Spa Boom and Its Risks
39:57 AI and Technology in Dermatology
43:56 Redesigning Dermatology and Aesthetic Healthcare
45:40 Final Thoughts and Skincare Advice