In the December 18, 2025 episode of Vital Signs, host Jen Godde welcomes healthcare strategist and pharmacy benefit expert Rachel Strauss for a powerful conversation on one of the most confusing and expensive issues in American healthcare: prescription drug pricing and patient advocacy.

With more than two decades of experience inside national PBMs, Rachel explains why medication costs feel impossible to understand and what patients can do today to reduce out-of-pocket expenses. The discussion covers practical tools such as GoodRx, cash-pay strategies, and alternative pharmacy models like Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company.

This episode also tackles common myths that prevent people from saving money, including fears around cash-pay options and insurance rules. A major focus is placed on women’s midlife health, perimenopause, hormone therapy, and why these concerns are often dismissed as “just aging.”

Vital Signs (Aired 10-22-2025) dives into the urgent issues shaping America’s health, safety, and social stability. This episode exposes the rising tension inside hospitals, the growing pressure on first responders, and the overlooked struggles facing everyday citizens. Through real testimonies and expert analysis, Vital Signs uncovers what is happening behind the scenes in America’s critical systems — and why it matters now more than ever.

From medical staffing shortages and failing infrastructure to the emotional toll on workers and families, the episode breaks down the signs we’re ignoring and the consequences of inaction. Designed to inform, provoke thought, and spark conversation, Vital Signs offers a powerful look at a nation under stress and the people fighting to keep it alive.

Perfect for viewers seeking truth, context, and a deeper understanding of the challenges shaping today’s America.

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