Episodes

  • Inside the Business of American Healthcare with Wharton’s Dr. Lawton Burns

    Inside the Business of American Healthcare with Wharton’s Dr. Lawton Burns
    Aug 24 2025
    Join host Joe Grogan for an exclusive masterclass with Dr. Robert Burns, James Joo-Jin Kim Professor of Health Care Management at the Wharton School. A nationally recognized expert on the U.S. healthcare system, Dr. Burns unpacks the complex forces driving healthcare costs. With a background in sociology, anthropology, and decades of research, Dr. Burns reveals why so many healthcare reforms fail, what policymakers and business leaders get wrong, and how the U.S. healthcare ecosystem really works behind the headlines. If you’ve ever wondered why American healthcare is so expensive, and what can actually be done about it, this episode is a must-listen.
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    55 mins
  • Debunking the Myths of the One Big Beautiful Bill with Brian Blase

    Debunking the Myths of the One Big Beautiful Bill with Brian Blase
    Aug 13 2025
    Critics have been quick to attack the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB), but how much of what you’ve heard is true? In this episode, Joe Grogan sits down with Brian Blase to set the record straight on the bill’s health policy reforms and why they matter. From Medicaid funding changes to the role of provider taxes, Brian and Joe break down the bill’s impact, debunk common myths, and explore what’s next for U.S. healthcare policy. They cover how work requirements, eligibility reviews, and a focus on value could transform the system. Paragon Institute Myth-Busting Series on OBBB: https://paragoninstitute.org/issue-library/obbb-myths-and-facts/ Brian Blase X: https://x.com/brian_blase?lang=en
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    56 mins
  • Sean Spicer on Why Legacy Media Is Failing, Trump’s Impact & the Future of GOP Messaging

    Sean Spicer on Why Legacy Media Is Failing, Trump’s Impact & the Future of GOP Messaging
    Aug 4 2025
    In this episode of DC EKG, Joe Grogan sits down with Sean Spicer, former White House Press Secretary and host of The Sean Spicer Show. Spicer shares his experiences from working in various political roles, his thoughts on Republican strategies for the midterms, and the challenges of communicating healthcare policies. The discussion also delves into the differences between legacy media and new media, highlighting the need for self-reflection within traditional news outlets.
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    53 mins
  • Stephen Parente on How Transparency Can Fix U.S. Healthcare Costs

    Stephen Parente on How Transparency Can Fix U.S. Healthcare Costs
    Aug 4 2025
    Stephen Parente, former White House Chief Economist for Health Policy and current Minnesota Insurance Industry Chair of Health Finance and Associate Dean at the Carlson School of Management, joins host Joe Grogan to discuss the state of healthcare transparency. They dive into the pros and cons of price transparency, the impact of the No Surprises Act, challenges for insurers and providers, and what transparency means for healthcare costs and future policy. Parente also hosts the On Background podcast, where he explores key issues in health finance and public policy.
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    1 hr
  • Dan Troy on the FDA, Free Speech, and the Future of Drug Innovation

    Dan Troy on the FDA, Free Speech, and the Future of Drug Innovation
    Jul 21 2025
    In this episode of DC EKG, host Joe Grogan sits down with Dan Troy, former Chief Counsel of the FDA and a nationally recognized expert on healthcare law and the First Amendment. They explore Troy’s unique journey from free speech litigator to one of the FDA’s top legal voices, examining how the agency regulates what drugmakers, doctors, and companies are allowed to say—and what they’re not. The conversation dives into the legal boundaries of off-label promotion, the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising on patient care, and the growing tension between innovation and regulation in the pharmaceutical industry. Troy also offers his perspective on the Inflation Reduction Act and its potential chilling effect on drug development, underscoring the need for bipartisan support in shaping healthcare policy.
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    1 hr
  • How to Rescue Medicare and Rebuild America’s Health Insurance Market with Michael Cannon

    How to Rescue Medicare and Rebuild America’s Health Insurance Market with Michael Cannon
    Jun 11 2025
    In this episode, Michael F. Cannon, the Cato Institute’s Director of Health Policy Studies, dives into the policy decisions that shaped Medicare and fundamentally distorted the U.S. health insurance market. From how tax incentives nudged Americans into employer-sponsored plans to the unintended consequences that left many seniors uninsured, Cannon breaks down the government’s role in creating systemic challenges in health care. He also explores how tax policy has long been used as a tool to mandate certain health behaviors, and what a less distorted, freer market might look like. If you want to understand the policy roots behind today’s health care complexities, this conversation is a must-listen.
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    59 mins
  • Peter Pitts on Navigating FDA Bureaucracy and Unlocking Health Innovation

    Peter Pitts on Navigating FDA Bureaucracy and Unlocking Health Innovation
    May 23 2025
    In this conversation, Joe Grogan interviews Peter Pitts, a former FDA associate commissioner and current president of the Center for Medicine and the Public Interest. They discuss the role of FDA advisory committees, the importance of transparency in regulatory processes, and the intersection of vaccination and nutrition in public health. Pitts emphasizes the need for better dosing guidelines for obese patients and the significance of user fees in ensuring predictable FDA reviews. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities within the FDA and the broader healthcare landscape.
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    46 mins
  • Tevi Troy on Power, Politics, and the Fight to Reclaim Big Pharma’s Image

    Tevi Troy on Power, Politics, and the Fight to Reclaim Big Pharma’s Image
    May 14 2025
    In this episode of DC EKG, host Joe Grogan interviews historian and political veteran Tevi Troy about the complex relationship between U.S. presidents and powerful industries. They discuss themes from his book The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders in Chief and Titans of Industry and his op-ed In Defense of Big Pharma. The conversation explores why pharmaceutical companies are often political targets and the impact on innovation, how historical antitrust cases shape today’s tech and biotech battles, insights on Trump’s leadership and the future of the GOP, the importance of communication skills in politics and business, and behind-the-scenes stories from the Trump administration, offering valuable leadership lessons. This episode provides important insights for policymakers, investors, and anyone interested in the intersection of health, economics, and democracy.
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    47 mins