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Health Affairs This Week

Health Affairs This Week

By: Health Affairs
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Health Affairs This Week places listeners at the center of health policy’s proverbial water cooler. Join host Jeff Byers, editors from Health Affairs Publishing, and guests as they discuss health policy’s most pressing news and trends.Health Affairs Hygiene & Healthy Living Politics & Government
Episodes
  • The $22 Billion Surprise Inside the No Surprises Act | Jack Hoadley
    Sep 4 2026

    This episode is brought to you by Semafor Healthcare.

    Delivered weekly from David Lim, Semafor Healthcare connects the dots between decisions in government, business, and technology to reveal how they impact the future of healthcare. Each edition will provide the analysis you need to understand and stay ahead of a rapidly changing landscape. Subscribe for free.


    Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Jack Hoadley of Georgetown University to the pod to discuss the rapid growth of the No Surprises Act’s independent dispute resolution process and its estimated $22.4 billion cost over four years. They explore what’s driving the increase, why providers are winning most arbitration cases, and how the trend could affect health care affordability in the years ahead.

    Join Health Affairs Publishing on September 16 for an Insider exclusive event featuring a discussion on on AI, health care, and where the two are heading with Halle Tecco, Jonathan Ketcham, and Paige Nong.

    Related Links:

    • Spending On IDR Process Pushes No Surprises Act Costs To More Than $22.4 Billion Over Just Four Years (Health Affairs Forefront)

    Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.


    Subscribe to Semafor Healthcare for free.

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    15 mins
  • The Business of Autism: Private Equity, Medicaid & the Cost of Care
    Aug 28 2026

    This episode is brought to you by Semafor Healthcare.

    Delivered weekly from David Lim, Semafor Healthcare connects the dots between decisions in government, business, and technology to reveal how they impact the future of healthcare. Each edition will provide the analysis you need to understand and stay ahead of a rapidly changing landscape. Subscribe for free.


    Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Dan Arnold of Brown University to discuss the rapid growth of Medicaid spending on autism treatment and the expanding role of private equity-backed providers in the applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy market.

    He explores the drivers behind rising costs, emerging concerns about care quality and fraud, and the challenge of balancing oversight with continued access to services for families.

    Related Links:

    • The Business Of Autism Treatment: Private Equity Implications For State Medicaid Programs (Health Affairs Forefront)

    Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.


    Subscribe to Semafor Healthcare for free.

    Show More Show Less
    13 mins
  • Medicare Advantage's $16 Billion Quality Bonus Program: Litigation, Reform, and Rising Costs
    Aug 21 2026

    This episode is brought to you by Semafor Healthcare.

    Delivered weekly from David Lim, Semafor Healthcare connects the dots between decisions in government, business, and technology to reveal how they impact the future of healthcare. Each edition will provide the analysis you need to understand and stay ahead of a rapidly changing landscape. Subscribe for free.


    Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Erica Socker of Georgetown University to the pod to discuss her recent Forefront article that explores how the Medicare Advantage quality bonus program is working in the wake of a Clover Health-CMS lawsuit over star ratings. They discuss the court’s ruling, CMS’s policy response, and why the case could become a catalyst for broader reforms to a program that now distributes billions of dollars annually.

    Related Links:

    • Medicare Advantage Quality Bonus Program: Court Decisions Spotlight Flaws (Health Affairs Forefront)

    Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.


    Subscribe to Semafor Healthcare for free.

    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
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