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The Healthcare Labyrinth

The Healthcare Labyrinth

By: Marc S. Ryan
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 Hosted by healthcare policy and technology expert Marc S. Ryan, the Healthcare Labyrinth Podcast offers accessible, incisive deep dives on the most pressing issues and events in American healthcare. Tune in every week as Marc examines the latest developments in the space, offering analysis, insights, and predictions on the changing state of healthcare in America.2023 Hygiene & Healthy Living Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 113. Warning Signs: 2024 National Healthcare Data

    113. Warning Signs: 2024 National Healthcare Data
    Feb 6 2026
    The 2024 National Healthcare Expenditure Data are out and there are huge warning signs for the country. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is clearly in dire need of change. Hosted by healthcare policy and technology expert Marc S. Ryan, the Healthcare Labyrinth Podcast offers accessible, incisive deep dives on the most pressing issues and events in American healthcare. Marc seeks to help Americans become wiser consumers and navigate the healthcare maze with more confidence and certainty through The Healthcare Labyrinth website and his book of the same name. Marc is an unconventional Republican who believes that affordable universal access is a wise and prudent investment. He recommends common-sense solutions to reform American healthcare. Tune in every week as Marc examines the latest developments in the space, offering analysis, insights, and predictions on the changing state of healthcare in America. About The Episode: On this episode, Marc discusses the releases of the 2024 National Healthcare Expenditure Data. There are huge warning signs for the country. Key Takeaways: The 2024 National Healthcare Expenditure Data were finally released after a delay due to the government shutdown. In 2024, healthcare spending in the United States rose to $5.279 trillion, a $353.3 billion or 7.2% increase. Healthcare expenditures as a percentage of gross domestic product went from 17.7% in 2023 to 18% in 2024. This was largely driven by heightened utilization (use and intensity) and a shift in the types of services consumed (4.7%) and less so for actual inflation (2.5%). Hospital care was 31% of expenditures, physician and clinical services 21%, and prescription drugs 9%. The insured share of the population was 91.8% in 2024— down slightly from an historic high of 92.5% in 2023. Private Health Insurance was 31% of spending and reached $1.6 trillion in 2024, an 8.8% increase. Medicare was 21% of spending and reached $1.1 trillion in 2024, a 7.8% increase. Medicaid was 18% of spending, increasing 6.6% to $931.7 billion in 2024. Out-of-pocket costs were 11% of total expenditures and increased 5.9% to $556.6 billion. The typical working family in the U.S. spent $3,960 on healthcare-related costs in 2024, including premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. The robust growth shows the challenges ahead for healthcare. It was the second consecutive year costs trended up more than 7%. The ongoing growth in NHED is clearly not sustainable. Without major reform, we are faced with a number of compounding problems – economic stagnation, more Americans will become uninsured and underinsured, and healthcare will become more and more unaffordable. Connect With Marc: Marc on LinkedIn Marc on Twitter THL Podcast Resources: THL's Newsfeed THL's Blog The Healthcare Labyrinth: A Guide to Navigating Health Plans and Fixing American Health Insurance
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    22 mins
  • 112. Donald Trump's "Great Healthcare Plan" Falls Short

    112. Donald Trump's "Great Healthcare Plan" Falls Short
    Jan 30 2026

    Donald Trump's new healthcare plan falls short and does not truly make things affordable.

    About The Podcast:

    Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.

    Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is clearly in dire need of change.

    Hosted by healthcare policy and technology expert Marc S. Ryan, the Healthcare Labyrinth Podcast offers accessible, incisive deep dives on the most pressing issues and events in American healthcare.

    Marc seeks to help Americans become wiser consumers and navigate the healthcare maze with more confidence and certainty through The Healthcare Labyrinth website and his book of the same name.

    Marc is an unconventional Republican who believes that affordable universal access is a wise and prudent investment. He recommends common-sense solutions to reform American healthcare.

    Tune in every week as Marc examines the latest developments in the space, offering analysis, insights, and predictions on the changing state of healthcare in America.

    About The Episode:

    On this episode, Marc discusses Donald Trump's new healthcare plan. It falls short and does not truly make things affordable.

    Key Takeaways:

    Donald Trump announced his "Great Healthcare Plan" on TikTok recently.

    It is at best a skeletal framework and would need Congress to pass legislation.

    The two main tenets include drug price reform and expansion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) in lieu of some or all of the current Exchange subsidies.

    It is unclear just how far-reaching the HSA expansion would be.

    Other proposals include transparency at health plans.

    The proposal would need congressional action and Trump's views dovetail with many in Congress advocated by the GOP.

    Conservative House Republicans propose to pass a second budget reconciliation bill that includes replacing Exchange subsidies with HSAs, pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) reform, and more.

    The Senate framework for the Exchange subsidy compromise also includes HSA expansion, ICHRA expansion, and more alternative coverage expansion.

    Other Senate bills would replace Exchange subsidies in whole or part or offer options to use HSAs instead.

    The HSA expansions could undermine the Exchange market and lead to a rate death spiral as risk rises.

    In general, Trump's proposals do not get to the root cause of unaffordability – prices in the system.

    Connect With Marc:

    Marc on LinkedIn

    Marc on Twitter

    THL Podcast

    Resources:

    THL's Newsfeed

    THL's Blog

    The Healthcare Labyrinth: A Guide to Navigating Health Plans and Fixing American Health Insurance
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    17 mins
  • 111. Diving Deep On GLP-1 Coverage and Drug Price Reform Models

    111. Diving Deep On GLP-1 Coverage and Drug Price Reform Models
    Jan 23 2026
    We dive deep on GLP-1 coverage and drug price reform models. President Trump certainly deserves credit for the major accomplishments. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is clearly in dire need of change. Hosted by healthcare policy and technology expert Marc S. Ryan, the Healthcare Labyrinth Podcast offers accessible, incisive deep dives on the most pressing issues and events in American healthcare. Marc seeks to help Americans become wiser consumers and navigate the healthcare maze with more confidence and certainty through The Healthcare Labyrinth website and his book of the same name. Marc is an unconventional Republican who believes that affordable universal access is a wise and prudent investment. He recommends common-sense solutions to reform American healthcare. Tune in every week as Marc examines the latest developments in the space, offering analysis, insights, and predictions on the changing state of healthcare in America. About The Episode: On this episode, Marc dives deep on GLP-1 coverage and drug price reform models. President Trump certainly deserves credit for the major accomplishments. Key Takeaways: We dive deep on GLP-1 coverage and drug price reform models. President Trump certainly deserves credit for the major accomplishments. The president has been proposing seismic reforms for drug pricing, including direct talks with brand drug makers. Over a dozen drug makers offered price concessions, including makers of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. A new Medicare and Medicaid model would reduce costs for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and expand coverage to help those with obesity alone and no other underlying disease states. Cost-sharing would be no more than $50 per month in Medicare. The models start in 2026 for Medicaid and 2027 for Medicare. As promised, Trump also proposed most-favored nation (MFN) drug pricing in Medicaid and Medicare. The Medicaid model is called GENEROUS and would set MFN pricing on all Medicaid drugs for participating drug makers. The MFN price in Medicaid would be the second-lowest price in a set of eight developed world countries. The Medicare models are called GLOBE for Part B drugs and GUARD for Part D drugs. A subset of B and D drugs would be covered, and the models are mandatory for drug makers. About 25% of beneficiaries with B or D drug costs would be in each model. The MFN price in Medicare B and D is based on 19 developed-world countries and would be either the lowest international price from commercially available data sources or the average international price as reported by drug makers. A big debate has emerged on MFN pricing and the impact on innovation. Some advocate for prospective MFN on new drugs only, while others want retrospective MFN, applying it to existing drugs as well. Connect With Marc: Marc on LinkedIn Marc on Twitter THL Podcast Resources: THL's Newsfeed THL's Blog The Healthcare Labyrinth: A Guide to Navigating Health Plans and Fixing American Health Insurance
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    32 mins
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