The "NICU Graduate" celebration is one of the happiest moments for a family, but is it a false sense of security?In this episode, Mendel talks with Dr. Ross Sommers about the "NICU Cliff." We pour billions into saving babies born as small as 400 grams, only to send them home on oxygen and feeding tubes with almost zero support.Dr. Sommers reveals the heartbreaking reality of why "goodbye and good luck" isn't a medical plan, the PTSD parents face, and how First Day Healthcare is finally building a safety net for the world’s most vulnerable patients.Key Chapters:00:00 – The NICU Cliff: Why leaving the hospital is the scariest day.03:43 – The reality of Parent PTSD after the NICU.05:43 – How Remote Monitoring is changing the "Feeder-Grower" game.07:23 – The $40 Billion Business of Neonatology.14:04 – Why pediatric innovation lags 7 years behind adult care.17:40 – The Personal Mission: Why "graduation" isn't the end of the story.

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In this enlightening episode, I sit down with Chris Ellis, CEO of Thatch, following their impressive $40 million Series B funding round led by Index Ventures with strategic investment from ADP Ventures. Chris breaks down how Thatch is revolutionizing employee health benefits through Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA), allowing employees to choose their own health plans while giving employers cost control and administrative simplicity. We dive deep into the fundamental problems with employer-based health insurance, explore the bipartisan political momentum behind health insurance reform, and discuss how decoupling insurance from employment could realign incentives throughout the healthcare system. Chris provides fascinating insights into how this shift could enable true preventive care, extend insurer-patient relationships, and create the consumer-driven healthcare marketplace that has been decades in the making. This conversation connects perfectly with the current administration's focus on patient empowerment and transparency, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of American healthcare.

Timestaps:
00:00:00 - Thatch's $40M Series B Led by Index Ventures
00:03:29 - How Thatch's ICHRA Model Actually Works
00:12:32 - Government's $1,200 Tax Credit for Small Businesses
00:25:94 - The Cancer Detection Problem: Why Insurers Won't Invest in Prevention
00:28:47 - The Vision: Decoupling Insurance from Employment
00:40:49 - GLP-1 Coverage Dilemma: When ROI Takes Too Long

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Learn how you can scale your care team with AI: https://link.CareCo.ai/rmvhvq

In this episode I sit down with Steve Wardell, managing partner at Wardell Advisors LLC, for an eye-opening conversation that peels back the curtain on healthcare venture capital. Drawing parallels between HBO's Silicon Valley and the real digital health VC world, Wardell breaks down the psychology behind investor behavior, explains why playing "hard to get" with VCs can backfire, and reveals the red flags that signal toxic investor relationships. This episode is essential listening for health tech founders navigating today's funding landscape, where AI-enabled startups are capturing the majority of investment dollars and the "full stack" trend is revolutionizing how VCs think about healthcare companies. Wardell provides actionable insights on funding stages, market consolidation opportunities, and the strategic mistakes that waste entrepreneurs' time while sharing proven frameworks for positioning yourself as an expert rather than a supplicant when pitching to venture capital firms.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
00:05:58 - The Psychology of VC Funding
00:12:25 - Funding Stages Breakdown
00:23:00 - Bootstrapping vs the VC Treadmill
00:25:32 - Red Flags and Toxic Investors
00:35:15 - How to Pitch VCs Effectively
00:41:42 - Specialized vs Generalist Funds
00:48:00 - Closing Thoughts