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

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

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In this episode, CMMI Director Abe Sutton shares his unique journey from the private sector back to government service and reveals how he's rapidly transforming Medicare through innovative payment models. Sutton discusses the newly launched WISER (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) model, which leverages AI technology to reduce fraud and waste in Medicare, and the upcoming ASM (Ambulatory Specialty Model) targeting heart failure and lower back pain. The conversation explores CMMI's 2025 strategy focused on evidence-based prevention, patient empowerment, and choice and competition, while addressing how emerging technologies like generative AI are creating unprecedented opportunities to streamline healthcare administration and improve patient outcomes. Sutton also reveals how he spent four years during his "off season" developing a comprehensive roadmap for healthcare innovation that he's now implementing at warp speed.

Links:
WISeR (Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction) model: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innova...
ASM (Ambulatory Specialty Model): https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innova...
CMMI's 2025 Strategy Focus: https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innova...

Learn how AI can amplify your care coordination team by visiting https://link.careco.ai/HTRKQs

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
00:00:37 - Why Leave Private Sector for Government Service
00:09:16 - AI and Technology's Impact on Healthcare Innovation
00:17:49 - WISER Model Introduction and Goals
00:30:45 - Food Policy and Making America Healthy Again
00:34:08 - ASM Model for Heart Failure and Lower Back Pain
00:38:31 - Four Years of Preparation During "Off Season"

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In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers, we sit down with David Norris, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Affineon Health, for an in-depth conversation about tackling one of healthcare's most pressing challenges: provider burnout. With 2025 marking a pivotal year for AI adoption in healthcare, particularly around administrative burden relief and provider burnout solutions, David shares his unique perspective from both sides of the funding equation as co-founder of Affineon and participant in Andrew Ng's AI Fund venture studio.
The conversation covers David's fascinating entrepreneurial journey, including mentorship from legendary figures like Bill Campbell (former coach to Steve Jobs) and Howard Schultz of Starbucks, before diving deep into how Affineon is revolutionizing healthcare through AI-powered inbox management for providers. As healthcare organizations increasingly seek AI solutions that deliver clear ROI around clinical efficiency and burnout mitigation, David explains how their platform achieves 100% accuracy while automating 30-80% of provider inbox workflows, and discusses the competitive dynamics reshaping the healthcare AI landscape, funding strategies for healthcare startups, and predictions for where AI technology is heading in the next five years.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Welcome and Introduction
00:01:14 - David's Entrepreneurial Journey and Legendary Mentors
00:07:17 - AI Fund Partnership and Affineon's Mission to Solve Provider Burnout
00:21:44 - Funding Strategies and Competitive Landscape in Healthcare AI
00:31:31 - Future of AI in Healthcare: 3-5 Year Technology Predictions
00:37:00 - Closing and Contact Information

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In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers, host speaks with Dr. Boris Vabson, head of Medicare Advantage policy at CMMI (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation). Dr. Vabson shares his fascinating journey from being born in the Soviet Union to becoming a Harvard health economist focused on dysfunctional healthcare systems. The conversation explores Medicare Advantage's evolution since 1965, current challenges including cost inefficiencies and prior authorization burdens, and CMMI's ambitious plans to transform the program. Dr. Vabson discusses the ongoing debate about Medicare Advantage overpayments, risk adjustment auditing using AI technology, and how CMMI plans to leverage its statutory flexibility to test innovative reforms that could be scaled nationwide. With recent leadership changes under Dr. Mehmet Oz at CMS, this timely discussion provides crucial insights into the future direction of Medicare Advantage policy affecting over 30 million Americans.

Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction and Dr. Vabson's Background

00:05:35 - Healthcare System Problems and Technology Solutions

00:09:42 - Medicare Advantage Overview and Current Challenges

00:18:25 - Policy Debates and Reform Efforts

00:32:44 - CMMI's Future Plans for Medicare Advantage Transformation

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In this episode we sit down with Alon Joffe, CEO of Israeli AI startup Eleos, for a fascinating deep dive into how behavioral health documentation is being revolutionized. What makes this conversation compelling is learning why Israel has become such a health tech powerhouse - with $1.2 billion in funding in 2024 alone and digital medical records dating back to the 1970s.
Alon breaks down how his AI technology reduces clinical documentation time by over 70% for mental health workers dealing with 60-90 minute therapy sessions. The company now serves 30,000 clinicians across 34 states, focusing on the most underserved populations in behavioral health. They explore the stark differences between acute care and behavioral health tech needs, why companies like Epic struggle to cross that divide, and how AI agents are about to transform EMR integration. Plus, Alon shares the dramatic shift from pre-ChatGPT skepticism to today's reality where a quarter of US physicians are already using ambient AI tools.

Timestamps:
00:00:08 - Introduction and Welcome
00:01:02 - Israeli Health Tech Ecosystem and Innovation Culture
00:03:51 - Government Healthcare Systems and Innovation Frameworks
00:06:09 - Value-Based Care vs Fee-for-Service Risk Models
00:09:14 - Introduction to Eleos: Mission and Market Focus
00:11:42 - Technology Differentiation and Competitive Landscape
00:15:19 - Behavioral Health vs Acute Care System Differences
00:16:01 - AI Agents and Job Automation in Healthcare
00:18:03 - EMR Integration and the Future of Healthcare Interfaces
00:20:12 - Epic's Market Evolution and Platform Strategy
00:25:04 - Fundraising Experience and Series C Journey
00:27:17 - Technology Evolution: Pre vs Post-ChatGPT Era
00:33:53 - Future Plans and Expansion Strategy
00:34:57 - Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

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In this episode of Healthcare Trailblazers, host Mendel sits down with Gabby Lawrence, Senior Director of Clinical Solutioning at TytoCare. TytoCare offers the Home Smart Clinic - for accessible, high-quality primary care from home, with no compromises, featuring artificial-intelligence-powered features to enable its telehealth platform to perform diagnostic capabilities. Gabby, an epidemiologist by background, explains how TytoCare's FDA-cleared handheld device with modular attachments transforms virtual healthcare by enabling comprehensive physical exams from home. The conversation covers TytoCare's evolution from urgent care applications into chronic disease management and primary care, their AI-powered wheeze detection capabilities, and strategic partnerships with major health systems like Atrium, Advocate, and Memorial Care. They explore the meaning behind "clinical solutioning" versus traditional clinical solutions, the challenges of B2B versus B2C models, and the company's vision for integrating GenAI to enhance physician capabilities while maintaining human oversight in patient care.