Broken Healthcare

Broken Healthcare

“Broken Healthcare” isn’t just another podcast exposing flaws in the healthcare system—it’s a movement. Hosted by the entertaining and knowledgeable Ray Kober, we pull back the curtain on the hidden forces driving up costs and making care confusing. Whether you’re an employer, an industry insider, or just someone tired of overpriced, low-quality care, we arm you with the insights to fight back. Get real stories, expert insights, and actionable solutions to take control of healthcare decisions—because better choices start with better information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

April 17, 2025 4 mins

💣 From Collapse to Comeback: Meet Marilyn Bartlett, the CPA who turned a broken $200M state health plan into a national model — and didn’t blink when it meant rewriting the rules of the healthcare game.


💥 The Big Moves:

  • Fired the PBM and exposed the hidden middlemen 💼
  • Brought reference-based pricing to the table 💵
  • Negotiated directly with hospitals using Medicare rates 🏥
  • Saved millions — without cutting a single employee be...
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What happens when a CPA with a passion for following the money is handed a failing $200M state health plan? She rewrites the rules.


In this explosive episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Marilyn Bartlett, the woman who dared to fire the PBM, cut out the middlemen, and bring real transparency to Montana’s state employee health plan. From exposing hidden costs to negotiating directly with hospitals using ref...

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In this gripping and wildly entertaining episode of Broken Healthcare, Ray Kober sits down with Adam V. Russo — a streetwise legal maverick who grew up in a Polish neighborhood in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and went on to co-found The Phia Group, a powerhouse in healthcare cost containment.


Adam pulls no punches as he shares his journey from working-class roots, single-mom hustle, and duct-taped shoes… to building a multimillion...

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In this explosive episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, host Ray Kober sits down with former Cigna executive turned whistleblower, Wendell Potter. Wendell reveals the life-changing moment that opened his eyes to the harsh realities of America’s healthcare system—and why he walked away from a lucrative career to tell the truth.


💥 What you’ll hear:

•The heartbreaking scene that made Wendell leave Cigna

•How insurance companies ...

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Just A Taste of an in-depth interview with David Jones, where he opens up about his early life, the challenges he overcame, and the mindset that carried him from the projects to prosperity.


Want the full story? Watch the complete episode here ➡️ https://youtu.be/nkY7Q661Ojs


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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In this powerful episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, Ray Kober sits down with David Jones, VP of Sales at Homestead Smart Health Plans, to discuss his incredible journey from growing up in public housing and battling addiction to becoming a county commissioner, a corporate executive, and a leader in the fight for affordable healthcare.


David shares:

✅ His early struggles and how he overcame them

✅ The moment that changed his...

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March 6, 2025 88 mins

Meet Ray’s cousin, Charlie DiMaggio! 🎙️


In this episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, Ray Kober sits down with Dr. Charles J. DiMaggio—a brilliant epidemiologist with a wild backstory, including time spent working in the ER of one of New York City’s busiest hospitals as a physician assistant. Charlie has seen it all—emergencies, pandemics, and more than his fair share of medical mayhem. But beyond that, he’s spent years dee...

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Healthcare should be about people, not profit—but unfortunately, that’s not the system we have today. In this episode of Broken Healthcare, I sit down with Dr. Michael Fine, a physician and author of On Medicine as Colonialism, to expose how corporate interests have hijacked healthcare. From hospitals exploiting public funds to private equity draining community resources, we break down the real cost of profit-driven healthcare—and ...

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What if your healthcare plan is costing you more than it should? In this episode of Broken Healthcare, I sit down with Mike Hill to discuss why traditional health insurance models are failing employers and employees alike. We dive into the challenges businesses face in managing healthcare costs, the hidden inefficiencies in standard plans, and how strategic approaches can create better outcomes for companies and their teams.

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Are you overpaying for healthcare without realizing it? The reality is that most employers are blindly trusting third-party administrators, brokers, and carriers without questioning the hidden costs baked into their plans. But with new regulations under the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), it's time for employers to take a proactive role in managing their healthcare plans like they do their 401(k)s.

In this episode of Bro...

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Are you aware of the hidden inefficiencies and costs in your company’s healthcare plan? In this episode of Broken Healthcare, I sit down with Julie Selesnick, an expert in ERISA law and healthcare compliance. Julie sheds light on how employers can better navigate healthcare regulations and make impactful decisions for their teams.

We dive into key issues like the Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA), fiduciary responsibilities, and...

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Are healthcare plans doing more harm than good? In this episode of Broken Healthcare, I’m joined by Dr. Garrisson Bliss, a pioneer in direct primary care and a long-time advocate for better healthcare solutions. Dr. Bliss shares his insights on why our current insurance-driven system is broken and how employers can take proactive steps to deliver better care for their teams.

We discuss why transparency, direct primary care, and putt...

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How can AI make healthcare simpler and more effective? In this episode of Broken Healthcare, I sit down with Sasha Gribov, co-founder of Milu Health, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the way we approach patient care. Sasha shares the vision behind Milu Health, a platform leveraging AI and electronic health records to improve healthcare accessibility, cost management, and patient outcomes.

We discuss t...

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This week on Broken Healthcare, I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Maryal Concepcion, a passionate advocate for patient-centered healthcare and direct primary care (DPC). Dr. Maryal shared her personal journey through the challenges of working in traditional fee-for-service healthcare systems and how she transitioned to founding her own direct primary care practice.

As a family medicine physician, Dr. Maryal’s mission is to br...

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In this episode, I’m joined by Chris Tucker and David Flakus from Diathrive, a company disrupting the diabetes care landscape. If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by the costs, bureaucracy, and inefficiencies of managing chronic conditions like diabetes, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
1. Why diabetes rates are skyrocketing in the U.S. and the role our food supply plays in it.
2. How Diathr...

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Tired of the same old healthcare runaround? You're not alone. You've probably been told to just "trust the system" and wait for the results, but let's be real, that's left you feeling frustrated and stuck. It's time to break free from the cycle of uncertainty and take control of your healthcare journey. Let's uncover the secrets to streamlining your healthcare transactions and unlocking subst...

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In today’s episode of Broken Healthcare, I’m joined by Rob Archibald, a tech innovator and healthcare advocate. Rob’s unique journey from working at Intel to creating revolutionary solutions for transparency in healthcare payments will inspire you to rethink how the system works.

We dive deep into Rob’s experiences, from his time developing mission-critical software to addressing the inefficiencies and corruption in healthcare billi...

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Are employee benefits an expense or an opportunity? On this episode of Broken Healthcare, I sit down with Gary Becker, a pioneer in transforming how employers approach benefits. As the founder of ScriptSourcing, Gary brings a unique perspective on cutting healthcare costs while improving employee satisfaction and retention.

We explore how innovative solutions like international medication sourcing, patient assistance progr...

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In today’s episode of Broken Healthcare, I’m joined by Dr. Jonathan Wiesen, a critical care physician and the visionary founder of MediOrbis. Jonathan is on a mission to revolutionize healthcare through telemedicine, making quality care more accessible for people everywhere.

Jonathan shares how MediOrbis is tackling some of healthcare’s biggest challenges, from chronic disease management to integrating scalable telemedicine solution...

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In this episode, I’m joined by Steven Baek, a visionary leader who’s tackling one of the biggest challenges in healthcare today: access to primary care. Steven is the driving force behind Vitable Health, an innovative company making high-quality primary care affordable and accessible for everyone—even those who’ve traditionally been left out of the system.

We dive into some eye-opening topics, including:

  • How Vitable Health brings...
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