What if one of the biggest drivers of healthcare costs, missed work, and unnecessary surgeries isn't what you think? In this episode of Healthcare Americana, Christopher Habig sits down with Tim Spooner, CEO of Solveglobal, to break down why musculoskeletal (MSK) care continues to frustrate patients and employers alike. From delayed access and overuse of imaging to a system that rewards escalation instead of resolution, Tim explains how most people enter care at the wrong point and end up stuck ...
Apr 30, 2026•33 min•Ep. 281
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, Christopher Habig talks with Colton Storla about why employer health plans keep getting more expensive and why most companies never get clear answers. Colton explains how the renewal process works and how hidden incentives, lack of transparency, and multiple middlemen continue to drive costs higher without improving care. The discussion also explores a better path forward, highlighting how employers can take control by using clear data, building direct re...
Mar 31, 2026•42 min•Ep. 280
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig speaks with Matt Ohrt, the new Executive Director of the Free Market Medical Association (FMMA), about the future of free market healthcare in America. They discuss how price transparency, direct primary care, and employer-driven health plans can lower costs and improve access to quality care. Matt explains why rising healthcare costs are driven by broken payment systems, not better medicine, and how employers can use their buying p...
Feb 18, 2026•34 min•Ep. 279
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig sits down with Kathy Giusti, two-time cancer survivor and founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Kathy explains why patients must adopt a "CEO mindset" to navigate the complexities of the American healthcare system. From the evolution of precision medicine to the life-saving power of self-advocacy, she shares how she transformed her personal battle into a global mission for better medical research. Tune in to learn how...
Jan 27, 2026•38 min•Ep. 278
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig sits down with Sierra Lavallee, head of marketing at Freedom Healthworks, to explain why smart, strategic marketing is one of the most important factors in building a successful direct primary care practice. They discuss how marketing helps connect the right patients with the right doctors, why visibility and education matter more than ever in today’s consumer-driven healthcare environment, and how physicians can market themselves w...
Dec 16, 2025•33 min•Ep. 277
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with neurosurgeon and healthcare policy leader Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio about the growing crisis around prior authorizations. They discuss how complicated approval processes delay urgent care, burden physicians, and put patients at risk. Dr. DiGiorgio explains why smarter, low-friction models such as gold-carding and stronger subspecialty board oversight could help rebuild trust between physicians and payers. The conversation als...
Dec 09, 2025•36 min•Ep. 276
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Tim Hirsch, COO of ShareWELL Partners, about health sharing as a practical and affordable alternative to traditional health insurance. Tim explains how health shares work, why they often cost much less than insurance premiums, and how combining a health share with a DPC or FreedomDoc membership can help protect families from major medical expenses. They also cover common misconceptions, pre-existing condition rules, and t...
Nov 18, 2025•41 min•Ep. 275
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Tony Cerna, family nurse practitioner and founder of Progressive Healthcare DPC in Tampa, Florida. After 27 years in traditional medicine, Tony left the insurance-driven system to create a clinic focused on time, trust, and personalized care. He shares how direct primary care empowers patients through longer visits, honest conversations, and education that leads to lasting health improvements. Discover how Tony is making ...
Nov 04, 2025•20 min•Ep. 274
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, Christopher Habig talks with David Foucachon and Dr. Matthew Abraham from Veritas Surgery in Idaho about how they deliver world-class surgical care without the limits of a traditional hospital. They explain how Veritas brings together independent surgeons, partners with existing surgical centers, and offers transparent, direct-pay pricing that helps patients, doctors, and facilities. The conversation also covers the real challenges of negotiating facility...
Oct 21, 2025•34 min•Ep. 273
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig welcomes back Amanda Compton, Manager of Client Services at Freedom Healthworks, for another behind-the-scenes look at how DPC physicians reclaim their most valuable resource...time. Christopher and Amanda dive into the daily realities of Direct Primary Care and how this model allows physicians to take back control of their schedules, reduce administrative stress, and reconnect with their patients. They also share stories of doctors...
Oct 07, 2025•26 min•Ep. 272
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig speaks with Dr. Lahnor Powell of Genova Diagnostics about how advanced functional testing is transforming care in direct primary care and membership medicine. They discuss how Genova goes beyond traditional lab work to uncover the root causes of issues in areas like hormones, gut health, metabolism, and nutrition, while also providing physicians with practical tools, clear reporting, and clinician support. The conversation explores ...
Sep 23, 2025•23 min•Ep. 271
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig sits down with Trace Voshell, Chief Revenue Officer at GoGoMeds. They discuss how direct mail-order pharmacy is transforming the patient experience by making medications more affordable, accessible, and reliable. Trace explains how DPC practices can integrate pharmacy services without the burden of managing in-house dispensing, giving physicians more freedom to focus on care while still offering patients lower-cost prescriptions. To...
Sep 09, 2025•26 min•Ep. 270
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig sits down with Dr. Marion Mass, pediatrician and co-founder of Practicing Physicians of America, to uncover widespread fraud and abuse in the Medicare Advantage program. They break down how insurers use practices like upcoding, assigning patients exaggerated or false diagnoses, to collect billions in taxpayer dollars each year, with UnitedHealthcare highlighted as a major offender. Dr. Mass explains the systemic conflicts of interes...
Aug 26, 2025•23 min•Ep. 269
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Dr. Shannon Decker, CEO of VBC One, about what value-based care (VBC) really means and how it differs from traditional fee-for-service models. Dr. Decker explains that VBC focuses on prevention, quality measures, total cost of care, and accurate risk adjustment. She discusses payment approaches like capitation with quality bonuses and highlights the practical needs for success, including strong EMR documentation, risk cod...
Aug 12, 2025•40 min•Ep. 268
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Dr. Mala Kaul, a board-certified rheumatologist, about the growing crisis in autoimmune care. With too few specialists and rising patient demand, Dr. Kaul explains how rushed appointments and broken incentives are hurting patients. She also explains why early detection, lifestyle changes, and better coordination with primary care are key to improving outcomes. Dr. Kaul also shares why she believes direct specialty care co...
Jul 29, 2025•33 min•Ep. 267
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig speaks with Shannon Biergans, a longtime nurse practitioner and patient advocate, and John Hsieh, a direct primary care leader, about launching the Michigan chapter of the Free Market Medical Association (FMMA). They discuss how personal experiences and professional frustrations sparked a commitment to healthcare freedom, transparency, and reform. The conversation explores how the FMMA unites diverse stakeholders across healthcare t...
Jul 15, 2025•32 min•Ep. 266
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Dr. Tom DiLorenzo, President of the Mises Institute, about how Austrian economics can help fix America’s broken healthcare system. They explore how government bureaucracy, inflation, cronyism, and rent-seeking drive up costs and reduce quality, while free market principles like competition and innovation offer a path to reform. Dr. DiLorenzo highlights the role of local initiatives, economic education, and grassroots effo...
Jun 30, 2025•34 min•Ep. 265
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Charles Sauer, Founder and President of The Market Institute, about site neutrality, the idea that the same medical service should cost the same no matter where it's delivered. They explore how government price-setting and hospital consolidation are driving up costs, limiting patient access, and distorting the healthcare market. The conversation also looks at how past legislation and lobbying have shaped the current syste...
Jun 16, 2025•41 min•Ep. 264
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Andrew Newland, Founder & CEO of Direct Primary Care Marketing, about overcoming marketing paralysis in independent healthcare practices. They discuss why many clinics struggle to establish an online presence and how to build a strong foundation with clear messaging and multi-channel strategies. Andrew emphasizes treating your website as a functional tool, not just a visual asset, and highlights the importance of trus...
Jun 02, 2025•41 min•Ep. 263
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig introduces a new monthly segment, Practice Makes Perfect , featuring Amanda Compton, Client Services Manager at Freedom Healthworks. Amanda brings her on-the-ground insights from managing DPC practices across the country and dives into the crucial role of communication in patient satisfaction and practice success. Plus, learn how patient expectations around accessibility can make or break your DPC practice, and what you can do about...
May 22, 2025•19 min•Ep. 262
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig talks with Dr. Michael Havig about the rise of cash pay healthcare models. They explore the inefficiencies in traditional healthcare payment systems, the importance of price transparency, and how Dr. Havig’s company, HealthMe, is helping facilitate direct pay solutions for patients and providers. The conversation covers the challenges and opportunities of implementing cash pay models, as well as the future of direct pay in medical s...
Mar 31, 2025•42 min•Ep. 261
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig speaks with Julie Baak, practice manager at the Arthritis Center in St. Louis, about the challenges of patient access to infusion therapy and the manipulative practices of insurance companies. Julie shares her experiences managing a large number of infusion patients and the burdens imposed by insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers. She discusses the role of social media in advocating for patients and how independent clini...
Feb 13, 2025•29 min•Ep. 260
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig sits down with Indiana Representative Julie McGuire to explore the crucial role state lawmakers play in shaping healthcare policy. They discuss how everyday citizens can influence healthcare reform, the challenges of hospital pricing transparency, and the accountability of nonprofit hospitals. McGuire highlights the need for greater transparency in healthcare ownership and examines the growing impact of private equity on local medic...
Feb 08, 2025•44 min•Ep. 259
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, Christopher Habig introduces the new season focused on solutions in the American healthcare system, emphasizing the critical role of trust. He discusses the erosion of trust among patients and healthcare providers, the bureaucratic challenges faced, and advocates for direct care models as a viable solution. The episode highlights the need for transparency and patient-centered care, while addressing common myths about healthcare and insurance. More on Free...
Feb 07, 2025•17 min•Ep. 258
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig sits down with Dr. Stephanie Huhn, a Direct Primary Care (DPC) physician, and Sarah Gabriel, a business advisor, to explore the transition from traditional healthcare to DPC. Together, they dive into the challenges and benefits of this innovative model, emphasizing its patient-centered approach and the critical role of community engagement. Dr. Huhn shares her journey of building a family medicine practice focused on personalized ca...
Nov 28, 2024•39 min•Ep. 257
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig is joined by Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio. Together, they explore the 340B Drug Discount Program, a federal initiative meant to help low-income patients access affordable medications. They reveal how the program has shifted over time to prioritize large healthcare institutions, creating unintended consequences like inflated healthcare costs and reduced patient access to discounts. The conversation calls for greater transparency and reforms...
Nov 21, 2024•30 min•Ep. 256
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig is joined by Joe Wilson, Chief Growth Officer at Frontier Direct Care. Together, they discuss the myths surrounding healthcare costs and the potential savings from implementing Direct Primary Care (DPC) in employer benefit programs. They explore the misconceptions held by executives about primary care, the importance of educating decision-makers on insurance, and the tangible savings that can be achieved through DPC. The conversatio...
Nov 14, 2024•41 min•Ep. 255
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, Christopher Habig speaks with Dr. Matt Patterson, President of WelbeHealth, about the pressing issues of loneliness and mental health among seniors. They discuss the inadequacies of the current volume-driven healthcare system in addressing these challenges. Dr. Patterson explains WelbeHealth’s Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) which provides comprehensive care for older adults. He also emphasizes the importance of human interaction in h...
Nov 07, 2024•32 min•Ep. 254
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, host Christopher Habig is joined by Dr. Juliette Madrigal. Together, they discuss the detrimental impact of insurance companies on the healthcare system, particularly on the doctor-patient relationship. They explore the commoditization of both patients and physicians, the role of hospitals in prioritizing profit over care, and the rise of direct care models as a solution. The conversation emphasizes the importance of trust and transparency in healthcare, ...
Oct 31, 2024•39 min•Ep. 253
In this episode of Healthcare Americana, Christopher Habig speaks with Dr. J. Matthew Andry and Maddie Andry about their journey in the direct care model of healthcare. They discuss the evolution of their practice, the importance of support in making the transition to direct care, and the integration of mental and physical health in patient care. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by physicians in traditional healthcare settings and the value of personalized care in improving patie...
Oct 24, 2024•40 min•Ep. 252
