Vic and Marcus discuss the latest macro forces shaping healthcare and technology, starting with inflation trends, rising oil prices, and how geopolitical tensions involving Iran could impact global markets and supply chains. They examine how healthcare has become the primary driver of U.S. job growth while questioning whether the industry can sustain the broader labor market long term. The conversation covers venture funding activity including AI healthcare startups, maternal health investments, and the growing debate over massive venture rounds in the AI era. They also analyze major industry developments such as CVS and Aetna resolving Medicare Advantage investigations, the acquisition of Talkspace by UHS to expand behavioral health services, and Novo Nordisk’s ongoing struggles in the GLP-1 market. The episode closes with a wide-ranging discussion on tokenized financial markets, the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, big tech’s increasing control over healthcare through platforms like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, and how AI may become the new front door to healthcare access.
Story # 1 CPI, War & Healthcare jobs
Story # 2 VC deals
Story # 3 Changes (again) at FDA
Story # 4 Aetna settlement
Story # 5 Health Systems Bullish
Story # 6 Novo
Story # 7 Tokenizing Wall Street
Story # 8 Big Tech AI in Healthcare
What is Health:Further?
Every week, healthcare VCs and Jumpstart Health Investors co-founders Vic Gatto and Marcus Whitney review and unpack the happenings in US Healthcare, finance, technology and policy. With a firm belief that our healthcare system is doomed without entrepreneurship, they work through the mud to find the jewels, highlight headwinds and tailwinds, and bring on the smartest guests to fill in the gaps.