Health Care News Podcast

Welcome to another episode of the Heartland Daily Podcast, where Ann Marie Sheber and healthcare economist Devon Herrick unpack this week’s biggest developments in health policy:

🔹 Prior Authorization Reform
HHS Secretary RFK Jr. & CMS’s Dr. Oz secured voluntary pledges from major insurers to streamline prior authorization—cutting red tape, boosting transparency, and digitizing approvals by 2026–2027. Devon shares a personal story of how prior auth actually saved his wife thousands—and why this process isn’t always the bogeyman.

🔹 Healthcare for Gig Workers
With gig roles rising, rigid benefits laws in states like California have faltered. We discuss how personal HSAs and portable coverage could replace one-size-fits-all models—and help millions working flexibly.

🔹 The Heat Wave & Health Risks
From Chicago’s 1995 heat disaster to Europe’s recent summer crisis, air conditioning isn’t a luxury—it’s lifesaving. We highlight how cooling can protect vulnerable populations and why power reliability matters.

🔹 Whole Milk Isn’t the Enemy
New research (Maha Commission) reveals full-fat milk may benefit kids more than skim—boosting nutrition and curbing junky snack cravings. Is it time to rethink “fat-free” school policies?

Creators and Guests

Host
AnneMarie Schieber
AnneMarie Schieber brings decades of experience as an investigative news reporter to the forefront as host of Health Care News from The Heartland Institute. Along with hosting the podcast, Schieber is the managing editor of Health Care News, Heartland's monthly newspaper for health care reform. Before her work in the liberty movement, Schieber spent several decades at television stations in Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania. The Associated Press awarded her the top honor of "Best Individual Reporting" for being the first reporter to call attention to government efforts to subsidize spending by increasing automobile fines, typically on low-income motorists.

What is Health Care News Podcast?

The Heartland Institute podcast featuring libertarian and conservative health care scholars who are working to put power back into the hands of patients and doctors, and away from government bureaucrats.