Radio Advisory

Hosted by Advisory Board

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Episodes

324

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

A top podcast for healthcare leaders, with over two million downloads, Radio Advisory is your weekly download on how to untangle the industry's most pressing challenges to help leaders like you make the best business decisions for your organization. From unpacking major trends in care delivery—like site-of-care shifts and the rise of high-cost drugs—to demystifying stakeholder dynamics, to shining a spotlight on priorities that may get overlooked, we're here to help. Our hosts and seasoned researchers talk with industry experts to equip you with knowledge to confront today's unanswered questions in healthcare. New episodes drop every Tuesday. | www.advisory.com

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60 recent

June 16, 202636 min

303: The hard truths behind the fight for commercial volumes

As health systems anticipate greater downward pressures on margins in the months and years to come, they’re homing their growth strategies accordingly. As we’ve been saying in our research the past couple of years, “sustainability” is now the name of the game. Here’s the conundrum: our research also shows that 90% of systems are betting on the same growth plays as their competition. And more and more, those bets converge on a common goal: win more commercial volumes. In this episode, host Abby Burns sits down with Advisory Board experts Shay Pratt and Emily Heuser to unpack the three main avenues health systems are exploring to win commercial volumes: ambulatory care, service lines, and direct-to-employer contracting. For each, they explore a “hard truth” and corresponding mindset shift leaders must face as they weigh what it will take to generate margin-accretive growth. We’re here to help: Ambulatory research | Ambulatory care Market trends research | Market trends and growth strategy Service line research | Service lines and specialty care Episode | 290: How data savvy strategic planners will define the next era of health system growth Playlist | Provider Strategy and Financial Outlook playlist Tool | Check out Advisory Board’s Market Scenario Planner and other Advisory Board analytics and data tools to inform your strategy for growth, cost control and more. Learn more about Advisory Board’s 2026 summit series. A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

June 9, 202628 min

302: CMS announced the 2027 MA final rate. What do payers and providers need to know?

CMS continues to pull on the levers it has at its disposal to rein in national healthcare spend, including rulemaking around Medicare Advantage. In April, CMS announced the final rate for MA plans for CY2027, after a controversial proposed rule generated animated pushback — and a fair bit of panic — among payers. In this episode, host Abby Burns speaks with Alex Balmes, Vice President of Actuarial Services at Optum, to unpack what did — and didn’t — end up in the final rate announcement, and what that signals for the future of the Medicare Advantage program. Together, they explore the components of the final rate that are most important for payers and providers to pay attention to, respectively, and why. Also in the 2027 final announcement, but not discussed in this episode: four measures are being added or updated in Star ratings calculations (Colorectal Cancer Screening; Care for Older Adults – Functional Status Assessment; Concurrent Use of Opioids and Benzodiazepines (COB); Polypharmacy: Use of Multiple Anticholinergic Medications in Older Adults (Poly-ACH)) and three are being removed (Care for Older Adults – Pain Assessment, Medication Reconciliation Post-Discharge, Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Program Completion Rate for Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR)) We’re here to help: Read the 2027 CMS Announcement | 2027 | CMS Episode | 286: A Medicare Advantage reset — and what comes next Ready-to-Use Slides | Medicare Advantage market outlook Stay informed | Healthcare policy updates Tool | Policy Scenario Impact Calculator Connect with an Optum Advisory expert | Optum Learn more about Advisory Board’s 2026 summit series. A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

June 2, 202629 min

301: Maternity care moves back to fee-for-service

Maternity care touches nearly every corner of the U.S. health system. About 25% of all hospitalizations involve a mother or newborn, and maternity spending accounts for roughly 0.8% of U.S. GDP — making it one of the most economically significant service lines in health care. Against that backdrop, a little noticed decision to unbundle maternity billing codes represents a generational shift in how pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum care are paid for. In this episode of Radio Advisory, host Rae Woods sits down with Neel Shah, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Maven Clinic, to break down what the new maternity billing codes mean for providers, health plans, and patients. Together, they explore why the old bundle broke down, how unbundling could reshape care delivery, and what health leaders should be doing now as 2027 approaches. We’re here to help: Read Neel’s article | The great unbundling - by Neel Shah, MD - The Preprint Episode | Ep. 261: Maven Clinic on how holistic women's health is the key to reducing cost and engaging employees Quick guide | Guide to today's top women's healthcare trends Learn more about Advisory Board’s 2026 summit series. A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

May 26, 202641 min

300: How policy whiplash is shaping healthcare: Live from D.C. with KFF’s Julie Rovner

Health care leaders are navigating one of the most volatile policy environments in decades. The next major reform fight hasn’t arrived yet — but in its place, a steady wave of rulemaking, regulatory shifts, and enforcement actions is driving real change. Policies are evolving faster, reversing more often, and creating a level of uncertainty that makes even the most seasoned strategists question what to act on, what to wait out, and what to ignore. This moment of policy whiplash isn’t theoretical — it’s reshaping care delivery models, workforce strategy, and long term investment decisions across the industry. In this live episode, recorded at Advisory Board’s Washington, D.C. Summit on May 4, 2026, host Rae Woods sits down with Julie Rovner — chief Washington correspondent at KFF Health News and host of the What the Health? podcast — to make sense of this “in between” moment of health policy. Drawing on four decades of reporting across multiple administrations and reform cycles, Julie helps leaders separate meaningful signals from noise, understand where real policy power sits today, and anticipate what could define the next era of health reform. We’re here to help: Playlist | Radio Advisory Health Policy playlist Expert Insight | How policy changes will impact your bottom line Tool | Policy Scenario Impact Calculator Want to see a live recording of Radio Advisory? Register for an Advisory Board summit and get the insights your organization needs to navigate uncertainty and build lasting resilience. What the Health? From KFF Health News Archives - KFF Health News 4 ways health systems are reducing EVS costs while improving performance A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

May 19, 202630 min

299: Is the nursing workforce stabilizing? What leaders should act on now.

After a decidedly difficult few years in the world of nursing, things have seemingly gotten better — at least, on paper. And that’s reflective of a lot of hard work on the part of nursing leaders. But when we look at how long nurses plan to stay in the profession, we see a different story taking shape. In this episode of Radio Advisory, host Abby Burns is joined by Advisory Board nursing expert Ali Knight and Optum expert Sherilynn Quist. Together, they unpack what today’s workforce data is really telling us and what it misses, the root causes driving nurses’ discontent, and why strengthening the nursing workforce can’t be left to nurse leaders alone. We’re here to help: Episode | 274: The nurse engagement tactic leaders may be missing Expert Insight | Labor costs continue to go up. What does it mean for health systems? Expert Insight | Engage frontline staff to increase margin Webinar | 5 key trends shaping the nursing workforce today Webinar | Inform your workforce decisions with Advisory Board's benchmarks Learn more | Optum Advisory: Sustainable Growth and Margin Consulting 5 strategies to close gaps in bladder cancer care A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

May 12, 202625 min

298: Battle of the bots? Separating AI hype from value in revenue cycle

Across the industry, leaders are talking about a “battle of the bots”—with payers and providers racing to deploy AI across the revenue cycle. But that narrative may be more hype than reality. In this episode, Rae Woods is joined by Advisory Board experts Isis Monteiro and Elysia Culver to separate fact from fiction. They break down where AI is actually delivering value today—and why it’s showing up as efficiency gains and cost avoidance, not revenue growth. And they make the case for a different approach: stop chasing AI for its own sake, and start focusing on margin protection, operational discipline, and the problems that actually need solving. We’re here to help: Report | Revenue cycle claims denial benchmarks Report | Addressing plan-provider friction: 3 insights from Optum’s Payer-Provider Abrasion survey Case Study | 3 steps to prevent prior authorization denials Learn | AI in healthcare: Evaluating promising use cases Playlist | Radio Advisory Provider Strategy and Financial Outlook playlist Playlist | Radio Advisory Tech and AI playlist Learn about Advisory Board's 2026 summits A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

May 5, 202636 min

297: Consumerism still hasn’t caught on in healthcare. Will it ever?

After more than a decade of effort, healthcare still struggles with the same consumer pain points: affordability, access, and trust. Despite investments in price transparency, virtual care, and navigation tools, the patient experience remains fragmented, leaving leaders to wonder whether healthcare consumerism ever truly delivered on its promise. In this episode, host Rae Woods invites Advisory Board experts Devin Airey, Shay Pratt, and Natalie Trebes to take a candid look at why the consumer revolution stalled, what consumerism tactics healthcare leaders need to let go of, and where the industry should double down heading into the next decade. We’re here to help: Report | 6 insights on consumer preferences in healthcare Report | Setting up your ambulatory network for the future Expert Insight | 3 strategies to boost healthcare consumer engagement Expert Insight | 3 trends shaping healthcare in 2026 (and how to respond) Playlist | Radio Advisory Provider Strategy and Financial Outlook playlist Subscribe to The Daily Briefing, a must-read daily newsletter for thousands of healthcare executives across the nation A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

April 28, 202632 min

296: The real value of price transparency, and how leaders should engage

What has price transparency data taught us about healthcare prices? Price transparency laws were originally put in place to make it possible for patients to act like consumers. We’re not there yet. But as federal requirements and enforcement tighten, health plans and providers are sharing more and better data, giving us a clearer picture of the price of care across services, organizations, and markets. In this episode, host Abby Burns sits down with CEO of Revelar Analytics, Maria Nikol, to better understand how and why leaders across the industry should leverage price transparency data to help them navigate mounting financial pressures. Maria shares concrete examples of how organizations are using the data to defend rates, uncover underpayment, and prepare for rate negotiations — while also breaking down common data pitfalls and why interpretation matters. They also discuss recent and proposed policy changes and what they mean for healthcare leaders in 2026 and beyond. We’re here to help: Infographic | Real-time transparency Report | 4 steps for successful risk contracting with payers Expert Insight | 3 ways to make VBC contracting easier Learn more | Revelar Analytics l Price Transparency l Home Page 2026 State of Healthcare Procurement: Cost, Quality, Resilience A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

April 21, 202631 min

295: How to keep patients on Medicaid amid looming cuts

The U.S. healthcare system is approaching a major inflection point. Nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts are set to take effect in January 2027, driven by new work requirements, more frequent eligibility checks, and tighter limits on state financing. While the policy changes are months away, their consequences are already clear: millions of Americans are at risk of losing coverage, and provider organizations — many operating on margins near zero — will absorb the downstream impact through rising uncompensated care. In this episode, hosts Rae Woods and Abby Burns are joined by former Optum Executive Director of Product and Strategy Sunay Shah to help healthcare leaders move from “scramble” to strategy. Drawing on lessons from past Medicaid shifts, including redeterminations and state level work requirement experiments, they explain why administrative disenrollment —not ineligibility — is the biggest threat facing patients and providers alike. Together, they break down what health systems can do now to keep eligible patients covered: redesigning workflows earlier in the patient journey, using technology more thoughtfully, partnering with community organizations, state agencies, and operational support partners, and rebuilding trust with patients during moments of vulnerability. We’re here to help: Episode | 288: Health policy update: VBC, site-neutral payments, and 340B Playlist | Radio Advisory health policy playlist Ready-to-Use Resource | Your guide to CMMI’s 25+ innovation models Expert Insight | How policy changes will impact your bottom line White Paper | Navigating the next era of Medicaid On-Demand Webinar | Adapting to the changes in Medicaid policies Want to learn more about how Optum can help? Connect with our team today Register today for the 2026 Advisory Board Summit in Washington, D.C. 2026 State of Healthcare Procurement: Cost, Quality, Resilience A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

April 16, 202612 min

On the ground at ViVE 2026: Takeaways on AI and scale

In this bonus episode of Radio Advisory, managing producer Chris Phelps and host and executive producer Rae Woods compare notes from the 2026 ViVE digital health conference. They break down what stood out on the main stage and the show floor—from where AI is over and under hyped, to why point solutions keep falling short, to what it actually takes to scale technology in healthcare. They also surface the big questions they still have about the healthcare industry’s digital future. We’re here to help: Podcast | Ep. 294: Live from ViVE: How payers can reduce friction when the rules change Podcast | 276: The AI gold rush is changing how humans (and clinicians) make decisions Research | How to succeed using AI: Lessons from 4 leading organizations Expert Insight | Inside CMS' final rule changes for 2026 Podcast | Ep. 205: Live from ViVE 2024: Four leaders on how technology is redefining clinical work A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.