MTT #97: Drug prices, Big Tech EHR promises & the 7,000-step surprise
In this episode of Medicine: The Truth , Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr cover a whirlwind of headlines, from a White House push to tie U.S. drug prices to wealthy-nation benchmarks (with tariff threats) to a Big Tech pledge to make medical records truly interoperable. They also unpack what ACA exchange enrollees should expect in 2026 as cost-sharing subsidies teeter and insurers file double-digit premium hikes. On care delivery, the hosts examine the direct primary care + HSA shift: what it could improve, and where it might widen disparities. They then turn to the FDA’s accelerated approvals, gene-therapy turmoil and why scientific independence matters. Other key topics discussed: Kids’ health: Hand-foot-and-mouth disease basics (spread, home care, when to call) and a rare, deadly flu-related encephalopathy — another reason childhood flu vaccination matters. Cancer prevention: How hepatitis B/C control, metabolic health and alcohol use drive (and can prevent) liver cancer. Exercise clarity: Why 7,000 steps/day delivers nearly all the health gains long credited to 10,000. Lyme 101: Ticks, timelines, treatment (and why prompt checks for bites are protective). Pharma’s DTC pivot: Drugmakers selling directly via telemedicine, and what that means for GLP-1 access and brand bias. Rural stability: A new $50B Rural Health Fund aimed at offsetting Medicaid-related shortfalls for hospitals. Maternal health: 56% of new moms miss recommended postpartum visits, even as one-third of maternal deaths occur after discharge. CTE explainer: What we know (and don’t) about repetitive head trauma and long-term brain disease. * * * Dr. Robert Pearl is the author of the new book “ ChatGPT, MD: How AI-Empowered Patients & Doctors Can Take Back Control of American Medicine ” about the impact of AI on the future of medicine. All profits from the book go to Doctors Without Borders. Fixing Healthcare is a co-production of Dr. Robert Pearl and Jeremy Corr . Subscribe to the show via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you find podcasts. Join the conversation or suggest a guest by following the show on Twitter and LinkedIn The post MTT #97: Drug prices, Big Tech EHR promises & the 7,000-step surprise appeared first on Fixing Healthcare .