News You Can Use – May 2025

Delete Your DNA and Eat a Steak

This month’s episode of “News You Can Use” on Healthcare NOW Radio features news from the month of May 2025.

The show that gives you a quick insight into the latest news, twists, turns, and debacles going on in healthcare with my friend and co-host Craig Joseph, MD (@CraigJoseph) Chief Medical Officer at Nordic Consulting Partners and myself, where every diagnosis comes with a side of humor. We hope you stay curious, stay engaged, and keep seeking the truth in healthcare in a world that thrives on information.

Buckle up as we dive into the ER of excitement, the ICU of irrationality, and the waiting room of wacky wisdom in this months show that features a review of:

• Medical Debt Conference
• CVS Health Aetna and the ACA
• The Omnibus Bill
• COVID-19 Vaccination Guideline Changes
• Genetic Data Sold
• USDA DRI Calculator

This month’s healthcare news is a rollercoaster of absurdity, heartbreak, and corporate greed—buckle up. We kicked things off with a deep dive into medical debt, a uniquely American nightmare. At a recent conference (hosted by the mysteriously named Lown Institute—pronunciation still pending), experts revealed that most of the world responded to “medical debt” with a collective “Huh?” Meanwhile, in the U.S., hospitals are drowning in financial chaos, patients are crushed by bills, and one organization’s heroic act was wiping out a 700 bill halting the wrecking of one individuals life.

Vaccines, Bills & Privacy Thrills

We revisit COVID’s (Like a Bad Sequel Nobody Wanted). Just when you thought it was safe to stop masking in your Uber, COVID vaccines are back in the headlines. Turns out, the U.S. has been the overzealous parent at the vaccine party, recommending shots for everyone while other countries focused on the elderly and chronically ill. Now, we’re finally catching up—maybe. Craig, ever the rationalist, admitted he was scandalized… until the data changed his mind. Shocking, right? Actual evidence influencing opinions? In this economy? Meanwhile, AI mergers and genetic data leaks (looking at you, 23andMe) remind us that privacy is a myth, and your DNA is probably being auctioned off to the highest bidder.

We note that CVS is ditching the ACA, in a move that shocked exactly no one. CVS, fresh off a 60% profit increase, decided to move Aetna out of the Affordable Care Act marketplace, leaving 17 million people scrambling for coverage. Meanwhile, the Omnibus Bill includes an option to let AI Run Wild: buried in this massive bill, Congress snuck in a “no AI oversight” clause, which, troublingly, ensures little accountability in the AI innovation space?

And in a rare wholesome moment, the USDA’s dietary calculator revealed we’re all protein-deficient. So go eat a steak (responsibly, of course). Until next time, folks—stay skeptical, stay fed, and maybe delete your 23andMe account before it’s too late, which it is now.

We hope you enjoy our take on the latest news and developments in healthcare and want to help you keep untangling the web of information, dodging the sensational pitfalls, and emerging victorious, albeit a little dizzy, on the other side. In the end, the stories we uncover, and the discussions we ignite, all shape the narrative of our shared future. We want to hear from you especially if you have topics covered or questions you’d like answered. You can reach out directly via the contact form on my website, or send a message on LinkedIn to Craig or me.

Until next month keep solving healthcare’s mysteries before they become your emergencies.

This article was originally published on the Dr. Nick – The Incrementalist blog and is republished here with permission.

News You Can Use gives you a quick insight into the latest news, twists, turns and debacles going on in healthcare with Dr. Nick and Dr. Craig and where every diagnosis comes with a side of side-splitting humor. Your hosts are Dr Nick a long-time host, innovator and healthcare wizard who can prescribe a digital dose of innovation to cure even the most ailing operational inefficiencies. And Dr. Craig Joseph is the healthcare guru who can diagnose both patient and software glitches with equal precision, making sure hospitals run smoother than a well-oiled robot doc.

So buckle up, because we’re diving into the ER of excitement, the ICU of irrationality, and the waiting room of wacky wisdom.

Stay curious, stay engaged, and keep seeking the truth in a world that thrives on information. Because in the end, the stories we uncover, and the discussions we ignite, they all shape the narrative of our shared future.

And keep laughing at the absurdity, keep rolling your eyes at the headlines, and keep spreading the news like your favorite gossip. Who knows, maybe someday you’ll be the breaking news story we’re all talking about!

Weekdays at 4:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 8:00 pm ET.

Follow the Social Hashtag at #HealthNewsYouCanUse