Entrepreneurship Episodes

Medicare Advantage Negotiates Like an Owner. Commercial Doesn’t.
Feb. 26, 2026

Medicare Advantage Negotiates Like an Owner. Commercial Doesn’t.

Why are employers paying up to four times Medicare rates for identical procedures? Dr. Kumar Dharmarajan joins Alex Yarijanian to break down incentive alignment, Medicare Advantage contracting, AI-driven engagement, and the structural pricing gap between MA and commercial markets.

Listen to the Episode

Medicare Advantage 2026: How Payers Are Choosing Partners
Dec. 30, 2025

Medicare Advantage 2026: How Payers Are Choosing Partners

In this episode, Alex Yarijanian breaks down what’s actually showing up in payer conversations right now, long before final CMS rules are published. Drawing from real contracting, network, and delegation discussions, Alex explains why waiting for regulatory clarity is already costing providers and health tech companies leverage.

This episode also outlines who is most at risk heading into 2026, the three types of organizations positioned to win, and what provider and health tech leade…

Listen to the Episode

Digital Health at a Crossroads: The Fallout from a $100M Adderall Fraud Scheme
Nov. 26, 2025

Digital Health at a Crossroads: The Fallout from a $100M Adderall Fraud Scheme

A federal jury has convicted the founders of Done, one of the fastest-growing telehealth companies in the stimulant-prescribing space, for orchestrating one of the largest Adderall distribution and fraud schemes in U.S. histo...

Listen to the Episode

Medicare 2026 Fee Schedule: 5 Big Opportunities for Providers & Startups
Sept. 30, 2025

Medicare 2026 Fee Schedule: 5 Big Opportunities for Providers & Startups

Medicare’s 2026 physician fee schedule is packed with change — but change means opportunity. In this episode of the VBCA Podcast, Alex Yarijanian breaks down the five biggest updates every provider and startup should know : S...

Listen to the Episode

How to Win in Medicare Advantage 2026
Aug. 31, 2025

How to Win in Medicare Advantage 2026

Welcome back to the Value-Based Care Advisory podcast! In this episode, host Alex Yarijanian delves into the significant updates and strategies for 2026 in the Medicare Advantage space. He covers essential news and policy cha...

Listen to the Episode

Behind the Scenes of Power: Emotional Labor in Negotiation
July 31, 2025

Behind the Scenes of Power: Emotional Labor in Negotiation

In this episode of the VBCA podcast, host Alex Yarijanian delves into the often overlooked yet crucial aspect of leadership: emotional labor. Discover how managing emotions plays a pivotal role in negotiations and leadership ...

Listen to the Episode

Meditate Like a CEO: Real ROI from Mindful Leadership
June 12, 2025

Meditate Like a CEO: Real ROI from Mindful Leadership

This podcast episode delves into the intricate relationship between mindfulness meditation and its profound implications for healthcare leadership. We explore how mindfulness practices not only enhance emotional well-being bu...

Listen to the Episode

2025 Opportunities in Healthcare: Navigating the Perfect Storm
Jan. 3, 2025

2025 Opportunities in Healthcare: Navigating the Perfect Storm

The health insurance industry is confronting a convergence of rising healthcare costs, increased patient demand, and heightened legislative scrutiny as we approach 2025. Medicare Advantage plans, once highly profitable, are now under significant pressure due to these factors. Major insurers like Humana and UnitedHealth are experiencing challenges that may redefine managed care. However, this period of disruption presents opportunities for healthcare providers and entrepreneurs to innovate an…

Listen to the Episode

Startup Pitfalls and Healthcare Horror Stories: Introduction to Value-Based Care
Nov. 13, 2024

Startup Pitfalls and Healthcare Horror Stories: Introduction to Value-Based Care

In this episode of the VBCA Podcast, host Alex Yarijanian delves into the challenges faced by healthcare startups in the value-based care (VBC) sector, emphasizing the critical importance of robust patient acquisition strategies. The discussion highlights how many startups, despite ambitious goals to enhance patient outcomes and reduce costs, struggle to meet volume requirements and maintain contracts due to inadequate patient engagement approaches.

Listen to the Episode

Changing Demographics & Value-Based Care
Feb. 12, 2023

Changing Demographics & Value-Based Care

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://healthcare-wiki.com/2022/03/12/changing-demographics-value-based-care/

Listen to the Episode