Raising Health
NOV 10
CVS Health: Building Healthcare’s Consumer Platform
Josh Weiner left Meta to return to CVS Health with two painful realizations: consumers don't manage their health—they expect it, and the healthcare market fundamentally violates every principle of economics. In this conversation with a16z's Julie Yoo, the CVS Senior VP explains why 50% of Americans can't afford a healthcare emergency, how CVS is becoming a platform to solve structural healthcare problems, and why the future depends on consumers finally controlling their own health data. Timecodes: 0:00 The Healthcare Market Isn't Functioning 2:30 Consumers Don't Manage Health, They Just Expect It 3:39 Why Consumer Playbooks Die in Healthcare 5:41 Motion vs Progress: The Innovation Illusion 8:46 Platform Philosophy: "It Takes a Village" 11:38 The Vaccine Paradox Under One Roof 19:37 The 40% Hidden Reality: Healthcare Is Caregiving 21:04 The Deductible Comprehension Crisis 22:10 "This Does Have an Expiration Date" 24:40 The Health Passport Future Resources: Find Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshweiner2/ Follow Julie on X: https://x.com/julesyoo Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the Raising Health Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fjb8YTzHDuPBgDXc3ElkR Listen to the Raising Health Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-health/id1529318900 Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
28 min
SEP 29
Value-Based Oncology at Scale: Inside Thyme Care
Cancer care in the U.S. costs over $250 billion each year, and nearly 2 million Americans receive a new diagnosis annually, yet too often the journey begins with silence: no call, no plan, no guide. In this episode, a16z’s Vineeta Agarwala and Jay Rughani talk with Thyme Care leaders Robin Shah (cofounder and CEO), Bobby Green, MD (president and CMO), and Brad Diephuis, MD (president and COO) about rebuilding oncology around the patient. They cover where the system breaks, how navigation plus value-based contracts align incentives, how AI can extend clinicians, and what scale looks like today, more than 83,000 active patients. A concise blueprint for truly patient-centered cancer care. Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction 1:47 Personal Stories & Early Days of Time Care 5:27 Building the Team & Mission 7:07 The Patient Journey: Where the System Fails 9:58 Why Tech Hasn’t Solved Cancer Care (Yet) 15:45 Scaling Impact: Growth & Partnerships 17:45 How Time Care Works: Value-Based Care Explained 23:15 Technology, AI, and the Human Touch 37:06 Building for the Future: Generational Impact Resources: Find Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-shah-8072bb35 Find Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbobbygreen/ FInd Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdiephuis/ Find Vineeta on X: https://x.com/vintweeta Find Jay on X: https://x.com/JayRughani Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends! Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Listen to the Raising Health on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fjb8YTzHDuPBgDXc3ElkR Listen to Raising Health on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-health/id1529318900 Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
41 min
AUG 6
The Consumer Becomes the Payor: How ICHRA Unlocks a New Era in Healthcare
In this episode, Julie Yoo and Jay Rughani are joined by Thatch cofounders Chris Ellis and Adam Stevenson to explore why ICHRA—a more recent policy innovation—might quietly revolutionize employer-sponsored health benefits. Unpacking the surprising history of how U.S. healthcare became entangled with employment, they make the case for a defined-contribution future that mirrors the rise of the 401(k) and HSA. Tailored especially for today’s distributed and fast-moving workforce, ICHRA allows employers to offer tax-free health dollars employees can spend how—and where—they choose. For healthcare entrepreneurs, the conversation provides a blueprint for navigating a rapidly shifting payer landscape, including insight into how fintech infrastructure, policy tailwinds, and carrier ecosystem integrations unlock market readiness. This episode was originally published in October of 2024. The conversation remains relevant today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
