{"podcast":{"title":"Connected By Health","slug":"connected-by-health-7781874","podcast_index_feed_id":7781874,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/605090/rss","website_url":"https://sites.libsyn.com/605090","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/0/a/2/8/0a2804858618d7e216c3140a3186d450/3.png","author":"Krishna Vedala","episode_count":22,"summary":"Connected by Health is a modern healthcare podcast hosted by Krishna Vedala, MD, MPH, MBA, CPE—a board-certified Internal Medicine and Obesity Medicine physician, healthcare executive, and innovation leader based in Oklahoma City. This show explores the intersection of clinical medicine, physician leadership, healthcare operations, AI in healthcare, and data-driven decision-making; all with one goal: creating more connected, effective, and human-centered care. Each episode features conversations with physicians, healthcare executives, innovators, and system leaders on: - Internal Medicine & Obesity Medicine - AI in Healthcare & Health Data Management - Physician Leadership & Practice Management - Healthcare Finance, Business Intelligence & Quality Improvement - Operational Excellence & Lean Six Sigma in healthcare Dr. Vedala brings a rare blend of frontline clinical experience, executive leadership training, and systems-level thinking, helping listeners bridge the gap between medicine, leadership, and innovation. 🎧 Connected by Health is for physicians, healthcare leaders, administrators, and anyone committed to building the future of healthcare together. Connect with Dr. Krishna…","last_synced_at":"2026-06-10T22:17:07.292148+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874"},"episode":{"title":"#11 - High Costs, Poor Returns: Why Healthcare Costs So Much","slug":"11-high-costs-poor-returns-why-healthcare-costs-so-much","published_at":"2026-05-04T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874/11-high-costs-poor-returns-why-healthcare-costs-so-much","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874","url":"https://3843d0a6-ee19-4b65-a291-8ee3431a2980.libsyn.com/11-high-costs-poor-returns-why-healthcare-costs-so-much","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/3843d0a6-ee19-4b65-a291-8ee3431a2980/Cost_Healthcare_episode_11.mp3?dest-id=5269150","summary":"Title: Trillion and Rising: Why Healthcare Keeps Getting More Expensive The United States now spends over $5 trillion a year on healthcare. That's nearly 1 in every 5 dollars in the entire U.S. economy. Yet despite this staggering number, millions of Americans still delay care, skip medications, or struggle to afford basic services. As Krishna asks in this episode: \"Why does spending keep going up — but it doesn't feel like we're getting proportional value in return?\" This isn't just an economic issue. It's personal. Healthcare costs don't rise in a vacuum. They rise because of structure, incentives, and policy choices. In this episode of Connected by Health, we break down what's really driving the cost crisis: Employer-sponsored family premiums now average nearly $27,000 per year Since 2000, family premiums have increased by almost 300% Administrative costs account for 25–30% of total U.S. healthcare spending Prevention and public health? Less than 5% As Krishna states plainly: \"Healthcare costs keep rising because the system is doing what it was always designed to do.\" We explore the hidden drivers: Hospital consolidation and pricing power Specialty drugs launching at $300,000 per year Workforce shortages and burnout Fee-for-service models that reward volume, not value Administrative complexity that \"doesn't really improve outcomes — it just raises costs.\" And here's the number that makes this personal: Nearly 60% of Americans report delaying or skipping care because of cost. Over 90 million people struggle to afford quality healthcare. That's not abstract. That's fear, stress, and impossible trade-offs. So what can actually change? This episode moves beyond frustration and into solutions: Invest in prevention and early diagnosis Simplify administrative waste Support…","meta_description":"Title: Trillion and Rising: Why Healthcare Keeps Getting More Expensive The United States now spends over $5 trillion a year on healthcare. That's nearly…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1505,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/connected-by-health-7781874/episodes/11-high-costs-poor-returns-why-healthcare-costs-so-much/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/connected-by-health-7781874/11-high-costs-poor-returns-why-healthcare-costs-so-much.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}