EP247: From Quality Measures to Medicare Advantage (Maybe for All) and Price Gouging, With John Gorman, CEO and Chairman of Nightingale Partners

In this health care podcast, I speak with John Gorman, who is a government-sponsored health programs guru. He's also the founder of a newly minted organization called Nightingale that (spoiler alert) we discuss toward the end of our conversation. I just want to interject right here that I, for one—but I'm sure John would agree—do not believe that Medicare Advantage (MA) is, as is, perfectly terrific and devoid of problems. There are, of course, well-known issues with coding, the whole exaggerated diagnoses for higher reimbursements thing … then there's the whole potentially wasteful quotas payments and the restrictive networks of doctors cited issues. We don't get into these during our conversation, focusing instead on comparing MA to FFS (fee-for-service) Medicare. From there, we get into advice for independent physicians in rural hospitals and then we wind up at price gouging by nonprofit hospitals. John's points are insightful as always, and I guarantee he will give you a lot to think about. You can learn more and connect with John on LinkedIn. John Gorman is the founder and former executive chairman at Gorman Health Group (GHG). For 22 years he led the development of the industry's leading consulting practice and several entrepreneurial ventures in government health programs. John's work focuses on Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and Accountable Care Act strategy, governance, and social determinants of health. John considers himself a defender and fixer of health insurance coverage, especially Medicare, Medicaid, and subsidized individuals served by health plans. He has strong opinions and relies on evidence and sound policy. Prior to founding GHG in 1996, he was appointed by President Clinton as the first assistant to the director of the Health Care Financing Administration's (now Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) Office of Managed Care.