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Where scalpels meet systems — and physicians say what they really think.
Co-hosted by Dutch Rojas & Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, with Anish Koka, MD, Dan Choi, MD, & Sanat Dixit, MD — candid talks on healthcare policy, reform, physician autonomy & patient care.
31 Episodes
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Send us a text Keywords healthcare, primary care, ER, cost reduction, pharmacy reform, 340B program, healthcare access, bureaucratic reform Summary The conversation focuses on the need to shift healthcare from emergency rooms to primary care, emphasizing cost reduction and improved access through reforms in pharmacy practices and bureaucratic processes. Takeaways Shifting healthcare to primary care can reduce costs significantly. Mail order pharmacy can save money on prescriptions. Bur...
Send us a text Keywords healthcare, Medicaid fraud, DEI, vaccine safety, Eli Lilly, ACA, healthcare policy, trust in medicine, social determinants of health, healthcare reform Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss various pressing issues in healthcare, including Medicaid fraud, the impact of fraud on legitimate healthcare needs, and the ongoing debate about healthcare as a human right. They also discuss the recent report by the FDA on children that may have died as a result of receiv...
Send us a text Summary Dr. Anahita Dua is a vascular surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital who joins Dutch Rojas, Anish Koka, and Anthony Digiorgio to discuss her views on women's health and cardiovascular disease, the need for a broader understanding of women's health issues beyond reproductive health, and the problems female physicians face in medicine. We discuss the challenges of research funding, the importance of gender-specific studies, and the need for a decentralized approach to...
Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Doctors' Lounge, the hosts discuss a range of topics centered around healthcare, including personal experiences with medical procedures, the importance of trust in healthcare providers, the economics of office-based surgeries, and the role of insurance companies in driving up costs. They reflect on the need for a more patient-centered approach to healthcare and express gratitude for their personal and professional lives as they approach Thanksgiv...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen: Dive into a heated discussion on the future of healthcare, where leading physicians debate the merits of free market principles versus centralized healthcare planning. Discover why the current system may be failing and what can be done to steer it in a better direction. 👥 Co-Hosts: Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem Health Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy researcher Anish Koka, MD – Cardiologist, Philadelphia; healthcare policy co...
Send us a text 📌 Episode Overview: In this episode, the co-hosts dive into the complexities of healthcare policy, discussing the impact of ACA subsidies, the role of insurance companies, and the potential for HSAs to empower patients. They explore the challenges of healthcare costs, the influence of government subsidies, and the need for a competitive marketplace. 👥 Co-Hosts: Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy researcherAnish Koka, MD – Cardiologist, Philadelphia; ...
Send us a text Show Link: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-153-8-201010190-00274 Why Listen 👥 In this episode, the hosts delve into the complexities of the healthcare system, discussing the impact of large hospital systems as major employers, the broken window fallacy in healthcare, and the challenges of high premiums. They explore the historical context of certificate of need laws and site of service differentials, and how these contribute to rising healthcare costs. The con...
Send us a text Why Listen 👥 In this episode, the hosts delve into the complexities of healthcare costs, the impact of policy decisions, and the role of market forces in shaping the healthcare landscape. They discuss the consolidation of healthcare providers, the influence of insurance companies, and the challenges faced by independent practices. The conversation also touches on the COVID-19 pandemic, the response of public health officials, and the lessons learned from the crisis. Co-Hosts Du...
Send us a text 📌 Why Listen Explore the complexities of the 340B program, its impact on healthcare systems, and the implications for both hospitals and independent clinicians. Understand the need for transparency and potential reforms to align the program with its original goals. 👥 Co-Hosts Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy researcherAnish Koka, MD – Cardiologist, Philadelphia; healthcare policy commentator📌 Episode Overview In this episode, the hosts delve into ...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen When Senator Chuck Schumer joined Dr. Mike’s podcast to discuss “The Truth About the Government Shutdown,” the talk quickly became a lesson in political spin. In this episode, the co-hosts of The Rojas Report dissect Schumer’s claims, challenge Dr. Mike’s deference, and unpack the policy mechanics behind Medicaid, ACA subsidies, and America’s trillion-dollar healthcare debate. Expect blunt analysis, sharp data, and unapologetic truth-telling about what’s really dri...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen This episode is a no-holds-barred takedown of how hospitals manipulate billing codes, exploit DRG loopholes, and increase patient risk—all while squeezing out independent physicians. Whether you’re a patient, policymaker, or healthcare insider, you’ll walk away questioning everything you thought you knew about how hospitals operate behind the scenes. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem HealthAnthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy res...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen In this fiery and insightful episode, the doctors dissect the political and economic fault lines behind the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the looming government shutdown, and the multi-billion-dollar subsidies keeping America’s healthcare afloat. From insurance distortions and Medicaid loopholes to why the system rewards bureaucracy over care, this is an unfiltered conversation that finally makes sense of why “affordable” healthcare isn’t affordable at all. 👥 Co-Hos...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen This episode of The Doctor’s Lounge cuts straight into one of the most polarizing questions in U.S. healthcare: Did the Affordable Care Act (ACA) fix the system—or hand it to corporate interests? The doctors debate how government mandates, corporate lobbying, and political theater have created a bloated insurance economy that benefits everyone but patients and doctors. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem HealthAnthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; ...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen What happens when private equity buys hospitals? Do staffing cuts and profit motives compromise patient safety? This episode of The Doctor’s Lounge dives into the controversial world of private equity in healthcare, the role of RVUs and the RUC, and why physicians are losing control over their profession. Expect an unfiltered discussion on power, profit, and the future of independent practice. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem HealthAnthony DiGiorgio, DO,...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen Ever wonder who actually decides how much doctors earn for surgeries, visits, or procedures? This episode takes you inside the mysterious but powerful Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) — the body that determines physician payments for Medicare and beyond. If you care about fairness in healthcare, innovation, or why a complex surgery can pay the same as a routine one, this conversation is for you. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem HealthAnthony D...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen Journalist Ben Ryan joins the panel to unpack what really happened during the 2022 monkeypox outbreak, how public health messaging shaped public perception, and why institutions like the CDC are facing a crisis of trust. With decades of experience covering HIV and infectious disease, Ryan shares his perspective on risk communication, stigma, and the politics that shaped pandemic response. 👥 Host Anish Koka, MD – Cardiologist, Philadelphia; healthcare policy comment...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen A spicy, inside-baseball roundtable on why rural healthcare dollars keep missing physicians, how enterprise EHRs and retail chains distort priorities, and why media narratives around leaders’ health go off the rails. Practical, provocative, and very quotable. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem Health Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy researcher Anish Koka, MD – Cardiologist, Philadelphia; healthcare policy commentator Dan Choi,...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen Dive into one of the most consequential debates in medicine: how should the FDA balance speed, safety, and patient need in approving new drugs and gene therapies? Dr. Bob Goldberg, joins the Doctors Lounge to unpack regulatory science, RCTs, accelerated approvals, and the controversies around muscular dystrophy treatments. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem Health Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy researcher Anish Koka, MD – Ca...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen When an 88-year-old with dementia lands in the hospital, should we implant a device simply “because we can”? The panel examines futile care, ICU economics, malpractice fears, and the cultural bias to always “do something.” With special guest JP Kolcun, a seventh-year neurosurgery resident, they also debate whether physician-owned hospitals could restore dignity, efficiency, and leadership to American medicine. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem HealthAntho...
Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen Organ donation is one of the most emotional and misunderstood processes in modern medicine. In this minisode, the hosts tackle the ethics, procedures, and misconceptions around declaring death and procuring organs. Whether you’re a healthcare professional, patient advocate, or simply someone who has “organ donor” on your driver’s license, this conversation offers rare clarity and compassion on a deeply human subject. 👥 Co-Hosts Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neur...
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