Health care is life or death. How can Americans be rational about it?
From Reasonably Optimistic by The Washington Post
March 25, 2026 · 34 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the complexities and costs of the U.S. health care system following a violent incident involving UnitedHealthcare's CEO.
When UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed on a Manhattan sidewalk in December 2024, the nation was stunned. But the act of violence exposed the fury simmering beneath America’s health care debate. For many, the system feels impossibly expensive, confusing and unfair — especially when compared to other countries. Host Megan McArdle is joined by Dr. Ashish Jha — physician, public health expert and former White House covid-19 response coordinator — to unpack what’s really going on inside the U.S. health care system. They explore why costs are so high and what it would actually take to build a system that works better for everyone. Subscribe to The Washington Post here .
People in this episode
Host: Megan McArdle
Guest: Dr. Ashish Jha
Topics covered
- health care
- costs
- public health
- U.S. health care system
- health care debate
- system reform
Keywords
- health care
- costs
- U.S. system
- public health
- reform
- Brian Thompson
- Megan McArdle
- Dr. Ashish Jha
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: UnitedHealthcare, The Washington Post
Places: Manhattan
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