Top 5 Podcasts of 2024

The top 5 podcasts cover the topics of Medicare Advantage prior authorization, health equity, global immunization challenges, trauma-informed care, and health literacy. | Image Credit: Oleg - stock.adobe.com

Our top podcasts of 2024 reflect health care disparities and equity, policy, research, and the importance of community health centers. Here are the top 5 most-listened to podcasts in 2024.

5. Exploring Medicare Advantage Prior Authorization Variations

University of Minnesota School of Public Health's Hannah Neprash, PhD; John Mulcahy, a PhD candidate; and Ezra Golberstein, PhD, discussed findings from their published study, "The Extent and Growth of Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage." The study was published in the March 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care^® and examines the use of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans. Results show significant variation in how these plans use prior authorization, suggesting that there's room for improvement in the consistency and efficiency of this process.

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4. Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Community Wellness Centers

Delia Orosco, MS, director of Community Wellness Centers at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), shares insight into IEHP’s mission. Orosco focused on their community health centers and innovative initiatives, like the mobile mammography program. She emphasized the value of preventive care and IEHP's wellness centers' proactive efforts in promoting healthy lifestyles and expanding access to essential health services. This episode delved into how Orosco's personal experiences, combined with IEHP's strategic initiatives, are fostering a healthier, more empowered community in her hometown.

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3. Bridging the Vaccination Gap: Insights on Global Immunization Challenges

This episode of Managed Care Cast featured Jeffery A. Goad, PharmD, MPH, professor of pharmacy at the Chapman University School of Pharmacy in Irvine, California; a fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; and 2024-2025 president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Goad analyzed the 2023 immunization data in comparison with a 2019 baseline (before COVID-19). He also discussed the significance of vaccine distribution infrastructure in promoting health equity, the impact on global infant mortality rates, potential policy implications, and the role of community pharmacists in addressing vaccine misinformation.

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2. Sustaining Compassionate Trauma Care Across Communities

This episode celebrated National Recovery Month with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan, and featured Lyndra Bills, MD, and Shari Hutchison, MS, both with Community Care Behavioral Health Organization, part of the UPMC Insurance Services Division. They discussed the prevalence of trauma and the organization's efforts to establish a trauma-informed care network in rural Pennsylvania. This network is designed to address the demand for trauma-informed professionals and promote sustainable, evidence-based practices.

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1. Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans

Humana's J. Nwando Olayiwola, MD, MPH; Candy Magaña, MPA; and Bereket Kindo, PhD, the lead author, research and project lead, and data scientist reviewed study results of "Screening for Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in Health Plans." This study was published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care and provided insight on the experiences of patients in a national health plan with 2 structural determinants of health and how those interact with social determinants of health and patient demographics.

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