Empowering Patients: Reclaiming Control Over Healthcare

Deane Waldman, Chairman of the Empower Patients Initiative, discusses Patient Empowerment, Healthcare Costs, Medicaid and Medicare, and Healthcare Reform in the latest episode of the Health Policy Podcast. The conversation highlights the need for patients to regain control over their healthcare spending and the implications for the healthcare system.

WASHINGTON — November 3, 2026 — In the latest episode of the Health Policy Podcast, host Bryan Hyde interviews Deane Waldman, a prominent healthcare expert and Chairman of the Empower Patients Initiative. Waldman discusses the critical issues surrounding patient empowerment, the rising costs of healthcare, and the future of Medicaid and Medicare.

Waldman emphasizes that consumers have lost control over healthcare spending due to a system that allows employers to manage healthcare dollars on their behalf. “Consumers whose money is being spent on their behalf don't control that money that is being spent,” he states. He argues that returning control to patients could lead to more efficient spending and improved healthcare services.

The discussion also addresses the challenges faced by healthcare providers. Waldman notes that many doctors are leaving the profession due to the devaluation of their work by government and insurance companies. “The reason we all, most of us, went into medicine was for what Maslow called the highest of human needs, which is self-actualization,” he explains. He advocates for a system where the patient is the single payer, allowing them to make decisions about their healthcare.

The Empower Patients Initiative is dedicated to educating and empowering patients to take control of their healthcare decisions and spending. The organization advocates for reforms that prioritize patient needs and ensure transparency in healthcare costs.

About the Health Policy Podcast

The Health Policy Podcast focuses on critical issues in health policy, infrastructure, and economic growth. The show features expert interviews and discussions aimed at informing listeners about the complexities of the healthcare system and potential reforms.