Health care is life or death. How can Americans be rational about it?

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.

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