Health Podcast Library
Episode 90

CMS Bridge forecast, broker fraud, and the ACA numbers everyone's misreading | Sam Melamed (NCD)

Jul 15, 2026
24:01

Episode Description

Sam Melamed spent 20 years building Insurance Forums into the largest online community for insurance agents and brokers before becoming CEO of NCD, a top-rated dental, vision, and supplemental benefits administrator, five years ago. He argues fears of an ACA "death spiral" are overstated, and pushes back on claims that fraud alone explains recent enrollment declines. He also breaks down how CMS's new Bridge program for GLP-1s is likely to play out, and previews the pullback in Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits expected heading into the next open enrollment period.

Links referenced

Sam Melamed (NCD): sam@ncd.com


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