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John Desser: Health Savings Accounts and Market-Based Healthcare Solutions

Sep 28, 2026 · 51m

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On this episode

About this episode

Joe Grogan talks with John Desser, VP and Head of Government Affairs at Health Equity, about market-based healthcare and why Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) may be its future. John's 35-year career runs from an internship in Senator John McCain's office through the Bush administration, eHealth, and now Health Equity. He recounts how the ACA's first draft nearly wiped out private online insurance marketplaces, why healthcare.gov stumbled, and how consumer control can fix healthcare's misaligned incentives. He also reflects on Ron Wyden's universal coverage plan without a mandate, Ted Kennedy's role in bipartisan reform, McCain's skinny repeal vote, and Trump's "give the money to the people"…