The Doctor's Lounge
Where scalpels meet systems — and physicians say what they really think.
Co-hosted by Dutch Rojas & Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, with Anish Koka, MD, Dan Choi, MD, & Sanat Dixit, MD — candid talks on healthcare policy, reform, physician autonomy & patient care.
The Doctor's Lounge
Medicare: Promise, Politics, and Patient Care – Are Doctors Just a Nuisance Now?
Original Substack Release Date: June 7th, 2025
🎯 Why Listen:
“Shut up and enjoy your salary.”
—What passes for health policy debate in 2025.
Does the government actually listen to doctors anymore? Or do they just think we’re a nuisance — good for photo ops, useless in policymaking?
In this episode of The Doctor’s Lounge, Dutch and Anthony pull no punches on Medicare:
- Why Medicare is becoming more of a political weapon than a healthcare program
- How physicians are silenced through salary-shaming, cancel tactics, and faux moral outrage
- The growing influence of private insurers in Medicare Advantage — and who really benefits
- How policy training for medical students and experts conditions them to obey the system, not challenge it
This isn’t just a rant. It’s a roadmap for resisting. If you’re a doctor, you need to hear this. If you’re a patient, you deserve to know who’s really shaping healthcare behind the curtain.
Co-Hosts:
- Dutch Rojas - Private Healthcare Advocate
- Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy researcher.
- Anish Koka, MD – Private practice cardiologist, Philadelphia; healthcare policy commentator.
- Dan Choi, MD, FAAOS – Orthopedic spine surgeon, Long Island; healthcare advocate and social media voice.
- Sanat Dixit, MD, FACS - Neurosurgeon - Huntsville, AL, Faculty - Vanderbilt University; healthcare entrepreneur.
Episode Overview:
Medicare covers more than 65 million Americans, but its foundation is under political, financial, and operational strain. A break down how Medicare is structured, the differences between Parts A, B, C, and D, and why Medicare Advantage is both a lifeline and a lightning rod. They connect the dots between low reimbursement rates, rising administrative control, and the silencing of physician voices in policymaking. Along the way, they expose the hypocrisy of those who dictate policy without participating in the systems they regulate — and what it will take to restore physician autonomy and patient-first care.
Notable Quotes:
- “Medicare was built on a promise — but promises need funding and accountability to work.” – Anthony DiGiorgio
- “When private insurers run Medicare Advantage, the incentives shift — and sometimes patients aren’t the winners.” – Dutch Rojas
The Episode:
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
01:20 – What Medicare Covers and Who Qualifies
05:10 – The Funding Structure of Medicare
09:40 – Breaking Down Part A, B, C, and D
14:15 – Reimbursement Challenges in Medicare
19:25 – Medicare Advantage: Pros and Cons
24:50 – How Politics Shapes Medicare Policy
30:15 – Real-World Stories from the Field
35:00 – Potential Reforms and the Future of Medicare
39:30 – Closing Thoughts
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