
Empowered Patient Podcast AI Agent Connects Patients to Untapped Financial Support with Seth Cohen Cedar
Dec 3, 2025
Seth Cohen, President of Cedar, focuses on transforming the healthcare billing landscape into a more patient-friendly financial navigation system. He discusses how Cedar's AI, Cora, connects patients to underused financial resources like Medicaid and Health Savings Accounts. Seth highlights the impact of recent policy changes on patient affordability and explains Cedar's strategy for automated eligibility verification. With an emphasis on advocacy, he shares how technology can alleviate financial burdens for patients while benefiting healthcare providers.
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Affordability Crisis Drives Advocacy
- Most patients cannot afford the medical bills they receive, creating an affordability crisis in healthcare.
- Cedar shifted from billing tech to patient advocacy to help people navigate and manage bills.
Policy Shifts Will Increase Uncompensated Care
- Policy changes could make about one in ten Medicaid enrollees lose coverage, driving up uncompensated care.
- The patients who lose coverage will likely be least able to pay, worsening provider margins and access.
Cost Barriers Suppress Necessary Care
- When patients can't afford care they often skip needed services, which increases acuity and long-term costs.
- Seth Cohen compares this to the rise of high-deductible plans which suppressed necessary care.
