MedCity FemFwd

I interviewed Dr. Bruce Dorr, an OB-GYN. We talked about the lack of training for menopause care. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Dr. Bruce Dorr https://www.mountain.commonspirit.org/provider-search/bruce-dorr-md https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-bruce-dorr-xjcn9

I interviewed Marielle Farina, Senior Manager of Deloitte. We talked about a recent report that Deloitte put out, which found that women have higher out-of-pocket healthcare costs than men. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Marielle Farina https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/womens-health-equity-disparities.html https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariellefarina

I interviewed Melissa Tran, a Marriage and Family Therapist and the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator at the Orlando VA. We spoke about women's health initiatives the VA has rolled out at its Lake Nona campus in Orlando. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Melissa Tran robert.haney@russopartnersllc.com https://www.innovation.va.gov/ecosystem/views/programs/fellow-melissa-tran.html https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-tran-b4b18611

SCAN Health Plan recently launched SCAN Inspired, a Medicare Advantage plan designed for insurers. I interviewed Nancy Monk, chief operations officer of the insurer, about the plan. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Nancy Monk https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-monk-181207a

Marissa interviewed Michelle Long, senior policy analyst for the Women's Health Policy program at KFF. We discussed the FDA's decision to approve the first over-the-counter birth control and if it will be covered by insurance. Episode Resources Connect with Marissa Plescia mplescia@medcitynews.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissaplescia/ Connect with Michelle Long https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-long-6351197b https://www.kff.org/person/michelle-long/

MedCity FemFwd podcast, hosted by reporter Marissa Plescia, explores the historical neglect of women's health and how this is gradually changing. The host emphasizes that, until as late as 1993, women were largely excluded from clinical research, and funding for women's health has been consistently inadequate. Plescia indicates that this is shifting, as a growing number of startups are focusing on areas such as female fertility, menopause, and heart health. Despite ongoing legislative action restricting abortion access in certain states, the podcast highlights an important counter-trend: more employers are providing support for women's reproductive health. The series aims to further unpack these developments by interviewing leaders in the women's health space, helping listeners understand the issues women face in navigating a healthcare system that has often been unresponsive to their needs.