Cancer care in the U.S. costs over $250 billion each year, and nearly 2 million Americans receive a new diagnosis annually, yet too often the journey begins with silence: no call, no plan, no guide.In this episode, a16z’s Vineeta Agarwala and Jay Rughani talk with Thyme Care leaders Robin Shah (cofounder and CEO), Bobby Green, MD (president and CMO), and Brad Diephuis, MD (president and COO) about rebuilding oncology around the patient. They cover where the system breaks, how navigation plus value-based contracts align incentives, how AI can extend clinicians, and what scale looks like today, more than 83,000 active patients. A concise blueprint for truly patient-centered cancer care. Timecodes: 0:00 Introduction 1:47 Personal Stories & Early Days of Time Care5:27 Building the Team & Mission7:07 The Patient Journey: Where the System Fails9:58 Why Tech Hasn’t Solved Cancer Care (Yet)15:45 Scaling Impact: Growth & Partnerships17:45 How Time Care Works: Value-Based Care Explained23:15 Technology, AI, and the Human Touch37:06 Building for the Future: Generational Impact Resources: Find Robin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-shah-8072bb35Find Bobby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbobbygreen/FInd Brad on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdiephuis/Find Vineeta on X: https://x.com/vintweetaFind Jay on X: https://x.com/JayRughani Stay Updated: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends!Find a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFind a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zListen to the Raising Health on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4fjb8YTzHDuPBgDXc3ElkRListen to Raising Health on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-health/id1529318900Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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The Consumer Becomes the Payor: How ICHRA Unlocks a New Era in Healthcare
In this episode, Julie Yoo and Jay Rughani are joined by Thatch cofounders Chris Ellis and Adam Stevenson to explore why ICHRA—a more recent policy innovation—might quietly revolutionize employer-sponsored health benefits. Unpacking the surprising history of how U.S. healthcare became entangled with employment, they make the case for a defined-contribution future that mirrors the rise of the 401(k) and HSA. Tailored especially for today’s distributed and fast-moving workforce, ICHRA allows employers to offer tax-free health dollars employees can spend how—and where—they choose. For healthcare entrepreneurs, the conversation provides a blueprint for navigating a rapidly shifting payer landscape, including insight into how fintech infrastructure, policy tailwinds, and carrier ecosystem integrations unlock market readiness. This episode was originally published in October of 2024. The conversation remains relevant today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Engaging the Unengaged at Home with Max Cohen and Cameron Behar
In this episode, Sprinter Health co-founders Max Cohen and Cameron Behar sit down with Julie Yoo to unpack how their home-based care model reaches underserved populations and reintegrates “the unengaged” into the healthcare system. From starting with blood draws in living rooms to scaling a high-complexity, tech-enabled logistics platform, they share how operations, empathy, and human connection power their success. The duo reflects on the constraints and regulatory nuance of healthcare, revealing how humility, intentional culture-building, and pragmatism give tech-native founders an edge. Listeners will walk away with tactical advice on balancing scrappiness with long-term scalability, architecting tech-clinical collaboration, and applying AI to augment—not replace—human-delivered care. For healthcare entrepreneurs navigating systems transformation without deep domain roots, this candid conversation is both roadmap and reality check.Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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Streamlining the Patient Referrals Chain with Trey Holterman
In this episode, Tennr cofounder and CEO Trey Holterman sits down with a16z’s David Haber and Jay Rughani to unpack one of healthcare’s most overlooked pain points: patient referral logistics. When a patient is referred to a specialist and told that the specialist will follow up with them, what happens next? A convoluted system sometimes involving dozens of staff and multiple portals, all of which may or may not result in the specialist actually following up. Trey shares how Tennr leverages AI to automate the complex, unstructured workflows that delay patient care and burden frontline staff. Tennr's goal is to meaningfully increase patient conversions—ensuring more people get the treatment they need, faster. Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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From Chaos to Clarity in Data with Malinka Walaliyadde
What if one of healthcare’s most complex administrative challenges—revenue cycle management—was reframed as a data science problem? In this episode, Malinka Walaliyadde, cofounder and CEO of AKASA, joins Julie Yoo to unpack how large language models have the potential to transform hospital revenue by automating highly nuanced coding and billing workflows. Malinka discusses how AI is finally making it possible to extract simplicity from a sea of clinical complexity and unstructured data, simplifying the flow of dollars through the healthcare system and freeing staff to focus on patients.Plus:Learn more about a16z Bio+HealthLearn more about & Subscribe to Raising HealthFind a16z Bio+Health on LinkedInFind a16z Bio+Health on X Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
A myriad of AI, science, and technology experts explore the real challenges and enormous opportunities facing entrepreneurs who are building the future of health. Raising Health, a podcast by a16z Bio + Health, dives deep into the heart of biotechnology and healthcare innovation. Join veteran company builders, operators, and investors Vineeta Agarwala, Julie Yoo, and Jorge Conde, along with distinguished guests like Mark Cuban, Greg Verdine, Fei-Fei Li, and Suchi Saria, as they explore the intricacies of these technological advancements and how they can be built and effectively delivered. Together, we can rewrite the script. Welcome to Raising Health.
New Zealand