Vic and Marcus discuss easing inflation, the growing number of workers locked out of the job market, and major venture funding rounds for AI-powered healthcare companies. They examine proposed Medicare physician payment cuts, prior authorization policy, Medicaid challenges, insurer earnings, and mounting financial pressure on hospitals as care continues shifting to outpatient settings. They also cover Eli Lilly's latest acquisition, a first-of-its-kind cholesterol pill, food safety concerns, new wearable health technology, Visa's stablecoin platform, AI agent commerce, and China's rapid advances in artificial intelligence that are reshaping global competition.

Story Lineup

1 — In This Economy

📊 Economy Vitals — this week's macro readings

6:56 - Story 1: 📉 Inflation — CPI (June, rel. Jul 14): CNBC

8:09 - Story 2:👷 Labor — initial jobless claims (wk ending Jul 4): https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/unemployment-long-term-job-market-629199f9?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1

2 — VC Deal Review

10:05 - Story 1: Chai Discovery Raises $400 Million Series C for AI Molecule Design Platform Adopted by Pharma Giants [Fierce Biotech]

11:07 - Story 2: Neko Health Secures $700 Million Series C for U.S. Clinical Diagnostics Expansion [MedCity News]

3 — Policy

12:16 - Story 1: CMS Proposes 2027 Physician Pay Cuts Amid Broader Medicare Value-Based Payment Reforms [Healthcare Dive]

13:46 - Story 2: Senate Republicans Block Democratic Bid to Repeal Medicare AI Prior Authorization Pilot [Healthcare Dive]

4 — Health Payors