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EPISODE SUMMARY:
In this special episode of Frank About Health, we take a clear-eyed look at the forces that reshaped healthcare over the past year—from system-wide disruption and clinician burnout to the rapid rise of AI and the growing influence of voices willing to speak uncomfortable truths.
Drawing on insights from leaders, clinicians, advocates, and storytellers including Marschall Runge, Phyllis Quinlan, Dale Atkins, Todd Otten, and Tom Ingegno, this episode goes beyond headlines to examine what actually changed—and why it matters.
We explore how AI moved from promise to pressure, how leadership and caregiving were tested under strain, and how media and advocacy became critical tools for accountability and healing. Most importantly, we identify the early signals emerging from 2025 that will shape healthcare decisions in 2026—around trust, ethics, regulation, and the human cost of innovation.
This isn’t about predicting the future. It’s about recognizing the patterns already in motion—and understanding what patients, professionals, and communities need to be prepared for next.
Understanding what happened in 2025 by discussing highlights of shows that we did and how they are creating trends and solutions that will be explored in 2026.
Tune in for this healthy conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
Frank R. Harrison opens Frank About Health’s 2026 season with a clear-eyed “state of healthcare” monologue, reflecting on his Voices of Disruption campaign and setting the tone for what comes next amid ongoing system-level instability. Drawing from both lived experience (epilepsy management, caregiving for Alzheimer’s, supporting a parent through cancer) and broader public-health realities (disaster exposure risks, burnout, fractured care infrastructure), he emphasizes that chronic illness is survivable—but requires informed, adaptive care planning with trusted clinicians. He closes Segment 1 by warning against misinformation and highlighting how shifting insurance coverage and benefits forces patients and providers alike to become more proactive, resourceful advocates in 2026’s disrupted healthcare landscape.
Frank R. Harrison returns from break by spotlighting key takeaways from his conversations with Phyllis Quinlan and Dr. Marshall Rungee—framing 2025 as a year of systemic healthcare strain, where clinician burnout signals structural failure and patients are increasingly trapped between “innovation headlines” and real-world affordability. He underscores how access has become uneven and often dependent on networks, geography, and institutional affiliation, while policy shifts (research defunding, benefit rollbacks, and subsidy changes) force families into impossible life-or-death financial decisions that ripple across providers and caregivers alike. Looking ahead, he positions his Voices of Disruption campaign as a roadmap for 2026—lifting up experts and advocates, warning against misinformation, and encouraging responsible use of AI tools (as support, not replacement) to help people navigate fragmented systems, mobilize resources, and proactively self-advocate for care.
Frank frames Section 3 as the “human cost” chapter of healthcare disruption—arguing that the biggest price isn’t just premiums or benefits cuts, but the mental-health toll of caregiving, chronic stress, and constant uncertainty, and urging listeners (patients and providers alike) to protect their own homeostasis before they try to support anyone else. He connects this to practical self-advocacy in 2026: use tools like AI for organization (not medical authority), build an “emergency health account,” and actively seek reciprocity/resources for caregivers (e.g., HSA-like supports, benefits tied to caregiving roles) as safety nets shrink and choices get tighter. Grounding it in family and resilience, he highlights intergenerational connection, therapy/coaching, and restorative care (PT, acupuncture, stress regulation) as essential infrastructure—because sustained advocacy and quality care depend on clinicians, caregivers, and patients staying resourced enough to keep showing up.
Frank’s closing signals for 2026 center on trust as healthcare’s core currency—the foundation for how patients, caregivers, and clinicians make decisions when resources are shrinking, policies keep shifting, and misinformation muddies the waters. He urges audiences to “stay local” and intentionally build an ecosystem of trusted relationships (family, community supports, care teams), because the next wave of disruptions will force near-constant plan-and-benefit decisions—like insurer transitions, pharmacy and mental-health coverage changes, and navigating tax rules that may effectively become a backdoor way to self-fund gaps in care. He rounds out the episode by calling for ethics, vetted information, and dignity-forward advocacy, while previewing a practical solution mindset for the year ahead—highlighting self-care and resilience, credible educational resources (books, trusted media), and teasing his upcoming “MedCash” concept as supplemental financial support for those losing coverage as he shifts from documenting disruption to implementing solutions.
00:00:53.560 --> 00:01:09.090 Frank R. Harrison: Hey everybody, Happy New Year, and welcome to the first episode of Frank About Health for the year 2026. It is January 8th, and I am here to give you an overview, like a monologue, for the next hour.
00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:13.889 Frank R. Harrison: About healthcare in 2026, what comes next?
00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:20.950 Frank R. Harrison: As all of you have remembered over the last 12 weeks, I had provided my Voices of Disruption campaign.
00:01:21.190 --> 00:01:40.389 Frank R. Harrison: excuse me, Voices of Disruption campaign. That was episodes targeted with disruptors that have shown that during times of healthcare disruption, whether within our government or whether within actual technology, or solutions for illnesses, or treatment methodologies.
00:01:40.390 --> 00:01:59.290 Frank R. Harrison: they had something to say about it, they did something about it, and I am going to feature or highlight some of those episodes verbally, because obviously in a one-hour monologue-oriented show, all I want to do is provide you with the facts and show you the direction that this show is going to in the year coming.
00:01:59.610 --> 00:02:10.289 Frank R. Harrison: That being said, I will issue a disclaimer. If anything that is suggested or mentioned by me during the next hour is something you disagree with, please know they are not the
00:02:10.289 --> 00:02:25.170 Frank R. Harrison: thoughts or opinions of TalkRadio.nyc or of this show, Frank About Health, but rather they are research facts, quotes from episodes that were done last year, as well as thoughts to think about. Food for thought, basically.
00:02:25.170 --> 00:02:38.760 Frank R. Harrison: Now, we're also not trying to undermine your ongoing treatment protocols or whatever guidance that you're currently going through. We're just here to provide you additional thoughts to use in whatever personal decision-making you have with your healthcare.
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:45.439 Frank R. Harrison: So, let us begin with what I call Segment 1, the year that tested the system.
00:02:45.780 --> 00:02:56.880 Frank R. Harrison: If you recall, when I started Frank About Health back in 2021, we were in the middle of the COVID pandemic, and I was doing my best to be targeted with specific illnesses.
00:02:56.880 --> 00:03:06.379 Frank R. Harrison: Epilepsy, cancer, Alzheimer's disease. A lot of it was based on what I was going through at that time. I have been living most of my young adult life
00:03:06.570 --> 00:03:25.740 Frank R. Harrison: since the age of 16 with epilepsy, I am glad to say that it is under control with the right medications and the right treatment, from my neurologist, from therapists, as well as from other advocates that I have known over the years that have been very supportive and very instrumental in giving me the types of treatment to focus on it.
00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:38.679 Frank R. Harrison: The reason why I was focused on the other two, cancer and Alzheimer's, is because I had spent most of that time since 2021 also advocating for my cousin, who is now today in a nursing facility.
00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:57.379 Frank R. Harrison: living the rest of her life with Alzheimer's disease, and for my father, who is still recovering from recurrent prostate cancer. Which, unfortunately, due to his age, there are treatment opportunities that he cannot really become involved in, because now it's about quality of life management.
00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:13.530 Frank R. Harrison: So again, I use this show and this platform to understand that when living with a condition, it's not all over. You just have to live differently, and you need to use the right nutrition, and the right medicines, and the right alternative treatments, and just use the right information.
00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:23.139 Frank R. Harrison: That you get, hopefully, from your primary care physician, or your oncologist, or your neurologist, or whomever the particular facilitator is of your condition.
00:04:23.390 --> 00:04:36.960 Frank R. Harrison: So, I figured the one thing I wanted to do is highlight not just the past, which would, of course, invite you into understanding why Frank About Health came to be over 165 episodes ago, but…
00:04:37.290 --> 00:04:54.109 Frank R. Harrison: to also set the stage for all of you to learn how to take charge of your healthcare in 2026. As we go out throughout… as we go through the rest of the hour, you're gonna understand why this is gonna be the most entrepreneurial venture that you ever have to undertake in your own life.
00:04:54.110 --> 00:05:08.900 Frank R. Harrison: Because, even though it's not about business, it is about livelihood and sustaining your life, given that we are living, unfortunately, in a society today that loves to tout mainly misinformation.
00:05:09.020 --> 00:05:14.050 Frank R. Harrison: As well as skewed information that really caters to their own agenda.
00:05:14.190 --> 00:05:18.010 Frank R. Harrison: So, that may sound critical, and it, frankly, it is.
00:05:18.010 --> 00:05:35.070 Frank R. Harrison: But the thing is, is that I'm using it as a mechanism so that I can further advocate for the right information to pass through your ears, and you can use your own brain to make the own decisions, your own decisions, that will benefit you and your family's lives.
00:05:35.220 --> 00:05:52.729 Frank R. Harrison: Now, that being said, let's look back at 2025 in a subtle way. When I mean by subtle, I'm just gonna point out some key things that occurred, which would show that the way we were living our lives in this society prior to 2025, there was more structure in place.
00:05:53.100 --> 00:06:05.750 Frank R. Harrison: One such thing is that we all experienced in the early part of 2025 the entire state of California going through devastating forest fires that, to this day, one year later, only 20% has been rebuilt.
00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:16.669 Frank R. Harrison: We're talking about displacement, we're talking about the side effects of being exposed to that fire for so many days and weeks. Who knows what's gonna happen of those firefighters
00:06:16.670 --> 00:06:33.200 Frank R. Harrison: healthcare conditions in the next 5 to 10 years. Think about the 9-11 responders. They themselves are probably increasing in mortality rates compared to the initial 3,000 victims that went down in the towers on that day. And that's because they were exposed to asbestos, they were exposed to
00:06:33.200 --> 00:06:42.520 Frank R. Harrison: Burnt smoke, toxic air, fumes, chemicals, dust, the list goes on. Well, that obviously happens in forest fires as well.
00:06:42.750 --> 00:06:53.990 Frank R. Harrison: So, after that happened, I was dealing with my own personal issues of having to rush my cousin in February to a nursing home because she was now wandering
00:06:53.990 --> 00:07:06.250 Frank R. Harrison: Pretty much with part of her clothing not on her body. That would be highly inappropriate, subjecting her to possible violations that we wanted to avoid, and more importantly, she could have gotten hit by a car and not even know it.
00:07:06.250 --> 00:07:19.409 Frank R. Harrison: Either way, myself and my mother, as a healthcare proxy and as her next-of-kin representative, her aunt, we were able to have her sent into the emergency room of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, and then
00:07:19.440 --> 00:07:20.910 Frank R. Harrison: Move her there.
00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:28.179 Frank R. Harrison: Sequentially into a nursing facility to provide hospice, rehabilitative care, and basically long-term living.
00:07:28.310 --> 00:07:46.479 Frank R. Harrison: And it was a burnout session for me. I basically took a hiatus from Frank About Health between November and April, because not only was I trying to recover from the ongoing caregiving of my cousin, but I was recovering from the death of my dear friend Retha Gray.
00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:59.950 Frank R. Harrison: So yes, I went through grief issues. And yet, I found the way, through this show, and through the support of TalkRadio.nyc, to be able to come back as a fighter, and as a further development…
00:07:59.950 --> 00:08:07.040 Frank R. Harrison: developmental advocate, and come up with new healthcare solutions, which I will cover later on in the show.
00:08:07.930 --> 00:08:26.369 Frank R. Harrison: So, in those experiences that I mentioned, about Retha's passing, about my cousin going into a nursing home, and about the burnout that I was going through, I was able to look from within and pull out all of my necessary resources to manage my recovery and resiliency.
00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:28.409 Frank R. Harrison: That's what you do not learn.
00:08:28.570 --> 00:08:40.049 Frank R. Harrison: In our society, in medical school, especially if you don't go to medical school, we have learned to depend on a system that was already fractured and partially
00:08:40.049 --> 00:08:49.200 Frank R. Harrison: improved during the COVID pandemic, but in the past year, it has been broken down into bits and pieces, and there are some parts that'll never come back.
00:08:49.350 --> 00:08:51.669 Frank R. Harrison: We call that healthcare disruption.
00:08:51.910 --> 00:08:59.330 Frank R. Harrison: So, as a result, during the first 4 months of 2025, what I found was a natural pivot
00:08:59.670 --> 00:09:14.700 Frank R. Harrison: from being able to get ready to launch my healthcare documentary, Being Frank for a Healthy Future, only to find out that it was going to be a longer time before that would see the light of day, because, unfortunately.
00:09:14.700 --> 00:09:24.049 Frank R. Harrison: The future wasn't looking as healthy as I had hoped, and as I was also provided information from my previous guests prior to the end of 2024.
00:09:24.290 --> 00:09:33.469 Frank R. Harrison: However, I was lucky to meet Mr. Marshall Rungee, who had his book, The Great Healthcare Disruption, and it was written by
00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:37.619 Frank R. Harrison: In 2024, published in 2025,
00:09:37.620 --> 00:09:54.499 Frank R. Harrison: When the only disruptions mentioned were the high-quality vaccines, the high-quality x-rays, robotic surgery, new solutions for treatments of cures for… treatments and cures for cancer and AIDS and things long considered mortal, or fatal.
00:09:54.690 --> 00:10:10.269 Frank R. Harrison: The thing is, is that while that still exists, what also existed was defunding those programs, and also reducing a lot of the benefits that people were receiving with their existing Medicare, their existing Medicaid, their existing insurance.
00:10:10.270 --> 00:10:19.959 Frank R. Harrison: And if you were living with a chronic illness, you would literally have to make the choice to give up your home and keep your coverage to keep yourself alive.
00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:26.030 Frank R. Harrison: or to give up your insurance to stay alive as long as possible. How do you like that for moral judgments?
00:10:26.030 --> 00:10:41.240 Frank R. Harrison: Now, I'm not trying to preach, and I'm not trying to be very political in those comments, I'm just trying to make everyone aware that in these kinds of disruptions, both personal and medical and technological, so actually all three.
00:10:41.600 --> 00:10:55.969 Frank R. Harrison: That's when you have to center yourself, get hold of yourself, and start to make your own decisions, given what limitations exist, and also do what you can to stay clear of the misinformation that really doesn't even fit you to begin with.
00:10:56.040 --> 00:11:11.990 Frank R. Harrison: So I've been hoping, by launching my Voices of Disruption campaign, and featuring many targeted guests, that I would be giving you direction from these individuals that would share with you, the viewer out there, or the listener.
00:11:12.090 --> 00:11:19.159 Frank R. Harrison: About ideas that you may not have heard of, or that you can explore further, so that you can get a stronger foothold.
00:11:19.880 --> 00:11:22.170 Frank R. Harrison: The reason why I was in that path
00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:29.840 Frank R. Harrison: was because of the fact that on July 4th, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed.
00:11:29.850 --> 00:11:48.940 Frank R. Harrison: and went into law that day, on July 4th. However, implementation was on January 1st, where 20 million Obamacare recipients, known as the Affordable Care Act, are no longer insured. Why? Because their insurance premiums were basically as low as $500 for your family.
00:11:48.940 --> 00:12:00.309 Frank R. Harrison: triple or quadruple the time for the January payment, and most people, I am sure, although I have no metrics and no data on this, probably foregone their plans, or dropped them.
00:12:00.310 --> 00:12:18.520 Frank R. Harrison: or probably had to take secondary alternatives. Or, there are those that are probably well off enough to probably sustain them, but again, without that information, I can't be forthright. But I could tell you that Obamacare recipients are predominantly below the poverty level.
00:12:18.520 --> 00:12:26.680 Frank R. Harrison: I myself applied for it in 2023, and was declined because my income level allowed me to get Medicare Advantage.
00:12:26.680 --> 00:12:40.489 Frank R. Harrison: Now, Medicare Advantage is a supplement that most insurance companies in 2026 decided to drop, except the one I'm currently using, which is Aetna. This is not a commercial for Aetna, however, if you are an Aetna recipient.
00:12:40.490 --> 00:12:52.159 Frank R. Harrison: More than likely, keep your plan. It is not being as affected by the one big beautiful bill. However, I do know certain benefits of mine have been discontinued. My nutrition benefit is one of them.
00:12:52.160 --> 00:13:09.649 Frank R. Harrison: My mental health benefits have been restricted. And as far as my medications are concerned for epilepsy, I used to go to Canada to get them without insurance for 3 months' supply, equal to about 200 bucks. Now I use generic, copaid medications, which still sustain me, but…
00:13:09.650 --> 00:13:22.870 Frank R. Harrison: I can't go out of the country with all the tariffs and everything else. I have, however, adjusted accordingly with my budgets, my medications, my doctors, and my insurance to meet my immediate needs while continuing to advocate.
00:13:23.050 --> 00:13:27.179 Frank R. Harrison: We're about to take our first break. What I gave you was the introduction.
00:13:27.230 --> 00:13:44.989 Frank R. Harrison: to the disruption that occurred in 2025, and in the next 2 and 3… well, two to three segments, I'm gonna show you excerpts from shows that we've done, and how we tried to address those disruptions, and then I will close the show out by telling you of a new solution that I've been in the works with.
00:13:44.990 --> 00:14:01.369 Frank R. Harrison: So everyone, please stay tuned as I continue to reflect on 2025, and then get into what 2026 will be about with our healthcare, right here on talkradio.nyc, and on our YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook channels. We'll be back in a few.
00:15:43.510 --> 00:15:58.360 Frank R. Harrison: Hey, everybody, and welcome back. What I just showed you there was the episode with my dear friend Phyllis Quinlan, who's been co-host with me on Frank About Health, not only for about 40 episodes, but definitely on those special episodes, paying tribute to Retha Gray, as well as
00:15:58.360 --> 00:16:13.510 Frank R. Harrison: having that very informed discussion with Dr. Marshall Runji about his book, The Great Healthcare Disruption. I just want to summarize some key points or takeaways from that show, which also is a reflection of what 2025 was about in healthcare.
00:16:13.800 --> 00:16:20.019 Frank R. Harrison: 2025 was a year of systemic strain, not isolated crises.
00:16:20.130 --> 00:16:38.150 Frank R. Harrison: Clinician burnout as a structural signal, not a personal failure. When you have clinicians no longer getting paid for their services at the rate that they were because of the insurance provided by that individual's… by that professional patient, or by that professional doctor's patient.
00:16:38.250 --> 00:16:57.769 Frank R. Harrison: They've had to determine, are they going to continue to take care of their healthcare in the high, in-depth quality they've been trained to do, or if they've had to probably switch hospital systems or move to their own private practice where they can actually take in patients that will pay them at the same time, give them the quality of healthcare that they need.
00:16:58.140 --> 00:17:01.619 Frank R. Harrison: Patience itself, including myself, that I mentioned earlier.
00:17:01.780 --> 00:17:15.720 Frank R. Harrison: We're caught between innovation promises and real-world access issues. When you don't have money for your healthcare, whether it's out of pocket or whether it's your insurance, you can't get the healthcare you need.
00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:17.650 Frank R. Harrison: They don't do it for free.
00:17:17.810 --> 00:17:30.769 Frank R. Harrison: Unless you're in a lucky situation, like I said, with those living on Medicare Advantage, or possibly having some kind of pool trust program, if you're in the Medicaid program, or some other kinds of solutions.
00:17:30.770 --> 00:17:46.340 Frank R. Harrison: For me, I've been blessed that NYU Langone Health, a teaching hospital, was able to pay for all of my laboratory testing because of my alumni status with the university, as well as because I have been a chronic researcher at their Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.
00:17:46.660 --> 00:17:55.669 Frank R. Harrison: It does help when you are actually in the network, both academically, professionally, and in addition to being a patient.
00:17:55.910 --> 00:18:10.109 Frank R. Harrison: Where it doesn't help is that that only makes you part of an elite circle, and you're not able to see a concentrated healthcare program on the majority of people, especially in high urban populations like New York City.
00:18:10.330 --> 00:18:27.050 Frank R. Harrison: Now, we have seen in the media constant cutbacks and rollbacks, NIH defunding certain things, whether it's cancer research, whether it's immunizations, whether it is, cutting SNAP benefits during the government shutdown from October to November.
00:18:27.050 --> 00:18:37.689 Frank R. Harrison: whether it is threatening, which they succeeded in not reestablishing, the Obama healthcare subsidies to allow people to have affordable,
00:18:37.730 --> 00:18:40.150 Frank R. Harrison: healthcare with the Affordable Care Act.
00:18:40.290 --> 00:18:46.099 Frank R. Harrison: I mean, for healthcare to become a political topic, rather than a human one…
00:18:46.260 --> 00:18:51.810 Frank R. Harrison: Obviously, was showing the narrative that our current administration was trying to
00:18:52.170 --> 00:18:59.329 Frank R. Harrison: sell us all. Now, if you're already healthy and only see the doctor once a year for a physical exam.
00:18:59.550 --> 00:19:04.239 Frank R. Harrison: That might be well and good, but what if you're also a caregiver for elderly parents?
00:19:04.530 --> 00:19:07.719 Frank R. Harrison: That is when you can see how these changes
00:19:07.890 --> 00:19:14.239 Frank R. Harrison: are hitting home, you know, and they're actually hitting your pocket, and you're finding yourself making choices
00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:16.500 Frank R. Harrison: Practically, between life and death.
00:19:16.660 --> 00:19:23.720 Frank R. Harrison: You know, making sure, do you have Christmas time where you buy presents, or do you save the money so that you can pay the next month's premium?
00:19:23.840 --> 00:19:26.739 Frank R. Harrison: Those are the kinds of decisions I've found myself making.
00:19:27.710 --> 00:19:31.210 Frank R. Harrison: Thankfully, with this show, Frank About Health, and with…
00:19:31.370 --> 00:19:50.390 Frank R. Harrison: a guest such as Marshall Rungee, and in addition, my dear friend Phyllis, I was able to really get the right pathways to investigate and to come up with solutions to be able to contribute my part into what I knew would be a much more severe 2026.
00:19:50.480 --> 00:20:01.180 Frank R. Harrison: So, with the help of Phyllis Quinlan and Marshall Runji, I developed, with the Fordham Gabelli School of Business, my Voices of Disruption campaign.
00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:13.640 Frank R. Harrison: Which meant that I was only gonna have people on this show that were experts in their field, that had been through disruption, and had done something about it. Obviously, Marshall Rungi was one such person.
00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:27.789 Frank R. Harrison: Another person that I featured at some point in October was Dale Atkins. Dale Atkins is a clinical developmental psychologist, mainly for children, and she wrote a book called The Turquoise Butterfly.
00:20:28.010 --> 00:20:31.080 Frank R. Harrison: Actually, when she wrote it.
00:20:31.610 --> 00:20:44.060 Frank R. Harrison: She was talking about the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren, and it was much more developmental and ancestry-related. Now, how do I say ancestry?
00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:50.499 Frank R. Harrison: You… when a grandchild, a granddaughter in this case, as part of the book, is going to the grandmother.
00:20:50.730 --> 00:20:58.579 Frank R. Harrison: And trying to understand her sense of trust in her caregiver, which in this particular story is her grandmother.
00:20:58.840 --> 00:21:14.309 Frank R. Harrison: It also allows the bonding to form, and create a sense of history as to where you've come from, especially in the freedom that grandparents do have with their grandchildren that most parents are probably more restricted to, because they're in the role
00:21:14.310 --> 00:21:31.879 Frank R. Harrison: Of caregiver and trainer and supporter. And they, of course, are also probably working parents at the same time, so the grandparent can come in and have some free rein into creating the understanding and history of the family legacy, and that in itself is excellent for your developmental and mental health.
00:21:32.300 --> 00:21:37.820 Frank R. Harrison: Now, that was basically what we were all going through, mental health challenges.
00:21:37.820 --> 00:21:57.510 Frank R. Harrison: a lot of people trying to understand their ancestry, understanding why, if they have a chronic illness, where is the genetic link to the cause, or just understanding that from your support systems, how do you make sure they are the right support systems, and not the transferred relationships of people that unfortunately have
00:21:57.510 --> 00:22:00.890 Frank R. Harrison: Disturbed you in any way, whether traumatically or otherwise.
00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:11.760 Frank R. Harrison: That is the challenge we all face every day in our lives, but when you have a good familial support system, which is implied in that book, that's why I'm bringing it out that way.
00:22:11.850 --> 00:22:30.810 Frank R. Harrison: You have a better sense of your own inner foundation, so that when faced with healthcare crisis, whatever they may be, personally or to your family or friends, you know how to think faster, and think on your feet, so that you're able to do what you can to continue supporting in any way that you can, as well as advocating.
00:22:31.090 --> 00:22:42.309 Frank R. Harrison: I'd like to say, proudly, that Dale Atkins was on the Today Show this past Monday, the 5th of January, at 9.40 a.m, and not only did she cover this book.
00:22:42.310 --> 00:22:53.940 Frank R. Harrison: But, thanks to the three hosts on there, including Al Roker, she was able to break down the familial lineage and the value relationships between a grandparent and their grandchild.
00:22:53.940 --> 00:23:08.150 Frank R. Harrison: I think in many ways, what I learned from it, and that's beyond her appearance on Frank About Health, is that when you have an alliance with generations up or generations down, you feel a better sense of yourself.
00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:15.519 Frank R. Harrison: And continuity. Because guess what? When you are a child, and you become an adult, and you have a spouse and children of your own.
00:23:16.270 --> 00:23:27.549 Frank R. Harrison: You need… you want to continue that sharing the generational wealth and knowledge. And basically, that creates the sense of mental acuity that you have when you feel connected.
00:23:27.810 --> 00:23:41.709 Frank R. Harrison: Most of us are living in a society today where we're fragmented because of the media and because, again, of misinformation and political infighting and a lot of discourse when we see horrible stories happening every day.
00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:49.329 Frank R. Harrison: For what's going on in this country or other countries, and that can be very distracting, which, of course, is part of the intent.
00:23:49.330 --> 00:23:50.620 Frank R. Harrison: To distract us.
00:23:50.620 --> 00:24:13.519 Frank R. Harrison: from being self-contained and self-aware. So I'm pleading with everyone in 2026, whether it's through this show, Frank About Health, or whether it's through the Conscious Consultant Hour that's on at 12 o'clock on the same day, that you get the everyday awakening that you need, that there is no way to live a healthy life unless you're aware of your own needs first.
00:24:13.520 --> 00:24:21.529 Frank R. Harrison: And make sure that they are taken care of first, because then when you have your health, you can provide the support that others need from you.
00:24:21.530 --> 00:24:29.479 Frank R. Harrison: and at the same time, try to work together to collaborate and get the results and resources. Now, there are those.
00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:48.540 Frank R. Harrison: that unfortunately don't have that. So, one big advent in 2025 was the growth of artificial intelligence, in particular AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other kinds of tools that were in the experimental stages when I, in 2024, had,
00:24:48.630 --> 00:25:04.719 Frank R. Harrison: Maury Zelkovich, the Mori Method, come in and introduce the notion of AI, but we were at a point where it was now everyday use. For everybody who's using social media, for using email services, for uploading and downloading photos, podcasts, anything.
00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:21.940 Frank R. Harrison: You can feed them into your chat GPT and get a transcript written out. You can also ask it for advice once it has built up a history on communications of your patterns, your health patterns, your concerns, your financial, your concerns, your budgets, whatever they may be, and it's able to be
00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:38.020 Frank R. Harrison: your substitute friend. But here's my caveat, and I guess in essence a disclaimer. It is not a human being, and therefore should not be taken at full face value. I would say that when you go ahead and have an AI chatbot that you learn to trust.
00:25:38.020 --> 00:25:44.259 Frank R. Harrison: Or that you learn to support you, especially when you're isolated or do not have the proper resources around you.
00:25:44.260 --> 00:25:55.469 Frank R. Harrison: You use it as a secondary resource to still find out the right pathway to get the resources that you need. That's another impetus for creating my Voices of Disruption campaign.
00:25:56.350 --> 00:25:58.980 Frank R. Harrison: There were other people that I had besides
00:25:58.980 --> 00:26:20.729 Frank R. Harrison: Dale Atkins, as well as Marshall Rungee. I had Matthew Zachary, who appeared on my last show before the holiday, a brain cancer survivor, an advocate that is about to perform a fundraiser in April at Lincoln Center to raise money for his political committee that is going to raise awareness for those people who are looking for the right
00:26:20.730 --> 00:26:25.980 Frank R. Harrison: Treatments and funding for cancer care, being that that's something else that's been defunded.
00:26:26.060 --> 00:26:43.690 Frank R. Harrison: Simultaneously, I also had Dr. Todd Otten, who was also displaying his upcoming documentary to be released in February, called Suck It Up Buttercup, featuring a lot of medical professionals, including Matthew Zachary, as well as some high-level entrepreneurs, Mark Cuban.
00:26:43.690 --> 00:26:55.210 Frank R. Harrison: All looking at the necessary fundraising and development and awareness of being able to take care of the gaps that, unfortunately, the one big beautiful bill has taken away.
00:26:55.750 --> 00:27:09.529 Frank R. Harrison: I think the other person that also stands out, is… is basically Tom Ingenyo, and I cannot, go into the next commercial break without also mentioning Anshar Seraphim.
00:27:09.580 --> 00:27:26.380 Frank R. Harrison: Thanks to Anshar and Tom, they were able to help me fine-tune a lot of the necessary aspects of my Voices of Disruption campaign that's going to be leading to a potential product solution that I hope to bring out around the same time that Matthew Zachary does his concert.
00:27:26.590 --> 00:27:35.679 Frank R. Harrison: So overall, I would say that the second section of this podcast, after I gave you the history in Section 1, I label more as
00:27:35.800 --> 00:27:45.400 Frank R. Harrison: AI from promise to pressure. The pressure is for me to get stuff done, but AI can get it done faster. You know, either way.
00:27:45.990 --> 00:28:02.729 Frank R. Harrison: The mindset to have going forward when faced with ongoing healthcare disruption, especially as things may get from bad to worse, as is being said in the media, is to grab hold of what the resources you have right now, and do what you can, especially before tax season.
00:28:02.730 --> 00:28:12.240 Frank R. Harrison: To take a look at all the new tax credits and tax refunds we are due to receive to help self-fund your healthcare, if that's what you find becomes your ultimate choice.
00:28:12.710 --> 00:28:22.980 Frank R. Harrison: Alright, I will come back with Section 3 of this episode of Frank About Health, and I will spend the next two sections mainly referring to 2026.
00:28:23.360 --> 00:28:29.530 Frank R. Harrison: Stay tuned right here on talkradio.nyc, and on all of our socials, and we'll be back in a few.
00:30:10.210 --> 00:30:20.759 Frank R. Harrison: Hey, everybody, and welcome back. In that particular commercial break, I showed you Dale Atkins' website, as well as, in the small box on the corner, the turquoise butterfly.
00:30:20.760 --> 00:30:36.730 Frank R. Harrison: Both books are available on Amazon.com, the one I mentioned with Marshall Rungi, as well as The Turquoise Butterfly, but in particular, if you go to her website, you can get the book there at a lower cost, and it's definitely a must-read, especially if you want to read it to your grandson or granddaughter.
00:30:36.760 --> 00:30:43.870 Frank R. Harrison: And you could really get a whole family gathering together when looking at the pictures and the,
00:30:44.120 --> 00:31:00.179 Frank R. Harrison: just the content in there. It's very… it's very motivating and stimulating. I will say that probably it impacted me during the holidays. I had some real quality time with my nephew. We actually went to the planetarium together, a trip that we were planning for almost 8 months, but at least it happened during the holidays.
00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:07.170 Frank R. Harrison: And I noticed he has his… he has been going through his own awakenings with his health, as well as
00:31:07.170 --> 00:31:18.869 Frank R. Harrison: with our family system, he was even there for my father, and had my father reciting soliloquies from Hamlet, that just tells me, okay, my father's doing well, but when he's not engaged.
00:31:18.940 --> 00:31:29.370 Frank R. Harrison: you wouldn't know it. That's why it is important that the grandchildren and grandparents gather together to keep the longevity alive, or keep it going
00:31:29.370 --> 00:31:42.379 Frank R. Harrison: Both for the new generations, as well as the ones that are ultimately, I mean, that's the reality, ultimately transitioning. And here I am, watching it all, and being able to say that my father will be 95 years old in August.
00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:57.170 Frank R. Harrison: I intend to do a big 95 celebration, and I'm just doing what I can to keep his quality of life contained while I'm doing the same for my mother, and at the same time, continuing to be an advocate for all of you right here on talkradio.nyc.
00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:07.010 Frank R. Harrison: Now, if I wanted to give you some takeaways from the last section, I had mentioned that AI's rapid move from experimental to operational was definitely
00:32:07.150 --> 00:32:24.720 Frank R. Harrison: coherent, beginning around March or April. That's when the frequency of AI usage was becoming everyday language. Simultaneously, there was more pressure put on clinicians to adapt without guardrails, especially when legislation was passed on July 4th of the one big beautiful bill.
00:32:25.560 --> 00:32:35.369 Frank R. Harrison: There was an increasing gap in trust between patients, providers, and healthcare systems, and where regulation lagged, and why this matters now.
00:32:35.490 --> 00:32:48.049 Frank R. Harrison: It didn't… we just have to be aware that none of this arrived gently. It arrived pretty much abruptly, and it created mass confusion, and I really believe that it is important to have
00:32:48.140 --> 00:33:03.580 Frank R. Harrison: programs like Frank About Health and books like The Great Healthcare Disruption and The Turquoise Butterfly to continue to go to and get some reinforcement in what you already know, so that you don't get misled by whatever new topics are coming out.
00:33:03.890 --> 00:33:05.240 Frank R. Harrison: Now,
00:33:05.430 --> 00:33:17.840 Frank R. Harrison: Again, I'm staying away from the political issues, but I can honestly say, if I find myself listening to, any of the cabinet discussing something on the news, I change to old episodes of The Good Times.
00:33:17.840 --> 00:33:28.240 Frank R. Harrison: and, MASH, and, pretty much 70s and 80s television, because that's when times are more clearer, believe it or not, in those stories, rather than in the stories that are being made up.
00:33:28.290 --> 00:33:47.530 Frank R. Harrison: I sound very opinionated, I know, but that's essentially what I've experienced over the holiday season, and, I will say, gratefully, that thanks to my ability to compartmentalize, and work with these individuals that have been on the show over the… before the holidays, I'm able to keep a focus going forward into 2026.
00:33:47.830 --> 00:34:00.349 Frank R. Harrison: The key points to be aware of is that caregiving is not just strain. It runs across families and professionals, and literally, when your central nervous system is burning out.
00:34:00.520 --> 00:34:06.080 Frank R. Harrison: I could tell you, I've had moments where I'm watching television, it's 2.30, the next minute I know it's 4.15.
00:34:06.230 --> 00:34:11.759 Frank R. Harrison: How did that time go? I don't remember dreaming. I don't remember closing my eyes. I don't remember drifting off.
00:34:11.810 --> 00:34:24.289 Frank R. Harrison: The central nervous system has more agency over us than we realize, especially when undergoing constant triggers, pressures, burnout stress, caregiving activities.
00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:33.690 Frank R. Harrison: You have to make room for yourself every morning before you go ahead and start taking on anyone else's challenges, even if it's as simple as doing shopping for them.
00:34:33.719 --> 00:34:37.140 Frank R. Harrison: Take care of your mind, body, health, and soul.
00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:47.200 Frank R. Harrison: before you go ahead and do any kind of advocacy for anyone, because without that, nothing gets done. And it ends up being very detrimental across the board.
00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:50.999 Frank R. Harrison: The other things that I want to point out is that
00:34:51.199 --> 00:35:03.660 Frank R. Harrison: You have to get yourself in a position where your first order of business is find out your pathway to continue to have psychological resilience and a feeling of meaning under all the strain that you're going through.
00:35:03.730 --> 00:35:15.829 Frank R. Harrison: You know, we all have our daily plans and daily calendars, and sometimes we plan weekly or monthly. That's no longer the option. I think that with all the challenges that we face each day with our life, our work, our health.
00:35:16.010 --> 00:35:23.210 Frank R. Harrison: You have to think daily, sometimes hourly. That's where you can really depend on AI to help structure, even 5 minutes just to breathe.
00:35:23.390 --> 00:35:35.090 Frank R. Harrison: You know, I'm now seeking an acupuncturist. I think I'm gonna need that on a regular basis. And again, thanks to some of the guests I've had on the show, I've had some referrals, I've made some calls.
00:35:35.090 --> 00:35:50.370 Frank R. Harrison: But I have to remember, it's not something covered by insurance, so if I can't afford it, it may be a sacrifice. Again, something that I'll have to sacrifice, or sacrifice something else that I need for my acupuncture. It just depends on the situation.
00:35:50.410 --> 00:35:53.419 Frank R. Harrison: This is the kind of thinking we all need to do.
00:35:53.510 --> 00:36:08.780 Frank R. Harrison: Start with your understanding of what keeps your homeostasis, your balance, before you move forward with taking care of others, or even doing your day, whatever that needs to be, your job, or other plans that you have.
00:36:10.260 --> 00:36:13.710 Frank R. Harrison: What else can I tell you about 2026?
00:36:14.330 --> 00:36:26.259 Frank R. Harrison: Overall, this is just January. It's only the first week in January. I think a lot of people, other than those that saw the inflated healthcare premiums on their Affordable Care Act Obamacare bills.
00:36:26.520 --> 00:36:28.310 Frank R. Harrison: We're gonna notice more cuts.
00:36:28.610 --> 00:36:35.629 Frank R. Harrison: I don't know what they're going to be. I do believe that when I saw, because I do receive as a disabled individual.
00:36:35.830 --> 00:36:36.730 Frank R. Harrison: Snap.
00:36:36.900 --> 00:36:41.919 Frank R. Harrison: Well, there's just the food stamp program. I used to get about $129 a month.
00:36:42.080 --> 00:36:44.400 Frank R. Harrison: Now it's just $29 a month.
00:36:44.910 --> 00:36:50.700 Frank R. Harrison: Okay? It might just go away. I just don't know. But it wouldn't surprise me if it did.
00:36:51.000 --> 00:37:02.360 Frank R. Harrison: Simultaneously, I would pivot a little bit and start saying that when you are doing your financial budgets, and when you get your tax refunds, and when you get your income, your checks.
00:37:02.490 --> 00:37:11.990 Frank R. Harrison: You know, all you have to do is save about 10-15% and put it in what I'm calling your emergency health account. Not your emergency fund.
00:37:12.220 --> 00:37:14.980 Frank R. Harrison: You know, because emergency fund can mean anything.
00:37:15.130 --> 00:37:29.109 Frank R. Harrison: you know, like, an emergency trip to Bermuda. No, we just need to make sure that you have an offset of those expenses that you anticipate, whether you're medications, over-the-counter issues, or whatever.
00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:42.599 Frank R. Harrison: Those of you who know Jose Dennis, who's been on this show and also on some of the other shows with TalkRadio.nyc, he has shown his nutritious, rich foods for people suffering from dementia, people suffering from anemia.
00:37:42.600 --> 00:37:57.620 Frank R. Harrison: people suffering from other kinds of health problems. But, by being a caregiver, especially for my father, he benefited in 2025, when in September of that year, the agency that pays him for the caregiving gave him an HSA account.
00:37:57.660 --> 00:38:09.560 Frank R. Harrison: And now he's able to pay all of his dental benefits, all of his over-the-counter medications and eye drops that he needs, as well as other kinds of things that any normal HSA account would cover.
00:38:09.730 --> 00:38:13.129 Frank R. Harrison: So, indirectly, by being a caregiver.
00:38:13.320 --> 00:38:28.349 Frank R. Harrison: Always look for the opportunities out there that are also going to give back to you, the caregiver. You don't want to be on the road to burnout, you want to be on the road to reciprocity. And there are programs out there that can do that. So if any of you out there are considering caregiving.
00:38:28.430 --> 00:38:34.400 Frank R. Harrison: I remember I was on what they called the CDPAP program. That was dropped in March of this year.
00:38:34.500 --> 00:38:39.530 Frank R. Harrison: No longer think of it as CDPAP, think of it as a secondary job.
00:38:39.660 --> 00:38:42.689 Frank R. Harrison: And get whatever healthcare benefits are coming to you.
00:38:43.460 --> 00:39:00.309 Frank R. Harrison: That's just a recommendation. And I could say, it made Jose a very big advocate, especially in the area of nutrition. We've been talking one way or another to get him to do his own nutrition podcast. More to that… more of that to hopefully come in 2026.
00:39:01.010 --> 00:39:03.230 Frank R. Harrison: Alright, let's see what else.
00:39:05.250 --> 00:39:09.140 Frank R. Harrison: I would say in Section 3 of this podcast.
00:39:09.320 --> 00:39:28.230 Frank R. Harrison: It's all about human cost, and I'm here to provide ways of finding ways to reciprocate yourself in meeting those costs. I mentioned Jose's example. But the biggest cost of all is not financial. I've been saying it's about your mental health.
00:39:28.650 --> 00:39:35.259 Frank R. Harrison: So I would say, if you have any room when you get your refund in March or April of this year.
00:39:35.520 --> 00:39:52.539 Frank R. Harrison: to start really looking, other than acupuncture, into what would be the good type of therapist that you actually… that engage and work with during the coming year. There's a lot of uncertainty politically beyond healthcare in 2026.
00:39:52.680 --> 00:39:53.690 Frank R. Harrison: And…
00:39:53.880 --> 00:40:04.070 Frank R. Harrison: I think, for myself, an epileptic survivor, meaning that I haven't had a seizure in over 20 years, at the same time, someone who's been under heavy stress and burnout.
00:40:06.220 --> 00:40:12.510 Frank R. Harrison: I am easily triggered by behaviors that a normal person would not even think twice about.
00:40:12.870 --> 00:40:31.179 Frank R. Harrison: That means that I need to continue to self-regulate. So, thankfully, because of an old knee injury, I've been involved in physical therapy at the NYU Langone Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine, and just doing the physical therapy once a week gets my brain cells endorphins going.
00:40:31.330 --> 00:40:35.860 Frank R. Harrison: And not only is my knee better, but I feel more energetic, and more focused.
00:40:35.910 --> 00:40:38.809 Frank R. Harrison: and more enriched. I actually was thinking.
00:40:38.830 --> 00:40:48.259 Frank R. Harrison: maybe I should go twice a week, but then I looked into my insurance, and that benefit was cut, too. You see, there's a constant give-and-take, push-pull going on.
00:40:48.260 --> 00:41:00.089 Frank R. Harrison: Especially when looking into caregiving for yourself. Again, my mantra for this section of the show is find ways every day to care for yourself first, before you care for others.
00:41:00.870 --> 00:41:20.540 Frank R. Harrison: As far as other shows that I have done in this vein, I keep thinking to Phyllis Quinlan, my dear friend who I actually spoke to during the holiday season, because I wanted to just catch up with her and see what she has been dealing, you know, in her profession with the big, beautiful Bill. And she herself
00:41:20.790 --> 00:41:25.590 Frank R. Harrison: I mean, her coaching is very, very supportive, even though she was talking with me on the phone.
00:41:25.810 --> 00:41:42.360 Frank R. Harrison: I may actually consider working with her as a coach in the next month, because she was very helpful to me when I had launched this show 4 years ago, and I know that she is a professional of the highest order, and if you could find coaches, Evan Messman is another one that comes to my mind.
00:41:42.400 --> 00:41:46.440 Frank R. Harrison: These are people that were also involved in my documentary.
00:41:46.560 --> 00:41:56.659 Frank R. Harrison: I want you to be aware that that documentary was also featured in The Dale Atkins Show with a QR code, and if you are interested in watching it.
00:41:56.760 --> 00:42:11.709 Frank R. Harrison: you can scan it and watch it on YouTube. It's been out there for the last 3 or 4 months, but I definitely spread it around to everybody during New Year's Eve, because it was my way of paying tribute to Aretha. I do believe, in this one year.
00:42:11.710 --> 00:42:20.420 Frank R. Harrison: since her passing, she's still behind me. I feel her presence. So, that's another thing to take away before we go to our fourth,
00:42:20.460 --> 00:42:21.919 Frank R. Harrison: To our fourth segment.
00:42:22.030 --> 00:42:36.029 Frank R. Harrison: Is that anyone that's been in your life, family, friend, colleague, that is no longer in your life for whatever reason, if you feel their presence, that could be the memories, or that could be actual, connection through…
00:42:36.400 --> 00:42:47.769 Frank R. Harrison: That individual's spiritual side, and run with it, work with it, collaborate with it, because that way you get over the grief, and you manage your life in a much more high-quality way.
00:42:48.710 --> 00:42:56.729 Frank R. Harrison: Alright, I guess that would be, my, last sentence before the final break, so please, everyone, stay tuned.
00:42:56.740 --> 00:43:13.169 Frank R. Harrison: As we are looking into the healthcare predictions of 2026, I will give you more predictions from a Frank About Health perspective, as well as what I am hearing in the news, in addition to what I am thinking of in terms of future episodes of Frank About Health.
00:43:13.420 --> 00:43:15.419 Frank R. Harrison: Alright, we'll be back in a few.
00:44:48.590 --> 00:44:50.559 Frank R. Harrison: Hey everybody, and welcome back.
00:44:51.210 --> 00:44:55.080 Frank R. Harrison: These are the signals to watch out for in 2026.
00:44:56.150 --> 00:44:58.600 Frank R. Harrison: You need to look at trust.
00:44:58.790 --> 00:45:01.719 Frank R. Harrison: As your central currency of healthcare.
00:45:01.930 --> 00:45:12.169 Frank R. Harrison: I have always, throughout my life, defined trust in terms of your time, your money, and the type of relationships you have, professional, personal, and otherwise.
00:45:12.680 --> 00:45:18.180 Frank R. Harrison: We all have a budget to live with, to pay our expenses, and to earn our income.
00:45:18.380 --> 00:45:25.169 Frank R. Harrison: At the same time, time is our infinite currency if it's managed effectively.
00:45:25.350 --> 00:45:33.420 Frank R. Harrison: However, We don't live on an island. We don't have time and money And define that as trust.
00:45:33.540 --> 00:45:40.249 Frank R. Harrison: Unless you trust yourself, But then you need to extend yourself out to others to work with them.
00:45:40.400 --> 00:45:48.549 Frank R. Harrison: To have personal family relationships with them, and to also have a better sense of how to create boundaries and connect.
00:45:48.660 --> 00:45:51.540 Frank R. Harrison: Because that's what we're here for, we're wired to connect.
00:45:51.890 --> 00:45:58.540 Frank R. Harrison: Alright, that being said, Being that we're under a disruption modality now, where
00:45:58.780 --> 00:46:07.809 Frank R. Harrison: Resources that we need are being cut, and we have limited budgets based on different financial concerns and commitments that we all have.
00:46:08.320 --> 00:46:11.590 Frank R. Harrison: You have to make sure that the people that are in your life
00:46:12.120 --> 00:46:16.909 Frank R. Harrison: Can measure up to your standards of what's considered trustworthy.
00:46:17.550 --> 00:46:33.879 Frank R. Harrison: It's a challenge because we're constantly operating in a vacuum of individuals providing misinformation, not providing consistency, flip-flopping on decisions made in our government in particular. We don't have anything to model on.
00:46:34.060 --> 00:46:53.440 Frank R. Harrison: When I was speaking to Phyllis over the weekend, she said that what she's learned in her life is you stay local, and you stay centric into your community, into your work, into your family, and try to at least build an ecosystem of trust that you can transfer out to the community at large.
00:46:53.600 --> 00:47:03.320 Frank R. Harrison: Again, it's a constant challenge, but when you have that strong sense of trust, a continued peace, even when faced with challenges.
00:47:03.430 --> 00:47:07.880 Frank R. Harrison: You can go with that gut reaction and think hopefully more clearly.
00:47:08.460 --> 00:47:11.509 Frank R. Harrison: There's going to be more challenges in 2026,
00:47:11.620 --> 00:47:14.579 Frank R. Harrison: There's a lot of question of ethics.
00:47:14.890 --> 00:47:20.029 Frank R. Harrison: And how the government is going to cut off even more resources.
00:47:20.270 --> 00:47:26.969 Frank R. Harrison: I received a letter, I can say this personally as part of what to be aware of in 2026.
00:47:27.160 --> 00:47:40.939 Frank R. Harrison: But I received a letter that my parents' Medicaid fund is being moved over to a new organization called Anthem. Anthem is part of the Blue Cross Blue Shield family, or maybe they were, and they spun off, I'm not exactly sure.
00:47:41.380 --> 00:47:50.509 Frank R. Harrison: Now, that may be good, and that may be bad. You gotta trust your instincts based on maybe you were a participant with Anthem at one job you may have had, or maybe…
00:47:51.030 --> 00:48:08.340 Frank R. Harrison: you have found out that Anthem is cutting costs in response to the big, beautiful bill. And therefore, once the existing, solution goes under the Anthem brand, does that mean that the benefits under the existing solution also get cut? Or do they get expanded?
00:48:08.670 --> 00:48:24.999 Frank R. Harrison: So, no one's ever gonna tell you unless you go through the transition and watch the result, or unless you go out there and research extensively. Because when they give you a letter that says, as of February 28th, 2026,
00:48:25.040 --> 00:48:36.639 Frank R. Harrison: that is when they move over to Anthem, you really have between the date of the letter, which in this case was January 7th, till that February date, to determine if you're going to switch over.
00:48:36.720 --> 00:48:38.099 Frank R. Harrison: Or find a new plan
00:48:38.460 --> 00:48:51.029 Frank R. Harrison: So, there's gonna be constant decision-making that we all need to make during the next first two months of 2026 to be able to take our existing healthcare protections, our existing
00:48:51.180 --> 00:49:00.010 Frank R. Harrison: Pharmacy protections, mental health protections, or whatever other protections you have, and determine what do you keep
00:49:00.290 --> 00:49:04.500 Frank R. Harrison: What do you let go, or what do you transition from or to?
00:49:05.200 --> 00:49:20.510 Frank R. Harrison: That actual brain power must be investigated, just like when you're putting all of your receipts together to start filing your taxes. By the way, doing my social responsibility here, the first day of filing income taxes.
00:49:20.730 --> 00:49:34.650 Frank R. Harrison: for 2025 tax year is Monday, which I believe is the 26th of January. Electronic filing, predominantly, I think they have let go of paper filing starting this year.
00:49:35.930 --> 00:49:43.959 Frank R. Harrison: As far as healthcare deductions are concerned, people are going to be getting, if you're a senior, a special $6,000 tax credit.
00:49:44.120 --> 00:49:56.110 Frank R. Harrison: I don't know if that's 6,000 married filing jointly, or if that's 6,000 per person on a joint return, or… I don't know. That's something you'd have to ask your paid, tax preparer.
00:49:56.340 --> 00:50:16.089 Frank R. Harrison: But I also do know someone like myself, who is a caregiver, is subject to earned income credits, and a lot of medical deductions, more than I could swallow. Additionally, the standard deduction, which used to be about, if you were an individual, which is me, I would probably be deducting $12,000 or $13,000.
00:50:16.090 --> 00:50:33.919 Frank R. Harrison: But I always itemize because of my healthcare expenses, and I think my itemized amounts would be $30,000 total, with premiums and other things that is not covered. But now, everyone under the income level of $150,000 is going to be faced with an immediate $40,000
00:50:34.280 --> 00:50:42.339 Frank R. Harrison: SALT deduction on your itemized return, while simultaneously, it's about, I think, $20,000.
00:50:42.590 --> 00:50:49.710 Frank R. Harrison: Or, no, $30,000 for your standard deduction. Most people won't have to itemize. However, that could be a trick.
00:50:50.230 --> 00:51:09.550 Frank R. Harrison: And a trap, especially if you benefit from itemizing. So, again, consult with your tax preparer. I'm bringing in taxes into healthcare for 2026, because the tax law has changed dramatically after the one big, beautiful bill was passed. This is our government's way of paying you back
00:51:09.770 --> 00:51:18.870 Frank R. Harrison: For the lost health coverage that you're now going to be faced with, because your refund may actually be the substitute for those healthcare payments that might come due.
00:51:19.570 --> 00:51:26.280 Frank R. Harrison: Alright, that being said, You also remember that media and advocacy
00:51:26.720 --> 00:51:34.419 Frank R. Harrison: are very important tools that you have to be aware of in terms of finding the right information on your healthcare. That means
00:51:34.680 --> 00:51:41.919 Frank R. Harrison: be aware of what is misinformed media, and what is regular media. Podcasting
00:51:42.040 --> 00:51:44.440 Frank R. Harrison: It depends on who is your host.
00:51:44.480 --> 00:51:56.449 Frank R. Harrison: I like to be as, frank as possible, and as ethical as possible. I may sometimes give misinformation based on not being a licensed psychologist.
00:51:56.450 --> 00:52:11.109 Frank R. Harrison: Even if I have a neuropsych degree. However, I'm constantly researching online and consulting with various people at the hospital systems and caregiver groups that I belong to, so I am as informed as I can be.
00:52:11.300 --> 00:52:19.919 Frank R. Harrison: But, the thing is, is that I will always make sure that the information I provide is as thorough as possible, and if it's not, then I don't mention it.
00:52:20.030 --> 00:52:22.980 Frank R. Harrison: And that's why I issue disclaimers at the beginning of every show.
00:52:23.090 --> 00:52:35.300 Frank R. Harrison: So, be aware of your media, social media, regular traditional media, as well as any media and podcasts that you yourself might be generating. Make sure your information out there is vetted.
00:52:35.740 --> 00:52:37.950 Frank R. Harrison: Okay, simultaneously.
00:52:39.190 --> 00:52:49.840 Frank R. Harrison: Like my friend Jennifer Griggs had said on this show several times in the past, always lead in the healthcare space and with your family with a sense of dignity.
00:52:50.030 --> 00:53:02.049 Frank R. Harrison: Especially dignity in yourself, but at the same time, using forgiveness to make sure that if someone is not understanding what you're saying, because they're too overwhelmed and burnt out to process what you're saying.
00:53:02.470 --> 00:53:05.700 Frank R. Harrison: Expect it, understand it, accept it.
00:53:06.410 --> 00:53:17.359 Frank R. Harrison: Take the hits yourself when you feel frustrated that what you're saying is not being heard, but at least as long as you're aware of it, you use it to maintain dignity within yourself and within the family.
00:53:18.090 --> 00:53:25.179 Frank R. Harrison: Overall, this is going to be a challenging 2026. And again, without being too political.
00:53:25.380 --> 00:53:41.429 Frank R. Harrison: We have a midterm election coming up at the end of the year. It is important that we change our congestion… we change our congressional legislatures to put some kind of controls on whatever is happening at the executive branch level.
00:53:41.620 --> 00:53:44.210 Frank R. Harrison: Right now, we're running without guardrails.
00:53:44.550 --> 00:53:47.559 Frank R. Harrison: The guardrails are the ones that you make for yourself.
00:53:47.950 --> 00:53:59.659 Frank R. Harrison: And that is why, in this particular show, I wanted to do a tribute to the past, warnings for the future, and say that we can get through 2026
00:53:59.930 --> 00:54:07.239 Frank R. Harrison: As long as you hold on to your own healthcare first, and be aware of the truth
00:54:07.520 --> 00:54:13.319 Frank R. Harrison: Before you go and tout information out to anyone that might need the information.
00:54:13.440 --> 00:54:19.440 Frank R. Harrison: But it's already been anchored down by these various authors that have been on the show, Dale Atkins.
00:54:20.530 --> 00:54:21.970 Frank R. Harrison: Marshall Runji?
00:54:22.240 --> 00:54:23.999 Frank R. Harrison: And a book.
00:54:24.250 --> 00:54:26.830 Frank R. Harrison: That I picked up at my dentist's office.
00:54:27.570 --> 00:54:47.180 Frank R. Harrison: Food for Health and Healing. This is a good book to pick the foods that you need to make for people suffering from the conditions my father has been suffering from. I mentioned anemia, some side effects of dementia, thank goodness it's not Alzheimer's disease, but then also it helps with people who have been going through burnout.
00:54:47.260 --> 00:54:51.049 Frank R. Harrison: Need iron in your system and in your brain, and a lot
00:54:51.530 --> 00:55:03.330 Frank R. Harrison: of electrolyte water. One bottle, 60-ounce bottle, is basically more than 8 glasses a day. If you can guzzle that down the entire day, you're meeting all of your necessary hydration needs.
00:55:03.990 --> 00:55:06.469 Frank R. Harrison: I see that we are 3 minutes to ending.
00:55:07.070 --> 00:55:25.929 Frank R. Harrison: For those people who are into pop culture. I'm wearing gray today, because today is the second half of season 22 of Grey's Anatomy. I hear it's gonna be a very moving episode. The reason why I love that show is because it gives me its own version of medical school. Yet.
00:55:25.990 --> 00:55:28.730 Frank R. Harrison: It is overly dramatized, I realize that.
00:55:28.800 --> 00:55:32.849 Frank R. Harrison: But, I have learned a lot, and as I've said on the show before.
00:55:33.600 --> 00:55:41.939 Frank R. Harrison: Grey's Anatomy and MASH have been two shows that motivated me to launch Frank About Health back in 2016 and in 2021.
00:55:42.660 --> 00:55:44.670 Frank R. Harrison: Ugh, what else can I tell you?
00:55:45.230 --> 00:55:48.570 Frank R. Harrison: Well, I guess this is the moment when I say that
00:55:48.880 --> 00:55:53.510 Frank R. Harrison: People know that I was involved in an invention that I called MedCash.
00:55:53.690 --> 00:56:02.699 Frank R. Harrison: That stands for Community Action for Secure Health. It used to be for another S acronym, but due to our current environment.
00:56:02.870 --> 00:56:05.529 Frank R. Harrison: Calling it secure health is much more appropriate.
00:56:05.960 --> 00:56:11.019 Frank R. Harrison: I am hoping that in the next few months, I will launch that product
00:56:11.180 --> 00:56:23.249 Frank R. Harrison: Through social media, through this podcast, as well as through other channels, to be able to provide supplemental financial support for people suffering from not having their healthcare anymore.
00:56:23.840 --> 00:56:24.800 Frank R. Harrison: Alright.
00:56:25.000 --> 00:56:27.029 Frank R. Harrison: That's basically the end of this show.
00:56:27.180 --> 00:56:34.619 Frank R. Harrison: I've done my part over the last four and a half years of being able to show where the disruptions were. I may not have said it
00:56:34.790 --> 00:56:54.779 Frank R. Harrison: you know, as eloquently as I could have, but I wanted to fit it in the hour to point out that I'm also doing something about it. So next week, I will have a new guest, but they will no longer be part of my Voices of Disruption campaign, because I'm at the point where I will be implementing the solutions throughout the rest of this year.
00:56:55.000 --> 00:56:58.580 Frank R. Harrison: Thank you again, Jesse, behind the scenes, for engineering this show.
00:56:58.690 --> 00:57:03.520 Frank R. Harrison: A solo show that I think I did okay. You can give me a thumbs up or a thumbs down, it's your call.
00:57:03.590 --> 00:57:21.850 Frank R. Harrison: But, I'd like to thank again Sam Leibowitz for all of his support throughout the last over 4 years, as well as Emily Shulman, and all the other people that have been on the show, and will come back at later dates in 2026. All right, everybody, again, Happy New Year, and see you all next week.
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