Perspectives

Every bowler knows the lane has boundaries. Staying in your lane is not a limitation — it is the condition

Engineers routinely ask how much failure is tolerable before a system stops being viable. Call that threshold the failure ceiling

There is a famous ad for Maxell cassette tapes showing a man reclining in a chair in front of a

Stretch Armstrong was made to be pulled out of shape. Children could grab the toy by its arms and legs

Squeeze a Panic Pete stress toy and the reaction is immediate: eyes, ears, and nose all bulge outward. It’s also

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet.” Shakespeare’s

Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” opens in early spring. The frozen ground has heaved overnight, and gaps have opened in

People learn what to expect from the systems they inhabit. Classic sociological work has long made that point in different

Most people support affordable housing in principle. Ask whether it should go on their block, and the answer often changes.

Imagine hiring a contractor to oversee a home renovation and paying him 20% of total project costs. If the price

The idiom “a needle in a haystack” refers to something extremely difficult to find. It implies that the needle is

When Arkansas banned PBMs from owning pharmacies, legislators cited a crisis: Independent pharmacies were closing at alarming rates. But were

When a jazz group improvises, the music works only because the players share an underlying framework. They agree on the

When rowers are aligned — matching their timing, rhythm, and pressure — the boat holds a steady line. Coordinated strokes

In international relations, hard power uses force or coercion — military action, sanctions, binding resolutions — to change another actor’s

The phrase “grasping at straws” comes from a mid-16th century proverb, “a drowning man will clutch at a straw.” The

On September 3, 2025, during an announcement to end all state vaccine mandates — including long-standing school immunization requirements —

The ground is shifting beneath the U.S. vaccine landscape. For decades, the CDC’s adoption of ACIP recommendations has provided a

The United States faces a critical national security vulnerability: our dependence on China for the ingredients used to manufacture many

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) pharmacies promote convenience and transparent prices. But beneath the appealing marketing lies a more complex reality. Ten weaknesses

When asked if the pizza should be cut in six or eight slices, a customer said: “Six slices. I don’t

In baseball, the backstop — netting and a wall placed behind home plate — is designed to protect fans without

When policymakers think about what causes morbidity and mortality, heart and other chronic diseases, cancer, and accidents often come to

Netflix’s “Top 10 Today” shows what’s most watched — not what’s most worthwhile. A sensational reality show may outrank a thoughtful

There’s an old parable about a frog that’s placed in a pot of cool water that’s gradually heated. The frog

The United States is falling behind. Since the mid-1980s, improvements in U.S. life expectancy have slowed compared with other wealthy

Across industries, consumer priorities tend to emerge slowly. But once they take root, they change how we define value. When

History is replete with cautionary tales about the dangers of acting on insufficient evidence in pursuit of urgent goals. The

Just as many Americans seek affordable care abroad, the United States has been a leading destination for international patients seeking

Americans travel abroad for all kinds of reasons — vacation, business, education, family visits. Increasingly, they also travel for medical

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side. This is an anti-joke where the absence

Millions of people unknowingly rely on hidden security measures to protect them from unseen threats. At airports, the Transportation Security

If you squeeze a balloon in one spot, the trapped air shifts and the balloon will expand where there is

Sometimes writers place quotation marks around a word or phrase to signal sarcasm, irony, disbelief, skepticism, disagreement, or belief that

Punching holes in things can be very useful. Evenly spaced holes made leather belts with metal buckles adjustable. Conductors punched

Ever stood in front of a funhouse mirror? The warped reflections transform the way you look — stretching your torso

Coinsurance is a percentage-based cost-sharing model where patients pay a portion of medical expenses after meeting their deductible. Unlike fixed

The modern proverb “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” originated in 1385 when a primitive version of

In The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy is ready to return home to Kansas, Glinda, the good witch, gives her

When sanding wood, different grits are used for different purposes: extra-coarse grits to smooth extra-rough and uneven surfaces and to

For millennia, people have looked at the heavens and tried to make sense of what they saw. Several moments in

There’s life and there’s death. It’s dichotomous… sort of. Dying is a process toward the end of life, and that’s

The idiom “to have an axe to grind” means to have a selfish reason or strong opinion that shapes one’s

You are what you eat. There is no denying the importance of good nutrition. A healthy diet can lower the

Sometimes we meet or even exceed our goals, and sometimes we fall short. For example, we might set out to

We’re constantly making predictions. Will it rain? How will they respond if we do or say X? How much do

We’re surrounded by countless currents carrying things from one location to another. Temperature gradients, concentration gradients, pressure gradients, electrical gradients,

Why purge physical items when we can just rent additional storage space? Why delete digital files when we can just

If you’ve been in an old European castle with spiral stairs, then chances are the spiral stairs had a left-handed

Do you remember watching Steven Spielberg’s 1975 movie Jaws? If so, you likely recall an early scene at a crowded

Smiling has been shown to boost mood; reduce blood pressure, pain, and stress; increase endurance; and strengthen the immune system.

Let’s suppose you’re motivated to work on one of the several global challenges we face (God bless you). And suppose

Demand for products that combined “fen” (fenfluramine), an appetite depressant, with “phen” (phentermine), an amphetamine, soared after a small study

Most of us likely have heard the Verizon Wireless character say, “can you hear me now?” Those commercials ran from

As artificial intelligence (AI) permeates all facets of work and life, many thought leaders are increasingly concerned that AI poses

Some find open conversations about sexual and reproductive health uncomfortable, yet many federal and state politicians comfortably and publicly debate

A 1992 commercial starts with a young student coloring as the teacher drones on: “Stay within the lines, the lines

“What’s in your backpack?” is a reference to the psychological load one carries. People with diabetes carry a heavy psychological

Travelers Insurance Co. has used an image of a red umbrella in its logo since 1870. It’s brilliant imagery —

Churning converts cream to butter. This process agitates the cream and separates it into butter and buttermilk. Whereas cream is

Whales sometimes beach themselves, but because of insufficient evidence, we don’t know why. There are several plausible explanations for such

Probability is the likelihood of something happening. When flipping a “fair” coin (i.e., one that has an equal chance of

Harvard Business School Professor of Leadership John Kotter says accelerating change often requires creating and sustaining a sense of urgency.

Optical microscopes — sometimes called light microscopes — use a range of objective lenses to view small objects. Objective lenses

Picking a lock requires a couple tools, time and effort. In essence, pins are pushed out of the way one

There are rules, exceptions to rules, and rules for exceptions to rules. Yep, payers have all of the above, and

You’ve probably heard the phrase “raise the bar.”  While its origin is based on the high jump and pole vault,

When you look in a mirror, who do you see? Not what, but who? How you see yourself may be

As far back as the 13th century, European craft guilds set and maintained standards for the quality of goods in

“Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice” is often attributed to Henry Ford, who had the phrase

War kills, injures, and sickens combatants and noncombatants, including innocent civilians. The horrors of war include burns, broken bones, wounds

For many people, selecting an ice cream flavor — even when there are many to choose from — is an

In his classic 1975 book titled Equality and Efficiency: The Big Tradeoff, economist Art Okun noted the tensions between the

Perhaps you’re familiar with — and sometimes can relate to — the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who is repeatedly forced

Every year in the United States, diseases linked to smoking kill approximately 480,000 people, including more that 41,000 deaths from

Out with the old, in with the new. Gene therapies are ushering in a new age of treating and curing

The three “wise monkeys” depicted in a 17th century wood carving at the Tosho-gu shrine in Nikko, Japan, represent the

The earth is warming — and it is warming faster. For the contiguous United States, the five warmest years on

Humpty Dumpty fell off a wall, and all the king’s horses and men couldn’t put him back together again. As

There are serious health conditions in which a new solution could fill a big unmet need. In that context, the

One might ask: How do I look in these jeans? That’s debatable. The fact that the prevalence of obesity has

If you watched TV during the ’70s, you likely saw various iterations of an ad that said, “When E.F Hutton

The impressionist painter Claude Monet explored the effects of light on the color of objects. He often painted the same

Looking back, social scientists have seen the silver linings of the influenza epidemic of 1918, the cholera epidemic of the

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, creates three-dimensional objects from digital models by adding material, typically layer by layer. By contrast,

Crystal balls have been associated with fortune telling for several hundred years. Today, actuaries do not use crystal balls to

The Statue of Liberty has welcomed generations of immigrants to the United States — its torch a symbol of enlightenment.

Superheroes like Batman, Spiderman, Captain America, and Black Panther wear masks, and their brave acts reduce social costs. When these

The official motto of the United States of America can be found on our currency and coins: “In God we

Way back, surveyors chiseled marks in stone structures to serve as a “bench” for a leveling rod, ensuring consistent measurement.

Everyone negatively impacted by gun violence hopes it is the shot heard around the world. Yet in the United States,

Perhaps you’ve noticed that a standard deck of playing cards has 52 cards, just as there are 52 weeks in

Paint-by-number kits assign colors to specific areas to reproduce art, including great works like Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper

In these dark and uncertain times, we seek light and predictability — even if that means a new normal. The

Someone once said something like, “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully

Do you believe in love at first sight — like the instant head-over-heels connection between Cinderella and Prince Charming in

Sometimes you have to take a step back to see the big picture — the forest for the trees. Sometimes

During the holiday season when gifts are often exchanged, one might recall the old proverb: Don’t look a gift horse

If you’ve experienced the joy of attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, you know that the balloons are huge. The

Life hacks are those simple, clever methods that boost productivity or efficiency. While the term life hack was coined in

Cherry Coke is sweet, but cherry picking a comparator to maximize the contrast effect can leave a sour taste in

Population health is on fire and, importantly, makes sense. And though the term is somewhat new (popularized by the Triple

A level playing field helps to ensure a fair contest between two teams — it wouldn’t be fair if one

Fads, crazes, hits, and styles come and go. Looking back, the popular diet, toy, song, or haircut now seems silly.

Why pay taxes? Likely to avoid the potential consequences of tax evasion. Why slow down after spotting a police car?

Imagine a world without standards. There would be disagreements about everything. There would be no shared understanding of time and

You’re probably familiar with the mnemonic “I before E, except after C” which couples both a spelling rule and an

Many policymakers think there is a drug rebate crisis, and consultants who should know better have led them astray by

Sherpa guides have led explorers through the Himalayas for many years. In such challenging conditions, an effective guide is knowledgeable,

Winning a game of Monopoly — assuming players have the stamina to play to the end — depends on some

Invariably, you’ve questioned the fit of two or more things in countless situations — when working on a puzzle, trying

The light bulb has become a symbol of innovation for good reason. Thomas Edison, the inventor and a cofounder of

Criticism of rebates between sellers and buyers is not new. For example, Standard Oil received rebates from railroads beginning in

There is growing scrutiny about the spend and trend of prescription drugs and the role PBMs play in it. Many

Life and work are full of decisions — many small decisions and a few big decisions. One of the big

The near-monopolistic control the De Beers corporation exercises is the primary reason diamonds cost so much. Diamonds are not rare,

Benjamin Franklin said nothing in this world except death and taxes is certain. Of course, there are other some other absolutes,

You know the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? Or how about the idiom “An ounce

The Magilla Gorilla Show’s theme song chanted that “at any price, a gorilla like Magilla is mighty nice.” And MasterCard’s “Priceless” campaign

The spiritual “Dem Dry Bones” with catchy lines like “Hip bone connected to the back bone” provides an overly simplistic

Organizations often make plans for the New Year, and reflections on the past year are typically part of this process.

Perhaps you remember the “But wait! There’s more!” line from the Ginsu knife ads. Or maybe you recall anxiously searching

Value-based contracts between payers and manufacturers are in vogue. From the payer’s perspective, paying for performance by getting reimbursed for

The Marshmallow Test — giving a young child a choice between eating one marshmallow now or getting two marshmallows if

Manufacturers can bring truly innovative drugs and medtech to market. But to health systems, it’s not just what manufacturers do

Some people dislike or even fear tight spaces, like crowded elevators. But for payers, there are several reasons to love

Off-label use of drugs and medical devices is legal and very common. Once a manufacturer has demonstrated to the FDA

Though all the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again, it’s pretty easy to

Manufacturers and payers are guilty of making quick fixes that address a symptom but not the underlying problem. Sure, these

In the dance between manufacturers and payers, brands that initially achieve commercial success often become more successful. There is a

Cancer drugs: New products and uses and guidelines — oh my! Payers historically have avoided aggressive utilization management of cancer

Payers’ use of prior authorization (PA) is often discussed but seldom fully understood. Myths and misconceptions related to PAs abound

Here’s a bumper sticker: Honk if you know what your customer really wants. For a manufacturer, successful payer marketing hinges

Measurement is commonly linked with good management. You may be familiar with the old saw in carpentry measure twice, cut

Yes, sometimes payers view “non-inferior” products as being superior. Just how they react to new products with evidence of non-inferiority

While P&T committee meetings are typically serious and professional, like all social situations, funny things can happen. Pharmacy and medical

A mock pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) or health technology assessment (HTA) committee meeting is one of several methods manufacturers can

An observer may ask whether a difference is significant. This seemingly simple question requires a nuanced answer, because there is

Convenience products are those that are relatively easier to use than alternatives already on the market. Products that require less

Change in health care is constant, and with that change payers expect new stuff — new products, services, evidence, guidelines,

Value. It is always wanted, commonly discussed, occasionally conceptualized, yet infrequently operationalized or measured correctly. But if optimizing value is

Payers often conduct a budget impact analysis to assess the affordability of a new offering, such as a drug, medical

Real-World Decisions In essence, payers make formulary management/medical policy decisions based on three criteria: efficacy, safety and cost. When a

Are Payers Just Not That Into Your Brand? You’re trying to optimize market access for your brand, yet you have