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In this episode, Lisa Hunter, Senior Director of Federal Policy and Advocacy at United States of Care, discusses how her organization is working to ensure every American has access to affordable, high-quality care, with a particular focus on rural communities. She explains the new Rural Health Transformation Program—a 50-billion-dollar, five-year federal investment that gives states a rare opportunity to redesign rural health delivery, address workforce gaps, and move toward “patient first care” models that emphasize coordination, whole-person care, and sustainable payment structures.​​

Lisa highlights a growing trust gap around AI in healthcare, noting that patients are more comfortable with AI in back-office and ambient use cases compared to roles that feel like they replace clinicians. She stresses the need for rigorous listening, research, and language that resonates with people, so policy and technology decisions reflect real experiences rather than abstract concepts. Take a listen.

Lisa Hunter is the Senior Director of Federal Policy & Advocacy at United States of Care. Lisa brings 20 years of experience in health policy and advocacy, having held leadership roles across the federal government, nonprofit sector, electoral campaigns, and the private sector. Prior to joining United States of Care, she led strategic partnerships at Families USA, where she drove reforms to Medicaid, Medicare, and the health insurance marketplace with a focus on advocacy around lowering health care costs and shoring up access to coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also previously served as Director of Government Affairs and Alliance Partnerships at the Better Medicare Alliance, where she focused on efforts to strengthen the Medicare Advantage program. Prior to joining advocacy, Lisa ran for public office, worked as a consultant at Avalere Health, and served as a Special Assistant at the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as a Congressional staffer for Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA) and Rep Howard Berman (D-CA).