Seth Cohen on Why Financial Care Is the Next Frontier in Patient Experience
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Patients are now bearing an unsustainable share of healthcare costs, and providers who ignore the financial side of care are putting both outcomes and revenue at risk.
In this episode, Seth Cohen, President at Cedar, discusses how the affordability crisis is being felt at the front lines, with patient out-of-pocket costs rising faster than overall medical spending, and the majority of Americans now in high-deductible plans that they often cannot afford. He explains why a small share of uninsured patients generates 35% of the dollars owed and how that financial stress undermines any claim of “healing” if it ends in ruined credit and anxiety. Seth introduces Cedar Cover as a proactive digital coverage safety net that goes beyond billing to connect patients to Medicaid, ACA plans, financial assistance, copay programs, and other benefits, already delivering a 97% success rate in Medicaid applications, pharmacy subsidies, and higher reimbursement on denied claims. Looking ahead, he predicts the crisis will worsen and argues that caring for patients means helping them access every resource.
Tune in and discover how reframing billing as part of care can create mutually beneficial situations for patients and providers.
About Seth Cohen:
Seth Cohen is a seasoned business leader with a long record of driving growth across healthcare, technology, and finance. As president of Cedar, he leads strategy and execution for a fast-scaling health tech company, building on over a decade of leadership in the industry. He also serves on the boards of Firefly Health and previously served on the board of Castlight Health, reflecting his deep credibility in the healthcare ecosystem. Before joining Cedar, Seth co-founded OODA Health and served as its CEO, introducing innovative payment solutions to the market. His earlier career includes senior commercial roles at Castlight, where he helped large employers adopt modern health benefits, as well as consulting work at McKinsey, focused on healthcare reform and consumerism. Seth began his career in investment banking, private equity, and international development, providing him with a broad strategic and financial foundation. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA from Stanford University.
Things You’ll Learn:
Patient out-of-pocket costs have been rising faster than the overall medical trend for two decades, pushing most Americans into high-deductible plans they cannot realistically afford.
A relatively small percentage of uninsured patients, roughly 5–12% depending on the state, accounts for approximately 35% of the dollars owed to providers.
The episode challenges providers to rethink the concept of “healing” by asking whether repairing someone’s heart while ruining their credit can truly be considered care.
Cedar Cover is positioned as a proactive digital coverage safety net that identifies patients in need and connects them to Medicaid, ACA plans, financial assistance, and pharmacy copay programs.
Looking ahead, the guest expects affordability pressures to intensify and plans to expand into areas such as workers' compensation and Social Security benefits. The goal is to ensure that patients are not forced to choose between groceries and medical bills by making financial support an integral part of the core care experience.
