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The labor market may be weaker than previously reported. According to newly revised Bureau and Labor Statistics (BLS) data, the U.S. added nearly a million fewer jobs than it had said earlier. On Tuesday, a press release explained that 911,000 fewer jobs (-0.6%) were added to the U.S. economy over the last year, in a period that ended in March. The new data reveals that only an estimated 70,000 jobs were added each month, instead of 147,000. Overall, only 850,000 were added to the market over the past year, less than half of what was previously reported. The new report is significant, as it marks the largest preliminary revision of BLS data since the year 2000. The data also represents the largest number of jobs lost since the 2009 financial crisis. The official report will come in February 2026. The new data comes weeks after Trump fired the BLS’s top official, Erika McEntarfer, who was confirmed last year. McEntarfer’s firing followed another string of data revisions, which also pointed to job losses and weak hiring. We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY, Trump posted on Truth Social. The post continued: Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate; they cant be manipulated for political purposes, the president wrote. McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months. Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative. Trump, who has been highly critical of the Labor Department in the past, most notably for its data revisions, has continuously insisted that the economy is strong. But experts say the new report is a sign that the labor market is slowing down.“Today’s data suggests that cooling in the labor market is more dramatic than previously thought,” Elizabeth Renter, senior economist at NerdWallet, told CBS. “This strengthens the likelihood that the Fed will cut rates next week, as it’s additional evidence that the labor market side of the dual mandate needs some attention.” While the president is pushing back against claims that job growth is stalled, employees seem to be feeling the pressure to keep their current jobs. Likewise, anxiety about the economy is high as workers worry about mass layoffs.
Category:
E-Commerce
In 2003, when the New York Times asked Steve Jobs why the iPod became an overnight success, he didnt talk about its storage capacity, hardware specs, or marketing campaign. He said, simply: Design. People think it’s this veneer, he added. That the designers are handed this box and told, Make it look good! That’s not what we think design is. Its not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. He was talking about music players. But he couldve been talking about healthcare. Because today, in 2025, American healthcare is still stuck in its MS-DOS era. The systems might be powerful, but the interface is broken. You feel it the moment you try to understand your lab results. Instead of something you can scan and absorb, you get a dense, clinical PDF full of acronyms and numbers, usually without any explanation of what they mean or what to do next). No context. No clarity. Its like receiving an email in binary code and needing a doctor to translate. Most people dont go back to their doctor for clarity. According to a new national survey from my firm Cactus, 71% of patients turn to WebMD after a diagnosis. Nearly half now use AI tools like ChatGPT to make sense of their care. One in four say those tools help them understand their health better than their own doctor does. Thats not just a curiosity. Its a crisis. A comprehension crisis. One that affects everyone: Patients, providers, and the health systems trying to keep up. TRUST ISNT THE ISSUE. COMPREHENSION IS. Heres the paradox: 78% of Americans say they trust their doctor. But more than 1 in 4 walk out of appointments more confused than when they walked in. Why? Because the system still communicates like its running on a command line system where users literally need to learn a new language to ask their questions. Your health and care answers are there, but its buried in jargon, fragmented across systems, and delivered in ways that overwhelm or alienate. Patients arent given context, only data. No wonder they forget what was said. No wonder they turn to Google. Weve built a $4.5 trillion industry on clinical excellence but wrapped it in a user experience from the 1980s. This isnt just a communication problem. Its an interface problem. And its costing us dearly. THE COST OF CONFUSION Poor communication doesnt just frustrate patients. It drives worse outcomes, higher costs, and missed opportunities for connection and care. According to Cactus survey, 20% of Americans believe miscommunication with a doctor has led to worse health outcomes. That number isnt theoretical. It shows up in delayed diagnoses, unnecessary ER visits, and care plans that never get follow-through. Even more concerning, 30% of Americans are currently sitting on a specific, known health concern that they havent brought up with a medical professional. The reasons: They dont know how to start, fear its not serious enough, or feel they wont be understood. The cost of silence is high. Yet, many providers are missing the signal patients are sending. Those patients dont just want better communication; theyre willing to pay for it. Nearly half of Americans say theyd pay out-of-pocket for more personalized, ongoing care. Thats not just dissatisfaction. Its demand. Its a market signal for a better-designed experienceone that prioritizes clarity, empathy, and usability alongside clinical excellence. TIME TO UPGRADE THE INTERFACE When I was 11, my family brought home our first Apple computer, the Apple II. It was a revelation. Not because the machine was so advanced, but because for the first time, I could use it without a teacher guiding me. I designed a birthday banner. I clicked instead of typed. The same underlying machine had become exponentially more useful, simply because it was designed with the user in mind. Now imagine if your next doctors visit was designed that way. Instead of cryptic PDFs, your lab results live on an interactive health dashboard. Biomarkers are plotted on a bell curve that shows whats optimal and where you stand. Explanations are written in plain language. Click a number and you get verified insights from your care team. Time spent with clinicians is engrossing and educational. Time spent with digital tools is satisfying and motivating. Thats not a future fantasy. Its possible right now. But only if we bring design to the table earlier and stop treating it as cosmetic. DESIGN ISNT DECORATION. ITS INFRASTRUCTURE. In healthcare, communication isnt a soft skill. Its a system function. When patients dont understand, outcomes suffer. When doctors cant easily share information or collaborate across teams, outcomes suffer. That isnt a design detail. Its a product flaw. In most industries, design is how people get from input to impact. Its how they navigate complexity, make decisions, and take action. From airports to financial apps, good design anticipates human needs. It removes friction. It builds trust. Healthcare deserves the same standard. Instead of treating design as something to layer on at the end, we need to treat comprehension as infrastructure. We need systems that explain, not just record. Tools that coordinate, not just collect. Interfaces that feel intuitive and human, even in high-stakes, high-stress moments. What patients are asking for isnt unreasonable. They want care that feels clear. Tools that help them follow through and communication that builds confidence. Design can deliver that. But only if we prioritize understanding as a core part of the system, not an afterthought. Noah Waxman is CEO and cofounder at Cactus.
Category:
E-Commerce
The explosive rise of GLP-1 medicationssuch as Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovyhas ignited more than just headlines. It has fundamentally shifted how Americans access and pay for medications, driving innovation in affordability models, and fueling a dramatic increase in direct-to-consumer (DTC) healthcare platforms. Originally approved for type 2 diabetes, GLP-1s have surged in popularity due to their effectiveness in treating obesity and other cardiometabolic conditions. Yet their high list prices and limited insurance coverage have exposed critical gaps in the traditional pharmacy system. Today, more than 19 million people in the U.S. do not have coverage for GLP-1s prescribed for weight loss. Others face complicated, time-consuming restrictions such as step therapy or prior authorizations before they can begin GLP-1 treatment. As demand has soared, so has the urgency for new access models that bypass conventional barriers. In response, a new generation of direct-to-consumer (DTC) healthcare platforms has emerged. From telehealth companies to digital pharmacies, these companies are reshaping how patients engage with care. Many now offer bundled GLP-1 programs that include virtual consultations, lab testing, prescription delivery, and coachingall for a cash price. These models circumvent insurance entirely and appeal to patients seeking affordability, convenience, and transparency. Simultaneously, pharmaceutical manufacturers have responded with creative pricing partnerships, cash pay programs, and manufacturer savings cards. For example, Novo Nordisk just launched a new program with GoodRx to offer Ozempic and Wegovy for $499 per month to eligible patients at over 70,000 pharmacies nationwide. These efforts improve access and affordability by breaking down the cost barrier to care, making previously unaffordable treatments more attainable to consumers with valid prescriptions. GLP-1 manufacturers and patients alike are seeing success with this model. Earlier this year, Eli Lilly reported that roughly 100,000 people buy Zepbound each month directly through the companys LillyDirect platform. Its a case study illustrating the demand for these DTC platforms, which make affordability and access more widely available to the consumers who need these medications. GLP-1s have become more than a class of breakthrough medicationstheyve become a catalyst for redefining how Americans experience pharmacy care. They are rewiring the infrastructure of U.S. drug access, with implications that extend far beyond weight loss. This shift is laying the groundwork for a broader rethinking of affordability models for high-impact medications, especially those where cost and coverage are often barriers to care. Other high-cost conditions, from cancer to autoimmune diseases to womens health, can significantly benefit from this model. Beyond the cost hurdles, the DTC approach can offer greater convenience for consumers struggling with a debilitating condition that requires specific, non-generic medications. Mental health is a great example of this given demand for services often far surpasses what the existing healthcare infrastructure can supportnot unlike the obesity epidemic. As a result, experts predict well begin to see more DTC options come to market to improve access to medications and treatments within the mental health space. The government is contributing to this change, too. With significant pressure on manufacturers to deliver on most-favored-nation pricing for US-based consumers, offering a DTC distribution model is one of the requested actions. In my role, Im actively working with leaders in pharma to share how GoodRx can be leveraged to create exclusive affordable cash price programs or integrate existing DTC offerings into our platform, which is used by nearly 30 million consumers and over one million healthcare professionals each year. In this reimagined landscape, the system can work better for everyone. Consumers gain more control and options regarding their treatment choices. Healthcare professionals and pharmacists are presented with fewer administrative burdens. Pharma manufacturers can establish a more direct relationship with their end users, enhancing brand trust and patient satisfaction. And insurance companies might be pushed to reconsider their coverage strategies due to the competitive alternatives arising in the patient pay marketplace. The GLP-1 revolution has shown that demand for effective treatment can outpace the system’s ability to deliver it equitably. In the process, it has accelerated experimentation with new pricing structures, affordability partnerships, and technology-driven delivery channels. If this momentum continues, we can create a future where equitable, affordable access to high-impact medications is the normnot the exception. Laura Jensen is chief commercial officer and president of pharma solutions for GoodRx.
Category:
E-Commerce
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