Beyond Benefits

In this episode, we sit down with Diana Miller to discuss her experiences growing up in Colombia, navigating the U.S. immigration system, her surprise $40K hospital bill and how those experiences have influenced her perspective and empathy. We also chat about Diana’s advocacy for DPC in Iowa as well as the challenge of balancing industry critiques with optimism. We finish our conversation by getting recommendations for Colombia and Dubuque, Iowa!

In this episode, we sit down with our newly crowned BenefitsPRO Advisor of the Year, Allison De Paoli to discuss everything from quality care versus expensive care to direct primary care models to employee communication and the future of the benefits industry. She also spends time talking about the role of the advisor, C-suite dynamics and her thoughts on effective AI implementation. And as always, we spend some time getting to know Allison a little better, from her favorite travel experiences and recommendations to a few insider tips about San Antonio and some insights into how she recharges away from work.

In this episode, we sit down with Eric Silverman to explore the evolving world of “enhanced” benefits and why every employee offering deserves attention, not just medical plans. We dive into recent class action lawsuits, compensation strategies, and how technology and transparency are reshaping the industry. Eric also shares how he builds relationships through social media, his passion for cars and sports, and one of his favorite books, which inspires his approach to thoughtful generosity.

In this episode Josh discusses the growing number of innovative solutions and strategies flooding the benefits and health care markets, as well as the external forces that are currently reshaping our industry. We also dig into the importance of networking and in-person events, reminisce about Josh's time as BenefitsPRO Advisor of the Year and preview the upcoming BenefitsPRO Broker Expo in Chicago. As always, we close out with a fun discussion about what he does to relax and refresh and a few things you might now know about a city that feels like a small town: Amarillo, Texas.

In this episode, we chat with Chris Deacon, Founder of VerSan Consulting, former New Jersey Deputy Attorney General, and author of “The Great American Healthcare Heist." Chris discusses her transition into the benefits world, going from being New Jersey’s deputy attorney general to running the New Jersey’s state health benefits program, to starting her own consulting firm that focuses on spreading awareness about health care issues. We also touch on her book, “The Great American Healthcare Heist” which aims to make readers question the financial motivations behind health care institutions. Finally, we look at the current state and the future outlook of the health care and benefits world. We finish the conversation with some great suggestions about where we should visit if we ever make it across the pond.

In this episode, we talk to Deb Ault, better known as Nurse Deb, the president of AIMM. We discuss her dedication to change, both as a nurse and as a pioneer of disruption in the health care and benefits space. We also chat about the challenges of employers' and employees' slow acceptance of change, as well as the realities of working in a broken system. One of the biggest challenges Nurse Deb shares is that many employers are not yet upset enough with the status quo to demand something different: "Until people are pissed off, they're not going to change." But, don't worry, we also get to know Nurse Deb on a personal level. We chat about how she spends her free time, her most recent vacation, and some secret treasures in Columbus, Ohio!

In this episode, we talk with Melissa Burkhart, founder and president of Futuro Solido USA. We discuss her work in the benefits translation space and discuss why creating establishing trust and creating connections with employees matters now, more than ever. She also offers lots of great tips and ideas about benefits communication as we head into open enrollment season! We also discuss her new partnership with NABIP and her work with the Coalition for Inclusion in Benefits and Insurance. And yes, as always, we go down a few rabbit trails, including the hidden connection between middle schoolers, grammar and anchovies, some liberal arts bonding, and a little rant about the vastly underrated food scene in Denver.

In this episode, we talk about the many implications of AI, focusing especially on its potential impacts on the future of benefits and healthcare, as well as some practical advice for benefits advisors and others in the industry, based on how it’s being used right now by your peers. As always, we also go down some rabbit trails, including literal trails (and running on them), beach volleyball, Brandon Sanderson books and a recommendation for some of the best shrimp cocktails to ever exist. Oh, and Paul takes a shot at setting the record for the fastest Skynet reference in Robosource history.

In this episode, we dive into the exciting (you read that right!) world of compliance, with Jennifer Spiegel Berman, compliance maven and chief legal officer at Lumelight.

One of Jen’s superpowers is her ability to make complex and complicated topics compelling, urgent and understandable. During our conversation, she shares some of her secrets and explains why this skillset is going to become increasingly vital for benefits advisors in the coming years, as compliance becomes an ever more important differentiator during conversations with employers.

Our latest conversation is with Clint Flanagan, a board-certified physician, direct-primary care pioneer, entrepreneur, and the founder and CMO of Nextera Healthcare. Dr. Flanagan has been around DPC since its earliest days and he has some fascinating insights about the incredible transformation that it has undergone over the years. We also delve into the more recent “localvore” movement, its relationship with DPC and current health care trends, and we also discuss why describing DPC as “innovative” isn’t entirely accurate.

Health Rosetta co-founder and CEO, Dave Chase, shares how he draws inspiration from historical social movements and revolutions, explains why a relatively small spark can create a cultural wildfire, and details his quest to find and gather a community of advisors and employers who have “cracked the code.”

Listen in for a wide-ranging discussion with Uche Enemchukwu, benefits attorney, strategy consultant, and CEO of Nelu Diversified Solutions, a global employee benefits consulting, certification, and technology provider. Uche offers her insights into the current state of the industry, the trends she’s watching around plan design and utilization, as well as how industry leaders can — and should — use their influence and spending power to push true innovation in the industry. And as always, we also dive into some fun topics, including the joys of being a PBS nerd, some killer Chicago food recommendations, and yes, plenty of book recommendations!

In this episode, we sit down with Tracy Watts, senior partner, national leader for U.S. Health Care Policy at Mercer. We chat about a number of topics, including her thoughts on all the noise coming out of Washington D.C. right now, the latest round of fiduciary lawsuits and their potential impacts, and a few of the innovative benefits design strategies and ideas she’s watching most closely right now. Come for the benefits discussion, stay for the golf debates, killer recipes and cookbook recommendations!

In this episode, we dig into a number of topics with our newly crowned BenefitsPRO Advisor of the Year, Chris Hamilton. Chris details his journey from commercial banking into the benefits space, shares what he calls “the Achilles’ heel of many traditional brokerages” and offers practical and detailed advice for employers and benefits advisors who are looking to explore the world of self-funding. We also spend some time chatting about some killer workouts that aren’t for the faint of heart, discussing the joys of drumming, and singing the praises of two of our favorite bands: Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. We hope you enjoy listening!

In this episode, we chat with Solome Tibebu, founder and CEO of Behavioral Health Tech. The discussion touches on everything from the current state of behavioral health in the U.S., to Solome’s personal mental health journey and the key role that technology and benefits innovation can play in expanding access to mental health services and tools. We also discuss behavioral health during tough times, overcoming stage fright, strategies for reducing stigma, the impossible art of keeping houseplants alive, and much more!

We're joined by Bill Hepscher, the founder of RXManage USA and The Canadian Medstore. Bill is a pioneer in the international medication industry, so we pick his brain about the history of this space, the origin story of his companies, and his thoughts on how the world of international meds has changed over the years.

In this episode, we're joined by Ali Goodwin, the marketing director for TrueScripts. We talk about the noise surrounding PBMs and prescription drugs; discuss the importance of trying to do the right thing; and dig into how to filter out all the noise and bad actors and find people and companies that truly align with their mission.

For our latest episode, we're joined by Stephanie Koch, director of human resources at Hendry Marine. She shares a few things she wishes benefits advisors knew about HR, reveals the biggest misconceptions about her role, and details her journey from status quo benefits to the world of self-funding. She also give a sneak peek of her upcoming session at the BenefitsPRO Broker Expo in Boston!

For our first episode, we're joined by Chelsea Ryckis, the 2024 BenefisPRO Advisor of the Year and co-founder of Ethos Benefits.

She shares her thoughts on the current state of employee benefits, how transparency and fiduciary shifts are impacting advisors and employers, her favorite music (kind of...) and more!