Benefitial Conversations

In 2016, Phifer Inc. in Tuscaloosa had their moment.

The moment they realized the current trajectory of their health spend was not on a sustainable course and something had to be done. Instead of sticking their head in the sand waiting for things to get better, they got to work.

In this episode, Kat Cagle, Wellness and Internal Communications Director with Phifer, shares the innovative approach their company has taken to transform healthcare for employees through on-site clinics, direct contracts, and continuous improvement strategies.

Discover how data-driven decisions and a proactive mindset can lead to significant cost savings and healthier workforces. Hear what they've been able to accomplish in 10 years, and how they've significantly improved their overall plans, while keeping costs down.

Reference-Based Pricing used to be a four-letter word in this industry. Jimmy Madeksho, Regional Vice President at AMS, explains why that changed. He shares how RBP delivered a 48% cost reduction for one client. He tells the story of negotiating an EEG bill for his daughter from $1,100 down to $157. And he talks about his shift from broker to vendor, where he now trains the consultants he used to compete with.

This episode covers what RBP actually is, why employers should stop fearing it, and how education is the real key to making it work.

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Juliet Breeze, CEO & Founder of Next Level Medical, as she shares her journey from healthcare provider to innovator in advanced primary care.

We discuss her epiphany moment when her own plan saved $500K in year one from this approach and how she realized this could be a solution for other businesses.

She shares how her model saves employers significant plan dollars while improving employee health. Dr. Breeze holds a strong belief that primary care should be just that -- primary.

Discover the strategies behind her successful healthcare solutions and the future of value-based care.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Grant Zarzour where we cover his journey from medical training to becoming and orthopaedic surgeon to founding Sperity Health.

Sperity Health is on a mission to increase healthspan for people by focusing on proactive health strategies and reducing the risk of chronic illness like cardiovascular issues, dementia, and cancer.

Discover how data-driven, personalized approaches can revolutionize employer-sponsored health programs and individual wellness.

In this in-depth interview, I sit down with Philip Carroll, Chief Growth Officer at WriteWise. Listen as he shares insights on transforming pharmacy benefit management through innovative risk assessment, data transparency, and cost-saving strategies.

Discover how their approach bridges gaps in traditional models, evaluates PBM performance at the drug level, and offers cost certainty for employers in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

In this episode, we talk with Warren Ables, Director of Sales and GTM strategist of Open Networks.

We discuss the evolving landscape of healthcare, focusing on the innovative approach of Open Networks. Warren shares his journey from sports marketing to healthcare, emphasizing the importance of creating bespoke networks that lower costs while improving care quality.

Furthermore, we explore the challenges and opportunities in the self-funded market, the need for transparency, and the significance of incentivizing employees to make informed health choices.

This discussion highlights the potential for disruption in traditional healthcare models and the importance of understanding the complexities of the industry.

Kicking off Season 2, we sit down with Kimberly Carleson, President of US Beacon.

In this episode, Kimberly shares how a personal crisis led her down the path of becoming an advocate for price transparency and ensuring businesses and employees don't pay for billing errors.

She emphasizes the importance of contract by consultants and groups to ensure entities aren't being rewarded when errors happen.

She expects 2026 to be a year where we see progress in healthcare and is playing a big role in how that happens for businesses.

In this conversation, I speak with Rachel Fox, VP of Sales at Sunny Day Fund, about the importance of emergency savings accounts in the context of financial wellness.

We discuss how these accounts can help employees build financial security and the behavioral changes needed to encourage saving.

Throughout the episode, Rachel emphasizes the need for employers to support their workforce through financial wellness initiatives and the potential future growth of emergency savings accounts as a vital employee benefit.

In this episode, Matt Ohrt shares his journey from VP of HR at Merrill Steel to transforming healthcare through innovative solutions like Direct Primary Care and the Free Market Medical Association (FMMA).

In the episode, we discuss the importance of employee engagement, the need for education in healthcare spending, and the challenges of change management.

Furthermore, Matt emphasizes the necessity of creating a culture of health-conscious consumers and breaking the monopoly in healthcare to improve quality and reduce costs.

In this episode, we talk with Jeff Bak, President and CEO of Imagine360, to discuss the evolving landscape of healthcare.

Jeff shares his journey in the healthcare industry, the challenges posed by hyperinflation, the importance of educating employees about their options, and how alternative health plans have the potential to save employers significant costs while improving employee care.

Additionally, we address common misconceptions about alternative health plans and highlight success stories from Alabama, emphasizing the need for change in how healthcare is consumed.

Lastly, we explore insights into future trends in healthcare, including the role of data and direct primary care.