In this insightful follow-up episode, Adam and Jared are joined by Chelsea Hamilton and Sam Thomeier from herronpalmer to explore the evolving landscape of total rewards, pay transparency and the role of AI in enhancing employee experience. From digital delivery to hyper-personalization, the team discusses how employers can build trust through thoughtful communication, empathy and transparency.  

With real-world examples and generational insights, this episode offers practical strategies for navigating the future of benefits with both innovation and heart.

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa and Adam are joined by compensation specialists Sam Thomeier and Chelsea Hamilton to explore the evolution of pay transparency and its growing impact on workplace culture and business strategy. Together, they unpack how regulations across 20+ states reflect a broader cultural shift toward openness and fairness in compensation. The conversation highlights key strategies such as the importance of defining your market, the role of compensation in employee retention and the need to "prepare before you share." From compliance pitfalls to leadership preparation, this episode is packed with insights for HR leaders and business owners navigating today’s competitive talent landscape.

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa, Adam & the team are joined by Tricia Laursen, President & Executive Director, and Sandy Danault, Senior Director of Programs & Partnerships at DetectTogether, for a powerful conversation on the critical role of early cancer detection and the evolving healthcare landscape. 

The discussion explores how employers can play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of health literacy and early detection. Through ongoing education, storytelling and accessible tools, DetectTogether helps organizations reduce healthcare costs while improving outcomes. Real-world examples illustrate how employer partnerships help save lives and curb rising premiums. 

The episode also touches on the promise and limitations of emerging screening technologies, the emotional and financial impact of cancer in the workplace and how consistent, year-round engagement can drive meaningful change. 

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa, Jared & Adam are joined by Tammy Miller, Executive VP of Auditing at Brown & Brown. Tammy breaks down the essentials of healthcare and pharmacy audits—why they matter, how they’re conducted and what employers often overlook. The team explores audit triggers, common findings like duplicate claims and misapplied copays and the growing importance of fiduciary responsibility. They also dive into fraud, waste and abuse detection, and how audits can benefit both plan sponsors and administrators.

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

The team welcomes Melanie Payton, National Practice Leader for the Brown & Brown Absence team. In this insightful podcast episode, we delve into the current state of the market, highlighting the significant impact of absence costs, which now surpass medical expenses, and the evolving regulatory climate driven by generational shifts in employee expectations. We explore the complexities of Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) legislation, with new mandates on the horizon and the decision-making process between state-run and private plans. The discussion also emphasizes the importance of enhancing the employee experience through technology and centralized resources, and the critical role of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) in providing necessary accommodations and training for supervisors. Tune in to gain a comprehensive understanding of these pivotal topics and their implications for employers and employees alike. 

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa, Jared & Adam are joined by Julie Turpin, Chief People Officer of Brown & Brown to discuss the latest trends in People Analytics and how they are shaping the future of HR. Julie highlights the importance of collecting, analyzing and applying data related to employees to improve business outcomes. This enables HR departments to gain data-driven insights for decision-making on various people processes, such as recruitment, retention, performance management and diversity initiatives. 

The team delves into the concept of Thriving in '25, exploring how to foster a culture of open communication and holistic development among employees. They discuss key questions to help individuals and organizations thrive, such as evaluating daily habits, addressing tolerations and focusing on internal growth.

Check out our 2025 Employee Benefits Market Trends 

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa, Jared & Adam are joined by Katy Wong, National Pharmacy Leader for Brown & Brown, to discuss the latest trends in transformative therapies and pharmacy benefit management (PBM). Katy highlights how GLP-1s, specialty drugs and gene therapies will continue to drive up costs and how biosimilars are expected to help offset these expenses to health plans.

The team dives into the challenging landscape facing the traditional PBM model in 2025. Transparency and accountability remain critical for plan sponsors, opening the door for disruptor PBMs and non-traditional PBM delivery models. The team also addresses high-cost drugs in the pipeline, transparency concerns and the current regulatory and legislative dynamics impacting plan sponsors. 

Check out our 2025 Employee Benefits Market Trends 

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa, Jared & Adam highlight the latest trends impacting employers, such as rising healthcare expenses and the importance of personalized benefits. The team delves into the primary elements driving employer costs, including increased utilization of services.

They further explore the significant role of large claimants—individuals with high-cost medical claims—and the importance of stop-loss contracts in mitigating financial risks for employers.

The discussion shifts to the 'real risk' to benefit plans, encompassing financial, operational and compliance risks. Effective risk management strategies are essential to mitigate these risks and ensure the sustainability of benefit programs.  

Check out our 2025 Employee Benefits Market Trends 

Connect with the hosts:

Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa, Jared & Adam are joined by Josh Halperin from the Brown & Brown National Pharmacy Practice. Josh highlights the latest trends impacting employers, such as rising drug prices and the importance of transparency in PBM contracts. The team dives further into GLP-1 medications, their uses and employee demands, while also discussing the challenges and opportunities of incorporating biosimilars in health plans.  

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Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton

Vanessa, Jared and Adam are joined by Julie Fernandez, Global HR Advisory Lead at herronpalmer, to examine current trends in the HR technology landscape. The team dives into what artificial intelligence can mean for HR and how intelligent automation can help organizations. Julie provides insight into how organizations can refocus their onboarding strategies to help employees feel engaged throughout their journey. 

Connect with the hosts:

Jared Bowcutt

Vanessa Longnecker

Adam Compton