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Navigating Benefits Evolution: Insights from Evan Oslica
If rising healthcare costs, funding transitions, and employee trust issues are straining your benefits strategy, this episode reveals how thoughtful, data-driven approaches can deliver stability and meaningful impact without disruption.
Resources Mentioned:
2026 On the Pulse Report: Insights on Employee Benefits Trends – Download this free report for forward-looking trends in employee benefits, including funding models, pharmacy strategies, and employee advocacy. [https://imacorp.com/insights/hr-insights-on-the-pulse-report-2026]
Visit imacorp.com to connect with the IMA team and learn more about building smarter employee benefits.
Listen and Subscribe: Share this episode with a fellow HR leader and subscribe to On the Pulse with IMA on your favorite podcast platform for more practical insights. Have questions or topics you'd like covered? Reach out via imacorp.com.
Episode Description: Kelly Bowman sits down with Evan Oslica, Benefits Consultant at IMA Financial Group, to explore the dramatic shifts in employee benefits over the past decade. Evan shares insights from a client case study involving a 500-employee group transitioning from fully insured to self-funded models amid leadership anxiety and rising costs. They discuss building trust through invisible backend changes, implementing pharmacy strategies like the IMARx Program for cost savings and enhanced member experiences, and leveraging advocacy tools like Ask Charlie for navigation support. From avoiding massive renewals to achieving over $1 million in under-budget savings, this conversation provides actionable guidance for HR leaders navigating volatility while prioritizing employee confidence. Whether you're evaluating funding shifts or refining communication, Evan's expertise offers a roadmap to balanced, sustainable benefits.
Guest Bio: Evan Oslica is a Benefits Consultant at IMA Financial Group, with over a decade of experience in employee benefits. She specializes in guiding mid-sized employers through funding transitions, pharmacy optimizations, and strategic planning to achieve cost control and employee satisfaction. A mother of two young boys, Evan is based in Kansas City and draws from her service-side roots to foster trusting partnerships.
Host: Kelly Bowman
Key Timestamps:
00:00 - 01:20: Introduction to benefits landscape shifts and challenges.
01:20 - 02:05: Show intro and welcome.
02:05 - 03:15: Evan introduces herself, her role at IMA, and a fun fact.
03:15 - 04:10: Personal chit-chat on motherhood and career evolution.
04:10 - 06:00: Defining benefits transformations and client anxieties.
06:00 - 07:00: Shift to self-funded strategies.
07:00 - 08:30: Impact on employee trust, renewals, and mid-sized groups.
08:30 - 10:50: Common pitfalls: Reactive benefits and leadership concerns, with examples.
10:50 - 13:15: Client story on successful self-funded transition and savings.
13:15 - 15:55: Measuring success: Budget savings, ROI, and employee feedback.
15:55 - 19:25: Designing programs for diverse workforces, with pharmacy examples.
19:25 - 21:25: Communication trends and tools for building confidence.
21:25 - 22:30: Misconceptions about funding risks.
22:30 - 24:00: Bridging HR strategy with finance priorities, plus advocacy examples.
24:00 - 26:00: Evaluating options and addressing volatility.
26:00 - 28:30: Mindsets holding employers back: Fear of change.
28:30 - 29:45: Upcoming trends: Advocacy integration and data-driven decisions.
29:45 - 31:55: Rethinking employee experience through invisible enhancements.
31:55 - 33:30: Building a trust culture from leadership down.
33:30 - 34:40: Role of data, analytics, and personalization in benefits.
34:40 - 34:55: Branding benefits for employee buy-in.
34:55 - 35:40: Must-have strategy for 2026: Proactive funding and pharmacy reviews.
35:40 - 37:55: Advice for organizations: Build trust, communicate thoughtfully, and measure impact.
37:55 - End: Closing thanks and show outro.
Resources Mentioned (Repeated for Convenience):
2026 On the Pulse Report: Insights on Employee Benefits Trends – Download this free report for forward-looking trends in employee benefits, including funding models, pharmacy strategies, and employee advocacy. [https://imacorp.com/insights/hr-insights-on-the-pulse-report-2026]
Visit imacorp.com to connect with the IMA team and learn more about building smarter employee benefits.
Listen and Subscribe (Repeated for Convenience): If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a fellow HR leader and subscribe to On the Pulse with IMA on your favorite podcast platform for more practical insights. Have questions or topics you'd like covered? Reach out via imacorp.com.
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By IMA / tentwentytwoIf rising healthcare costs, funding transitions, and employee trust issues are straining your benefits strategy, this episode reveals how thoughtful, data-driven approaches can deliver stability and meaningful impact without disruption.
Resources Mentioned:
2026 On the Pulse Report: Insights on Employee Benefits Trends – Download this free report for forward-looking trends in employee benefits, including funding models, pharmacy strategies, and employee advocacy. [https://imacorp.com/insights/hr-insights-on-the-pulse-report-2026]
Visit imacorp.com to connect with the IMA team and learn more about building smarter employee benefits.
Listen and Subscribe: Share this episode with a fellow HR leader and subscribe to On the Pulse with IMA on your favorite podcast platform for more practical insights. Have questions or topics you'd like covered? Reach out via imacorp.com.
Episode Description: Kelly Bowman sits down with Evan Oslica, Benefits Consultant at IMA Financial Group, to explore the dramatic shifts in employee benefits over the past decade. Evan shares insights from a client case study involving a 500-employee group transitioning from fully insured to self-funded models amid leadership anxiety and rising costs. They discuss building trust through invisible backend changes, implementing pharmacy strategies like the IMARx Program for cost savings and enhanced member experiences, and leveraging advocacy tools like Ask Charlie for navigation support. From avoiding massive renewals to achieving over $1 million in under-budget savings, this conversation provides actionable guidance for HR leaders navigating volatility while prioritizing employee confidence. Whether you're evaluating funding shifts or refining communication, Evan's expertise offers a roadmap to balanced, sustainable benefits.
Guest Bio: Evan Oslica is a Benefits Consultant at IMA Financial Group, with over a decade of experience in employee benefits. She specializes in guiding mid-sized employers through funding transitions, pharmacy optimizations, and strategic planning to achieve cost control and employee satisfaction. A mother of two young boys, Evan is based in Kansas City and draws from her service-side roots to foster trusting partnerships.
Host: Kelly Bowman
Key Timestamps:
00:00 - 01:20: Introduction to benefits landscape shifts and challenges.
01:20 - 02:05: Show intro and welcome.
02:05 - 03:15: Evan introduces herself, her role at IMA, and a fun fact.
03:15 - 04:10: Personal chit-chat on motherhood and career evolution.
04:10 - 06:00: Defining benefits transformations and client anxieties.
06:00 - 07:00: Shift to self-funded strategies.
07:00 - 08:30: Impact on employee trust, renewals, and mid-sized groups.
08:30 - 10:50: Common pitfalls: Reactive benefits and leadership concerns, with examples.
10:50 - 13:15: Client story on successful self-funded transition and savings.
13:15 - 15:55: Measuring success: Budget savings, ROI, and employee feedback.
15:55 - 19:25: Designing programs for diverse workforces, with pharmacy examples.
19:25 - 21:25: Communication trends and tools for building confidence.
21:25 - 22:30: Misconceptions about funding risks.
22:30 - 24:00: Bridging HR strategy with finance priorities, plus advocacy examples.
24:00 - 26:00: Evaluating options and addressing volatility.
26:00 - 28:30: Mindsets holding employers back: Fear of change.
28:30 - 29:45: Upcoming trends: Advocacy integration and data-driven decisions.
29:45 - 31:55: Rethinking employee experience through invisible enhancements.
31:55 - 33:30: Building a trust culture from leadership down.
33:30 - 34:40: Role of data, analytics, and personalization in benefits.
34:40 - 34:55: Branding benefits for employee buy-in.
34:55 - 35:40: Must-have strategy for 2026: Proactive funding and pharmacy reviews.
35:40 - 37:55: Advice for organizations: Build trust, communicate thoughtfully, and measure impact.
37:55 - End: Closing thanks and show outro.
Resources Mentioned (Repeated for Convenience):
2026 On the Pulse Report: Insights on Employee Benefits Trends – Download this free report for forward-looking trends in employee benefits, including funding models, pharmacy strategies, and employee advocacy. [https://imacorp.com/insights/hr-insights-on-the-pulse-report-2026]
Visit imacorp.com to connect with the IMA team and learn more about building smarter employee benefits.
Listen and Subscribe (Repeated for Convenience): If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a fellow HR leader and subscribe to On the Pulse with IMA on your favorite podcast platform for more practical insights. Have questions or topics you'd like covered? Reach out via imacorp.com.