Health plans often underestimate the full financial burden of their core administration systems. This episode shines a light on the hidden costs buried and spread throughout the lifecycle of a typical core admin vendor contract. We will discuss what total total cost of ownership is, how to evaluate it, and what to do when costs are unexpectedly higher than you anticipated due to spread-out expenses, complex integrations, and recurring upgrades. Listeners will learn how to identify the operational “patchwork” that keeps plans tethered to legacy models and discover why taking a shorter, more honest view of long-term costs can reveal hidden savings. The conversation explores how integrated ecosystems provide stability, transparency, and scalability, positioning plans to invest in growth rather than wasting unoptimized resources.