Self-Funded

There are people that have dreams.  There are people that execute dreams that other people have.  Few people get to do both.  Those people are entrepreneurs.  That’s the core message that Seth Denson, Head of Benefits for Acrisure, delivered on Episode 55 of the “Self-Funded with Spencer” podcast. In this episode we discussed his successful journey as an entrepreneur, as well as his second career as a business analyst for some of the largest news outlets in America.  I’m grateful to call Seth a friend, and honored to feature his story on my podcast.

The Power of SimplePay Health, a discussion with Wally Gomaa, Co-Founder.  

Wally has an extensive track record of success in the healthcare and employee benefits industries, and his latest venture - SimplePay - is an exciting new solution to help bring "Price Certainty" to the health insurance world.  

SimplePay Health - Where happy and health plan live together.  

https://www.simplepayhealth.com/

John shares his own experience with Burnout at 41, which nearly cost him his life, and we discuss the challenges that men have in discussing their mental health with others, even with the typical EAP offerings most employers provide their employees today.    It is even harder for people like John, who had been a pastor at a church for his whole career up that point, and who was perceived as a community leader, to express feelings of fear, weakness, emotional pain, etc. because of concerns of how his peers would perceive his vulnerability.  This is one of the most important conversations I have ever had on the podcast, and I hope it helps foster meaningful discussions about mental health in men.

Insurance Captives & Innovation in Healthcare with David Voorhees, CEO of True Captive Insurance.  

Insurance captives have been covered quite a bit on my podcast because: 1) They are perceived to be more complex (they're really not) 2) They are an interesting vehicle for smaller employers to successfully transition into being self-funded.

David Voorhees sat down with me after the True Captive St Louis Summit, to discuss the motivations for the creation of True Captive Insurance, why they decided to take risk on every group that joins their captive, and how they are partnering with other innovative solution providers to create best-in-breed options for small to mid-sized employers.  

David also talks about how fear often drives the avoidance of innovation, especially for insurance brokers who at times have the misconception that they are obligated to be experts in everything.  He argues that NOT knowing something is good, as it should stimulate curiosity and a continual quest for knowledge, and I tend to agree.  

David is one of the most consistently eloquent speakers I have had the joy to sit down with, and it is an honor to be affiliated with him through these conferences, and the sponsorship of my podcast.  Enjoy!

How Jumbo Employers are Solving Healthcare.  

This podcast focuses on the Health Transformation Alliance (HTA) - A Co-Op - that is fully owned by about 65 Jumbo employers, whose entire mission is to create superior outcomes for their health plan.  

Their goals are to save lives, and save dollars.  

These employer groups need to have about 5,000 lives on their health plan and pay $500k to join, and all own an equal equity stake in the Co-Op.  This fee can be paid over time and can come out of your health budget since it is an ERISA-approved expense.  

By joining, these jumbo employers get access to the HTA teams, resources, and the opportunity to collaborate with the other members of the Co-Op  

There are certain outcomes that jumbo employers can achieve in healthcare due to their scale and aggregated buying power, which Lee discusses on the podcast.  

There are also things that Jumbo employers CANNOT do, that a smaller employer can, and we make sure to focus on some of those solutions as well.  

Enjoy!  

https://www.htahealth.com/

Have you ever wondered how to plan a conference?  

Tonya Crawford of True Captive Insurance sits down with me to share what it takes to put together a major event.  

The main thing she said is that planning a conference starts with having great partners.  Not just from a sponsorship perspective, but to provide support, as well as help market the event.  

It typically would take 2-3 months to plan an event, but Tonya and True Captive were able to pull off a great event in St Louis within 6 weeks.  

The event in St Louis was absolutely top notch, with outstanding presenters, great attendees, and very useful information being freely shared to better educate the market at large.  In my opinion, that is the way it should be!