Frontline Perspectives from Physicians & Benefits Leaders

Building on our Part 2 session where carriers discussed what’s working, what’s falling short, and how employers can influence the trend, we’re now turning to the people closest to care delivery and benefit design. In Part 3, practicing physicians and respected benefits leaders will share practical, employer-ready strategies to stabilize access, improve outcomes, and control costs.

What You’ll Learn: 

• Why primary care is under pressure from administrative burdens and poor reimbursement to fragmented relationships and what it means for access and outcomes.
• How innovative models like direct primary care and team-based care are changing the game for both physicians and employers.
• What employers and benefits advisors can do to drive real change: from investing in primary care and reducing red tape, to building trusted partnerships with providers. 
• The power of relationships in primary care and how continuity, trust, and a whole-person approach can lower costs and improve workforce health.

If you’re tired of quick fixes and want to hear what really works in primary care—from the voices on the front lines, this conversation is for you. 

In this 15-minute episode, we’re joined by Roger McMichael, Associate Superintendent at Carmel Clay Schools, for a practical conversation on how objective, data driven strategy can create meaningful and sustainable change in a school system’s health plan. 

Roger shares how his team focused on improving employee health and experience while also achieving significant savings for the plan—without sacrificing value or access. His insights offer a real-world example of what’s possible when strategy, transparency, and long-term thinking come together. 

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Carmel Clay Schools leveraged plan savings to reinvest in and expand service offerings 
• How their members’ experience differs from others in the local community 
• What success looks like for their organization—and the outcomes they’ve realized so far

This episode is a must listen for HR leaders, benefits professionals, and executives looking for sustainable healthcare strategies that work for both their people and their bottom line.

In this mini episode of The Pulse, Mary speaks with an employee communications expert about why benefits messages so often get lost and how employers can move from noise to real impact. The conversation highlights what effective benefits communication looks like today, common mistakes employers make, and how to measure whether messages are actually driving understanding and action. The episode wraps with practical advice on one high impact improvement employers can focus on this year, along with a brief look at how AI can strengthen benefits communication in realistic, meaningful ways. 

4 Key Takeaways:

1. Cutting through noise requires strategy, not more messaging.
   Effective benefits communication isn’t about sending more emails—it’s about delivering the right message, at the right time, in a way employees can actually absorb and act on. 
2. Impact matters more than activity.
   Open rates and clicks don’t tell the full story. Employers need to measure whether communication improves understanding, confidence, and decision making—not just whether messages were delivered. 
3. Complexity is the enemy of engagement.
   Overly technical language, inconsistent messaging, and one size fits all approaches are some of the biggest reasons benefits communication fails. Simplicity and relevance drive impact. 
4. Focus on one meaningful improvement—and do it well.
   Whether it’s simplifying content, improving timing, or better segmenting messages, one focused change can dramatically improve communication effectiveness when executed intentionally. 

Are provider quality scores just another healthcare fad, or are they a critical tool for driving better health outcomes and maximizing your organization’s investment in employee benefits? In this episode, we cut through the noise to help employers understand what these scores really mean, how to identify high-quality providers, and how leveraging this information can lead to measurable improvements in workforce health and cost efficiency. 

Join us as we answer the questions employers ask most:

• Which provider quality metrics actually matter for my organization? 
• How can I use provider data to improve employee satisfaction and health outcomes? 
• What are the pitfalls of relying on certain scores, and how can I avoid them?
• How have other employers successfully used provider quality information to drive results?
• What practical steps can HR and benefits leaders take to integrate provider quality into their strategy?

Whether you’re a benefits manager, HR leader, or executive, this episode will empower you to make informed decisions that benefit both your employees and your bottom line.

In part two of our three part series on the mounting primary care crisis, we will continue our discussion from August on the impact on employers. Our panel of experts will provide insights into how carriers are addressing the shortage, as well as what they believe employers can do to help combat this crisis. 

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• A carriers perspective on why we are facing such a crisis 
• What strategies have been put in place to help reverse these trends
• What has worked effectively and where are efforts falling short
• How employers, the payors of healthcare, may be able to influence these trends

This is a must-listen for HR leaders, benefits professionals, and executives seeking sustainable healthcare strategies that work for both their people and their bottom line. 

As healthcare costs continue to rise and scrutiny around plan transparency intensifies, employers are under growing pressure to fulfill their fiduciary responsibility—not just to manage costs, but to ensure health plan decisions truly serve the best interests of their employees. 

In this compelling episode, we explore what fiduciary duty really means for employers in today’s complex benefits landscape. Experts break down the legal, ethical, and financial implications of being a plan sponsor—and what it takes to stay compliant, cost-conscious, and employee-centered. 

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What ERISA says about fiduciary obligations—and how it applies to health benefits 
• Why fiduciary risk is rising, and what recent lawsuits mean for employers
• Common blind spots in benefits strategy that can lead to compliance issues 
• Practical steps employers can take to protect themselves and support their workforce

If you're in HR, finance, or on a leadership team making decisions about your company’s health plan, this episode is your essential guide to navigating your fiduciary role with confidence and clarity. 

The U.S. healthcare system is facing a mounting primary care crisis—marked by physician shortages, limited access, and rising costs. In this timely episode, we examine how the decline in effective primary care is not just a health issue, but a serious business concern for employers grappling with escalating healthcare expenses and workforce wellbeing challenges.

Our expert guests unpack the systemic issues behind the crisis and explore what employers can do to strengthen access to quality primary care. You’ll hear practical insights into benefits design, provider partnerships, and policies that prioritize prevention, continuity, and cost control.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why primary care is foundational to employee health and healthcare affordability
• The downstream impact of poor access on absenteeism, chronic disease, and claims
• What forward-thinking employers are doing to restore value to primary care
• Strategies to align health benefits with long-term business and employee health goal

This is a must-listen for HR leaders, benefits professionals, and executives seeking sustainable healthcare strategies that work for both their people and their bottom line.

In this episode of the Pulse, we will explore the powerful connection between an organization’s culture and environment and employee mental health. Beyond traditional EAP services, we’ll discuss how improving workplace culture, physical spaces, and social connections can boost resilience, reduce anxiety and depression, and create a stronger sense of belonging. 

Mental health service usage increased 17% in 2024 and 62% since 2020. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover new ways to support your team and improve employee mental health.

Our Guests:

Andrea Davis, Director of Wellbeing at The Alera Group

Sara Johnson, PhD. Co-President & CEO at Prochange Behavior Solutions and Senior Research Fellow at HERO (Health Enhancement Research Organization)

Joan M. Troester, MBA, CEBS, SPHR, Senior Assistant Vice President, Deputy CHRO at The University of Iowa

Guests will: 

• Explore the influence of resiliency and a sense of belonging on mental health 
• Uncover strategies employers can put in place to improve a sense of belonging  
• Examine the factors that impact resiliency, much like we would focus on improving diet for better cardiovascular health

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in pregnancy-related complications. This trend has persisted.  In this episode, we’ll explore the factors contributing to this ongoing issue and discuss strategies to help reverse the trend. 

Panelists will: 

• Take a closer look at the data surrounding pregnancy with complications 
• Explore treatment patterns, coding practices and potential revenue-driven care decisions within hospital systems 
• Uncover strategies to optimize maternal health programs and proactively reduce complications before pregnancy begins

This episode includes guest speakers:

Cindy Basinski, MD, OBGYN, Founder of Basinski and Juran, MDs, LLC

Morgan F McDonald, MD, FACP, FAAP, National Director for Population Health at Milbank Memorial Fund

Join us for Part 2 of our insightful podcast series dedicated to improving outcomes for those affected by substance use disorders. In this episode, we'll explore effective early intervention strategies and the essential steps for building a robust support structure. Additionally, we’ll discuss how employers can ensure compliance with Mental Health Parity laws while reducing unnecessary medical expenses that contribute to wasteful spending. 

Panelists will discuss: 

• Strategies for enhancing early treatment of substance use disorders to prevent progression to catastrophic care. 
• Publicly available resources to help identify the most appropriate treatments and high-quality care options. 
• Provisions in current carrier contracts that enable them to retain a percentage of costs as revenue, while limiting access to in-network providers. 
• Understanding the Mental Health Parity laws and your obligations as a health plan provider.

This episode includes guest speakers:

Kirsten Suto Seckler, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Shatterproof

Danielle Capilla, JD, SVP of Compliance and Operational Strategy for Alera Group's Employee Benefits division

Lisa Kugler, Psy.D., SVP for Shatterproof’s Treatment Atlas team