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The Business of Benefits Podcast

The Business of Benefits Podcast

By: Hi Hello Labs Network
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 For decades, employers have been fed a lie: “There’s nothing you can do to control healthcare costs.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. The system is doing exactly what it was designed to do—profit off of HR, CFOs, and CEOs who believe that lie year after year.With 180 million Americans relying on employer-sponsored healthcare, it’s time to challenge the status quo. The Business of Benefits is your No BS, No Sales guide to the real solutions. No gimmicks—just the truth about how to take control, transform your benefits, and care for your most valuable asset: your people.Each episode dives deep into the data, exposing industry misalignments and inefficiencies that inflate costs while offering actionable strategies for designing financially sustainable, high-value benefits.Through eye-opening interviews with industry insiders, expert analysis, and real-world success stories, hosts Donovan and Chelsea pull back the curtain on the hidden flaws in the healthcare system. The result? An empowering roadmap for employers ready to break free from outdated models and unlock smarter, more sustainable benefits.If you’re tired of the same old sales pitch and ready to rethink benefits, reduce costs, and improve care—this podcast is for you. The truth is out there—are you ready to hear it?Copyright Hi Hello Labs Network Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • 73. From Peo to Independent Excellence: The GQR Wynden Stark Healthcare Story

    73. From Peo to Independent Excellence: The GQR Wynden Stark Healthcare Story
    Mar 13 2026
    In this special episode of The Business of Benefits, we pull back the curtain on a real-life, multi-year healthcare strategy transformation. Join our hosts as they sit down with Connie Alvarez, Director of HR at Wynden Stark, to dissect the five-year journey of their self-funded health plan. This is a masterclass for any employer feeling trapped by rising premiums and lack of control.

    We explore the highs, the lows, and the unexpected curveballs—from navigating mergers and acquisitions to tackling the complexities of a fluctuating workforce in the healthcare staffing industry. Discover how Wynden Stark, with the guidance of Ethos Benefits, moved from a fully insured model to a custom, unbundled, self-funded plan, achieving over $3.7 million in savings in just two years. This case study reveals the power of a fiduciary approach, the critical role of data in negotiations, and how to build a plan that delivers both financial results and a superior member experience. If you want to learn how to take back control of your healthcare spend and become a true steward of your company’s benefits, this episode is a must-listen.

    What You’ll Learn
    • The 5-year roadmap from a fully insured plan to a high-performing, self-funded model.
    • How to navigate a 42% renewal increase and turn it into a -1.3% decrease.
    • The power of carving out your Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) and the massive savings potential in Rx.
    • Strategies for implementing an unbundled plan with an independent TPA and fiduciary PBM.
    • How to use data and analytics to negotiate with carriers and stop-loss providers.
    • The importance of member communication and advocacy in a self-funded environment.
    • Innovative solutions like international pharmacy sourcing and spousal HRAs that drive down costs.
    • How to maintain an excellent member experience even with major plan design changes.


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    Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education

    SHRM:
    Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

    HRCI:
    Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.
    Show More Show Less
    49 mins
  • 72. Future Proofing Your Health Benefits: A Case Study in Multi-Year Planning w/ Julia Watt

    72. Future Proofing Your Health Benefits: A Case Study in Multi-Year Planning w/ Julia Watt
    Feb 26 2026
    In this session, Chelsea Ryckis and Julia Watt, Director of HR at Medical Technology Transfer (MTT), delve into a case study on "Future-Proofing Your Health Benefits." They discuss how MTT, a 125-employee company, achieved a 67% reduction in claims cost over three years through a multi-year strategic plan. This conversation offers a roadmap for employers of all sizes to move away from the traditional, reactive renewal cycle and adopt a proactive, data-driven approach to managing healthcare costs and fiduciary responsibilities.

    What you'll learn:
    • How a small employer (125 employees) can implement innovative healthcare strategies often considered only for large corporations.
    • The limitations of fully insured plans and the benefits of transitioning to level-funded and self-funded models.
    • The importance of data transparency in understanding and controlling healthcare cost drivers.
    • How to strategically unbundle your health plan and select vendors aligned with your company's best interests.
    • The critical role of a fiduciary PBM in managing pharmacy costs, which are often a significant expense.
    • Actionable steps to take control of your health plan, negotiate better terms, and reduce costs without compromising employee benefits.
    --------------------------------

    Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here:

    https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education

    SHRM:
    Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

    HRCI:
    Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • 71. The Hospital Programs Your Broker Never Mentioned: 501(r) & Hospital Bill Review with Patrick Haig

    71. The Hospital Programs Your Broker Never Mentioned: 501(r) & Hospital Bill Review with Patrick Haig
    Feb 12 2026
    In this episode of The Business of Benefits, host Donovan Ryckis sits down with Patrick Haig, co-founder and CEO of Goodbill, to reveal the secrets of hospital billing that every employer needs to know. They dive deep into the world of 501(r), a little-known IRS regulation that requires nonprofit hospitals to offer financial assistance, and how it can dramatically reduce healthcare costs for both employees and plan sponsors.
    Patrick explains how Goodbill leverages this and other strategies to audit hospital bills, find errors (which appear in about half of all bills), and secure significant savings. This is a must-listen for any CFO, CHRO, or business owner looking to fulfill their fiduciary duty, contain rising healthcare costs, and provide real, tangible support to their employees—especially those on high-deductible health plans.

    What you’ll learn:
    - What 501R is and how it mandates financial assistance from 80% of hospital beds in the US.
    - The surprisingly high income thresholds that allow many employees to qualify for bill reductions or full waivers.
    - How to get refunds for hospital bills that have already been paid.
    - Why half of all hospital bills contain errors and how to find and correct them for savings of 20% or more.
    - How proactive bill review can be a powerful tool for employee advocacy and trust-building, not a punitive measure.
    - Practical steps for implementing a bill review and financial assistance program, whether you have a fully insured or self-funded plan.

    Time Stamps:
    00:00 – Preview
    01:16 - The Business of Benefits Intro
    01:43 – Meet Patrick Haig
    03:11 – What is 501R?
    05:15 – For-Profit Hospitals and Financial Assistance
    08:23 – Income Limits for 501R
    12:00 – How Goodbill Reviews Bills for Errors
    13:35 – Why Don't More People Know About 501R?
    16:05 – The Bill Review Process
    18:51 – Shocking Bill Review Results
    22:09 – Fiduciary Duty and Overpaying for Healthcare
    25:28 – Bill Review Thresholds and Inaccuracy Percentages
    29:26 – Common Hospital Billing Errors
    34:28 – Implementation and Integration of Goodbill
    37:15 – Timing and Refunds for 501R
    41:47 – Where to Find Patrick Haig

    --------------------------------

    Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here:
    https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education
    SHRM:
    Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
    HRCI:
    Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.
    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
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