The Business of Benefits Podcast cover art

The Business of Benefits Podcast

The Business of Benefits Podcast

By: Hi Hello Labs Network
Listen for free

About this listen

 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 An empowering roadmap for employers ready to break free from outdated models and unlock smarter, more sustainable benefits.If you’re tired of the same old sales pitch and ready to rethink benefits, reduce costs, and improve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
  • 62. You Don’t Need More Vendors — You Need Accountability

    62. You Don’t Need More Vendors — You Need Accountability
    Oct 16 2025
    Tired of shiny pitches and vague promises? In this solo episode, we break down a practical, repeatable system for holding your benefits vendors accountable so your plan actually performs. From rock-solid RFPs to airtight contracts and respectful escalation, you’ll learn how to set clear expectations, track outcomes, and course-correct fast.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • How to design an RFP that prevents surprises later
    • What to demand in contracts: performance guarantees, termination language, fees, BAAs, data sharing, and fiduciary status
    • The must-ask questions about integrations, cybersecurity, conflicts of interest, and compensation
    • A simple cadence for accountability meetings that gets results, not excuses
    • Real examples of catching hidden fees and fixing slow vendor response times
    • How to build team culture so your staff holds vendors accountable the right way
    Who this is for:
    Employers, HR leaders, CFOs, and anyone ready to transform a “set it and forget it” benefits program into a high-performing plan.If the truth is out there, are you ready to hear it?

    Like, share, and subscribe for more no-BS guidance on benefits that serve your people and your P&L.

    TimeStamps:
    • 00:00 Intro and why accountability matters
    • 02:10 Build a better RFP
    • 07:35 Contract must-haves and red flags
    • 13:25 Demo everything and verify claims
    • 17:40 Meeting cadence and escalation that works
    • 23:10 Real-world examples and fixes
    • 28:30 Culture of accountability inside your team
    • 32:10 Final takeaways and next steps
    If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a leader who needs to hear it. Tell us in the comments: What is the first change you will make to your benefits strategy?

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
  • 61. Inside IFEBP: Fiduciary Duty, CEBS & Future Benefits Trends with Justin Held

    61. Inside IFEBP: Fiduciary Duty, CEBS & Future Benefits Trends with Justin Held
    Oct 2 2025
    Welcome back to the No BS. No sales pitch. Just real solutions podcast. This week our host Chelsea Ryckis sits down with Justin Held, CEBS of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) to unpack what HR, CFOs, and CEOs need now: neutral education, fiduciary guardrails, and a practical path to future-proof employee benefits.


    In this episode:
    • What IFEBP is and how it helps plan sponsors with objective, non-lobbying education
    • CEBS breakdown: curriculum, timelines, and why employers fund it
    • Fiduciary duty basics after ERISA and why CAA 2021 put health plans under the spotlight
    • The 2025–2026 benefits agenda: PBM contracts, data analysis, chronic conditions, GLP-1 coverage, mental and behavioral health, peer support models, and AI in plan administration
    • How to run a strategic review of your plan: surveys, focus groups, utilization data, KPIs
    Simple, high-impact changes most members won’t even notice, but your budget will.

    Timestamps:
    • 0:00 Intro
    • 1:08 What IFEBP does and why it’s neutral
    • 6:35 Conferences, toolkits, and daily benefits headlines
    • 10:12 CEBS overview and chapter network
    • 14:45 ERISA fiduciary duty in health and retirement
    • 19:18 Trends: PBM contracts, GLP-1, mental health, AI, fraud prevention
    • 28:40 Peer support models for mental health
    • 33:10 How to future-proof benefits with data and KPIs
    If you are an employer, CFO, or CEO who is tired of trend increases and status quo advice, this conversation will give you a path to real savings and better outcomes.

    If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a leader who needs to hear it. Tell us in the comments: What is the first change you will make to your benefits strategy?

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with our guest today at:
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-held-cebs/
    Website: https://www.ifebp.org/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IFEBP
    Listen to their podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-benefits/id1183535454

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • 60. Benefits Red Flags Every Employer Needs to Catch

    60. Benefits Red Flags Every Employer Needs to Catch
    Sep 18 2025
    If you have ever been told “you can’t access your own portal” or “don’t worry, we’ve got great PPO discounts,” this episode is for you. Today host Chelsea unpacks real stories employers have shared with me and the costly myths behind them. Names and details are changed, the situations are real. Use this as a checklist to protect your plan, your data, and your people.


    In this episode
    • The red flag no one should ignore: being blocked from your own carrier portal
    • No access to your ben-admin system and why that traps you from shopping the market
    • Asking for compensation disclosures under CAA 2021 and getting a flat “no”
    • Fear tactics about big carriers and how to verify before you trust
    • Sticker shock: $125 PEPM broker fees and how to benchmark what is reasonable
    • Perks over performance: NHL boxes, steak dinners, and fiduciary duty
    • “Broker severance” and the myth of 250 years of benefits experience
    • “Local” vs. “large” broker labels and what actually matters
    • Being told you are a “small client” and why that is never an excuse
    • Shiny value-adds vs. real cost and quality outcomes
    Key takeaways
    • It is your plan and your data. Own the logins, the reports, the invoices.
    • Verify before you trust. Ask for proof, not talking points.
    • Benchmark compensation and services against outcomes, not perks.
    • Hold every vendor accountable to frequency and severity of claims, not swag.
    If this episode helped, share it with a fellow employer, like the video, and subscribe for practical playbooks that put you back in control.
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.