Join Lou Bernardi as he exposes how this lack of expertise and transparency keeps companies stuck on “renewal autopilot,” making decisions based on carrier spreadsheets instead of real insight. Lou also shares the essential questions every CEO, CFO, and HR leader should be asking to break free—and what happens when you finally stop letting the blind lead the blind.

If your renewal meetings feel rushed, shallow, or endlessly repetitive, you won’t want to miss this conversation.

The American Healthcare Consumer must be aware of the pitfalls and possibilities that exist within their plans. Informed consumers are seeking aligned partnerships with TPA's, PBM's, and Population Health Companies and achieving remarkable results with the help of a new breed of benefits specialist that sells more than insurance.

Lou and Paul will discuss these and other solutions that are helping plan sponsors change the trajectory of healthcare and insurance costs, allowing these employers and their members to reach new heights.

Lou and Chris discuss the impact skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs have on people financially and medically. Paytient is a simple plan addition that ensures members do not have to avoid necessary medical care, and can fill ALL their medications.

The results? Happier and healthier employees, lower healthcare costs because treatable conditions do not go untreated and become high-cost claims.

The benefit strategies (Pay More, Get Less) many employers have been forced to swallow leave many employees struggling to access care when they need it the most.

Technology can help address this issue by putting benefits with real-time access to solutions at their employees' fingertips.

Brian Del Savio Bio

As Vice President of Sales, Brian helps employee benefit advisors develop a clear path to success by enhancing benefit plans with innovative, fully customizable, best in class benefit and technology solutions. Employee benefit advisors have access to 35+ of the most highly vetted non-insured enhanced benefit vendors at discounted wholesale pricing, without having to juggle multiple vendor contracts. Solutions include Virtual Mental Health, Advocacy & Transparency, Virtual Health, Fertility, Health Discounts, Pet Discounts, ID Theft Protection and more. The benefit programs can be branded to the employee benefit firm or even to each employer group. Employees access all benefits in a single membership through a mobile app and member portal, increasing utilization drastically.

Before coming to New Benefits, Brian worked in the financial services industry as a financial and health insurance advisor, creating individualized plans to improve financial security for individuals, families, and businesses.

In his personal time, Brian enjoys exercising, which usually involves chasing around his 6 year old son and 3 year old daughter on bikes, at the pool or at the beach. Ice Hockey has played a major role in Brian’s life, so you can also catch Brian watching, playing or even officiating hockey as a USA Hockey Referee. Brian has been married to his wife Christy for 9 years and they currently reside in Southwest Florida.

New Benefits Bio

Pioneers of the non-insured benefits industry for 32+ years. New Benefits has been disrupting the benefits marketplace since 1990 with innovative products, cutting-edge technology, and first-class service. As the leading wholesaler of non-insured benefits, we aggregate the most sought-after healthcare and lifestyle solutions for over 4,000 groups and millions of members. Our clients strengthen their health plans with a customized blend of 30+ non-insured benefits to help members navigate healthcare, find affordable care, reduce stress, and save time — all conveniently packaged in an easily accessible mobile app and web platform. Through regular use of their benefits, our members save millions of dollars annually on healthcare and everyday living expenses, increasing their happiness and productivity at work and home.

HR leaders have to balance the time it takes to engage with members and the time they need to get stuff done. The extent of the remote work force today makes this even more challenging.

Technology is great...when it works. So, what works and what doesn't?

Who is Sims Tillirson?

Sims Tillirson has worked in a variety of leadership positions at Fortune 500 insurance carriers, enrollment firms, and benefits technology firms. 

He currently serves as Head of Sales for Showcase, an employee engagement and benefits education platform.

Outside of the office, he is an avid Community Volunteer, Tattoo Enthusiast, Recording Artist, Multi-Instrumentalist, Singer/Songwriter, and People Connector.

He lives in Forest Acres, SC with his wife Brianne, son Jack, and dog Doc. 

We'd love to share our thoughts with you and hope you'll share yours with us too.

Our host Lou Bernardi had to keep these two fierce competitors under control as they fought tooth and nail.

Adam took off with a sizeable lead, but Josh came back and tied it up.  Who won?  You'll have to tune in to find out.

This transcript is machine transcribed by Sonix

ESurgeries, as they are better known, contracts with the very best surgeons that perform thousands of surgical procedures at ambulatory surgery centers (ASC's).  They negotiate prices for bundled surgeries that includes facility, provider and in some cases aftercare such as physical therapy.   

This episode is specifically focused on self-insured health plans.

Managed Care's promise of enhancing care and controlling insurance costs clearly expired long away.  Instead, it was replaced with Pay More, Get Less and numerous flawed strategies.  Employers and their members fell victim to a health care and insurance system that on the surface seem broken.  A keen eye understanding that they are, in fact, working exactly as designed to the benefit of these two monopolies.

Aaron discussed the distinction between equity and equality and how the plans offered by many employers today leave the lowered earners in dire straits.  

In fact, an overwhelming majority of hard-working Americans have less than $1,000 in the back, yet they have deductibles and out-of-pocket costs 5 to 10 times that each year.

One solution that Aarons firm, E Powered Benefits, has had great success with is Direct Primary Care which eliminates barriers to care and offers a superior patient/doctor experience.

Thanks for listening!

They went back and forth on topics ranging from medical cost trends, stop loss, pooling charges, claims corridors, population health, No Surprises Act, Compensation Disclosure and so much more.  

In the end, the heated battle ended in a tie but the real winners were the benefit decision makers that perhaps have a better understanding of what it takes to better manage a health plan, health care costs and that it is indeed possible to lower costs while improving outcomes.

Thank you Cristy and Nancy!!

Lou Bernardi, CHVA and the Original Benefit Optimization Officer

Rachel and I discussed stop loss, the importance of proper Drug Formulary structure, spread pricing on generic drugs, the impact of rebates on plan costs and members and so much more.

Rachel was a fantastic guest and great ambassador for a changing benefits landscape!

I hope you enjoy the broadcast.

To view the video of the episode visit us at https://vimeo.com/showcase/benefitswithfriends

Dr. Kaplan and our host Lou Bernardi will discuss the opportunity both can have on the American Healthcare Consumer, Medical Providers and Group Health Plan Sponsors.

Dr. Kaplan, a plastic surgeon, has a depth of knowledge on both subjects that is incomparable.  See how he helps other clinicians leverage price transparency with his BuildMyHealth platform.  Learn how Dr. Kaplan came to know US Senator Bill Cassidy MD who was the co-author of the legislation that may sneak up on my employers.

Garner's goal is to change how our healthcare system works at its core. Using a new approach to data science and novel financial incentives, they help patients identify the highest-quality doctors and help doctors improve how they practice medicine.   

Garner is a next-generation benefits tools that ensures patients are matched with the highest-quality providers; and when they are they are rewarded with lower out-of-pocket costs.

At it's core, Garner is a technology company that provides much needed 

Roundstone helps small and midsize companies deliver high-quality, affordable health benefits that attract and retain the best employees. They do this through their self-funded health insurance solution that leverages a group medical captive, the first of its kind. The captive bands together employers in a pool so they can have the same scale and resources of a large company.  Lou and Tim will discuss the core functions of a medical captive and how the world of alternative funding is changing rapidly.

Independent TPA's offer the unique opportunity for plan sponsors and their members to enhance benefits, improve outcomes and population health while at the same time lowering the health care and insurance spend.

This is done by taking control of the plan document, plan design, partnering with pass-through Pharmacy Benefit Managers and Clinical Case Management and eliminating the hidden profits and misaligned incentives of the traditional insurance markets.

J.P. Farley is a premier Third-Party Administrator that is leading the way in the fight to rid employer sponsored group health plans of the artificial costs and hidden profit centers that plague the status quo.   

J.P. Farley has over 40 years-experience making competitive employee health plans simpler; with solutions you need, services you want, and savings that drive real change.  

Informed benefit decision makers and their advisors use J.P. Farley to obtain results that defy conventional wisdom.

Lou and Jervis will discuss turning compensation and benefits into Progress for Employers & Employees, Financial Wellness & Talent Strategy.

Lou and Trevor will discuss the Pharmacy benefit ecosystem and the opportunities that exist for employer sponsored health plans to optimize their Rx benefits and trim off the unnecessary costs.