The Leadership Lab with Asbel Montes

Asbel Montes

Hosted by Asbel Montes, The Leadership Lab explores bold ideas, tough conversations, and real solutions shaping the future of healthcare and public service. Join leaders from across the industry as they share insights, stories, and strategies that inspire action and elevate impact.

  1. Jun 23

    Healthcare Beyond the Status Quo with Dan McCoy

    Healthcare costs keep rising, incentives keep pointing the wrong direction, and patients keep getting caught in the middle. So what would it actually take to build a system that works? In this episode of The Leadership Lab, Asbel Montes sits down with Dr. Dan McCoy, a physician, healthcare executive, and innovator, to make the structural case for why the system must change and what that change could look like. From the volume-over-value trap to the administrative burden crushing providers and payers alike, Dr. McCoy pulls back the curtain on where the system breaks down, where transparency is failing consumers, and how AI and connected data can either solve the problem or deepen it depending on how leaders choose to act. This is a conversation for healthcare leaders, employers, payers, and providers who are done treating symptoms and ready to talk about root causes. If you work in healthcare finance, benefits, operations, or policy, this is the conversation you have been waiting for.   🔗 Learn more about Solutions Group: www.solutionsgroup.com   ABOUT DR. DAN McCOY Dr. Dan McCoy is an entrepreneur, business strategist, and the Founder and CEO of RocketTools.io and Dan McCoy Consulting. He is a bold healthcare leader who led Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas to unprecedented growth in membership, underwriting margin, and revenue — the largest in the company's 90-year history. During his tenure, he spearheaded the creation of novel healthcare benefit products including the largest HMO in the state's history with over one million members, rebuilt the external media and government relations teams, and launched BCBS Texas as the "Voice of Texas Healthcare," resulting in the most successful legislative session for the industry in over two decades. Today, through RocketTools.io and Dan McCoy Consulting, Dan works with enterprises on brand strategy, AI-powered growth, and market positioning. He is also an experienced communicator and keynote speaker. ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP LAB The Leadership Lab is hosted by Asbel Montes and produced by Solutions Group, a healthcare finance services firm helping healthcare organizations maximize reimbursement and drive innovation. The podcast explores the intersection of data, physician leadership, and healthcare transformation through the eyes of the patient. #TheLeadershipLab #HealthcareLeadership #HealthcareReform #ValueBasedCare #HealthcareFinance #PriorAuthorization #HealthcareTransparency #AIinHealthcare #HealthcareInnovation #PatientCenteredCare #HealthcarePolicy #HealthcareCosts #SolutionsGroup #HealthcareExecutive #HealthcareOperations Links: Asbel Montes LinkedIn - / asbel-montes-31027634 Dan McCoy LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankmccoy/ Solutions Group Services: LinkedIn - / solutionsgroupservices Instagram - / solution_sgroup Facebook - / solutionsgroupservices Website - https://www.solutionsgroup.com/

    57 min

  2. Jun 19

    Physician Leadership in the Next Era of Healthcare with Dr. Hawnwan Moy

    EMS has always answered the call. But what if the system that created EMS is the very thing holding it back? In this Clarity Special Edition of The Leadership Lab, Asbel Montes sits down with Dr. Hawnwan Philip Moy, Emergency Physician, EMS Medical Director, and incoming President of the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP), to make the case for why physicians must step into the room where healthcare policy is written. Recorded live at Solutions Group's 5th Annual Clarity User Summit in Laguna Beach, California, Dr. Moy breaks down the structural argument for moving EMS out of the Department of Transportation and into Health and Human Services, why the "you call, we haul, that's all" reimbursement model is failing patients and providers alike, and what it actually costs when the system chooses reaction over prevention. He also issues a direct call to his physician colleagues: your clinical experience is more powerful in the policy room than you think. Stop waiting to be invited in. Topics covered in this episode: The 1966 White Paper that put EMS under the DOT, and why that needs to change Why ground EMS crews that save lives but don't transport go unpaid EMTALA, the uninsured, and the real cost of reactive medicine What NAEMSP's next generation of leadership looks like How physicians can engage healthcare economics without needing an MBA If you work in EMS, emergency medicine, healthcare administration, or policy, this conversation is for you. ABOUT DR. HAWNWAN PHILIP MOY Dr. Hawnwan Philip Moy is an Emergency Physician and EMS Physician at Mercy Hospital in Saint Louis and the Medical Director for the Missouri and Carbondale base of ARCH Air Methods Helicopter EMS. He serves as Secretary Treasurer of the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) and is on track to become its next president. He is also the host of the But Why EMS Podcast and the Air Methods Prehospital EDucation Podcast, where he brings physician-level expertise to EMS practitioners and paramedics. Listen to the But Why EMS Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/but-why-ems-podcast/id1435436833 ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP LAB The Leadership Lab is hosted by Asbel Montes and produced by Solutions Group, a healthcare finance services firm helping healthcare organizations maximize reimbursement and drive innovation. The podcast explores the intersection of data, physician leadership, and healthcare transformation through the eyes of the patient. Learn more at www.solutionsgroup.com Discover Black Ink at www.discoverblackink.com

    28 min

  3. Jun 18

    The Strategic Value of EMS Data in Modern Healthcare with Dr. Eric Beck

    EMS has been delivering value the healthcare system has never measured — until now. In this Special Edition of The Leadership Lab, Asbel Montes sits down with Dr. Eric Beck, CEO of ESO, to talk about how EMS data, AI, and physician leadership are converging to reshape healthcare economics from the ground up. Recorded live at Solutions Group's 5th Annual User Summit in Laguna Beach, California, this episode covers the gap in physician education around healthcare economics, ESO's acquisition of D2i, the role of AI in healthcare interoperability, and what the EMS industry must do to seize its seat at the modernization table. If you're an EMS leader, physician, policymaker, or healthcare executive — this is the conversation you need to hear. Learn more about Solutions Group: www.solutionsgroup.com Discover Black Ink: www.discoverblackink.com ABOUT DR. ERIC BECK Dr. Eric Beck is the CEO of ESO, one of the largest EMS data and analytics platforms in the country. He began his career as a firefighter and paramedic, went on to practice as an emergency physician, and served as a health system executive before taking the helm at ESO. Dr. Beck is a leading voice on EMS data interoperability, healthcare economics, and the role of AI in transforming pre-hospital and emergency care. This is his third appearance on The Leadership Lab. ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP LAB The Leadership Lab is hosted by Asbel Montes and produced by Solutions Group Services, a healthcare finance services firm helping healthcare organizations maximize reimbursement and drive innovation. The podcast explores the intersection of data, physician leadership, and healthcare transformation — through the eyes of the patient. www.solutionsgroup.com CONNECT WITH US Asbel Montes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asbel-montes-31027634 Solutions Group on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/solutionsgroupservices Solutions Group on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solution_sgroup/ Solutions Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solutionsgroupservices Solutions Group Website: https://www.solutionsgroup.com

    27 min

  4. Jun 17

    Part II: An Economist's Take on Surprise Billing and Healthcare Payment Reform with Dr. Lisa Grabert

    What happens when healthcare payment systems no longer reflect the services providers actually deliver? In this Clarity Special Edition, recorded live from the fifth annual Clarity Summit in Laguna Beach, California, Asbel Montes sits down with Dr. Lisa Grabert — healthcare economist, visiting research professor at Marquette University, and nationally recognized expert on Medicare reimbursement policy — for a conversation that is equal parts personal, analytical, and urgent. Dr. Grabert doesn't just study healthcare policy. She's lived its consequences. In this episode, she shares her own mother's experience as a surprise billing victim — fully insured under Medicare, yet sent to collections before the family even knew a bill existed. That story opens a deeper discussion about what's working, what isn't, and what policymakers still need to fix. This conversation covers the No Surprises Act, ambulance payment reform, healthcare transparency, the prospective payment system, and the growing role of AI in policy research and healthcare decision-making. What you'll hear in this episode: How surprise billing continues to impact Medicare beneficiaries despite recent reforms — and why Congress may need to revisit the No Surprises Act Why 20% of Medicare Advantage enrollees switch plans annually — and what that means for provider billing and patient protection Why transparency, not just legislation, may be the most powerful tool for healthcare accountability What the ground ambulance data collection results mean for the future of EMS reimbursement Why some healthcare economists favor moving beyond the fee schedule to a prospective payment system — and what a budget-neutral, phased transition could look like Why EMS providers treating patients without guaranteed reimbursement is a systemic design flaw — not a compliance issue How Dr. Grabert uses AI to replace months of data cleaning work in 24 to 48 hours — and why she tells her students that ignorance is now a choice What healthcare leaders should be thinking about as AI becomes a standard research and policy tool The bottom line: Healthcare reform is rarely simple. But transparency, thoughtful payment policy, and better use of data remain essential to building a more accountable and sustainable healthcare system. Dr. Grabert challenges leaders to think beyond short-term fixes — and toward payment models that actually reflect the value providers deliver.   If you're a healthcare executive, EMS leader, policymaker, physician, researcher, or healthcare finance professional trying to understand where payment reform is heading next, this episode is for you. Subscribe to The Leadership Lab with Asbel Montes for conversations at the intersection of healthcare leadership, finance, technology, and systems-level thinking.   Links: Asbel Montes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/asbel-montes-31027634 Dr. Lisa Grabert LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lisa-grabert-78ab527/    Solutions Group Services: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/solutionsgroupservices  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solution_sgroup/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutionsgroupservices  Website -  ​​https://www.solutionsgroup.com/

    25 min

  5. Jun 8

    Private Equity in Healthcare: Separating Myth from Reality with Larry Richardson

    What happens when one of healthcare's most controversial funding models is also one of the biggest drivers of its future growth? In this episode of The Leadership Lab, Asbel sits down with Larry Richardson of AmeriPro EMS for an in-depth conversation about private equity in healthcare, EMS transformation, healthcare economics, reimbursement reform, AI innovation, workforce development, and what it takes to build sustainable, patient-centered systems in a complex financial environment. Drawing from his journey from frontline paramedic to healthcare executive and finance leader, Larry shares how understanding both clinical care and healthcare economics has reshaped how he views system sustainability, growth, and leadership.   Together, they explore why AmeriPro chose to partner with private equity, how they distinguish between a "co-builder" and a traditional investor, and why alignment of values is critical in today's healthcare landscape. The conversation also examines the deeper structural issues shaping healthcare today, including outdated reimbursement models, clinician burnout, workforce shortages, fragmented data systems, and the widening gap between frontline care and executive decision-making. And then there is AI. From fraud detection and administrative efficiency to workforce support and operational optimization, artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a defining force in healthcare transformation. But it also raises new questions about trust, judgment, and the future role of clinicians in decision-making. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ Why AmeriPro EMS partnered with private equity and what they looked for in a growth partner ✅ How the "co-builder" model differs from traditional private equity relationships ✅ Why healthcare leaders can no longer ignore economics, reimbursement, and financial sustainability ✅ The biggest misconceptions about private equity in healthcare ✅ How outdated EMS reimbursement models impact operations and patient access ✅ Why balancing patient care and financial performance is now essential for healthcare organizations ✅ How AI is being used to reduce fraud, waste, and administrative burden ✅ Why data and KPIs must be balanced with individual patient context ✅ How employee experience directly influences patient outcomes and organizational culture ✅ The workforce pipeline and leadership challenges shaping the future of EMS and healthcare ✅ How reimbursement reform could transform rural healthcare and EMS delivery systems If you are a healthcare executive, EMS leader, physician, policymaker, investor, or healthcare innovator, this episode offers a grounded look at one of the most debated topics in the industry today. Because the real question is not whether healthcare should involve capital.  It is whether we are building systems that use it well.   👉🏻 Subscribe to The Leadership Lab with Asbel Montes for more conversations with industry innovators. 👉🏻  Follow and rate the show to help others discover the future of healthcare transformation. 👉🏻  Share this episode with your team to spark meaningful change. Links: Asbel Montes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/asbel-montes-31027634 Larry Richardson LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryjrichardson Solutions Group Services: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/solutionsgroupservices  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solution_sgroup/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutionsgroupservices  Website -  ​​https://www.solutionsgroup.com/

    1h 8m

  6. Jun 5

    Improving Outcomes & Efficiency Through Data Insight with Fred Wilkins

    What happens when healthcare providers stop treating data as a reporting tool—and start using it as a strategic asset? In this Clarity Special Edition, recorded live from the fifth annual Clarity Summit in Laguna Beach, California, Asbel Montes sits down with Fred Wilkins, President of VLI Tech and a 35-year veteran of EMS operations, technology, and mobile healthcare leadership. Fred's journey is anything but typical. He started as an EMT—a way to pay for college—and never looked back. From the field to the emergency room to the C-suite, he has spent decades watching healthcare fragment itself with disconnected systems, siloed data, and outdated workflows. Today, he's building toward something different. This conversation goes deep on interoperability, AI-powered modernization, the political and policy side of healthcare transformation, and the leadership crisis quietly building inside EMS organizations across the country.   What you'll hear in this episode: Why EMS providers are still sending faxes in 2026 — and what it reveals about systemic fragmentation How hospitals with their own ambulance services are manually re-keying prehospital data just to bill — and what that costs Why AI is a bridge product, not a buzzword — and how it can eliminate data silos without replacing human judgment What true interoperability looks like at the bedside, in the dispatch center, and through the revenue cycle Why healthcare leaders must be at the policy table — not waiting to be served from someone else's menu The growing leadership fatigue and succession gap in EMS that keeps Fred up at night How grace, sustainable leadership, and knowing the power of "no" connect to the future of the profession The bottom line: Better healthcare outcomes require more than technology alone. They require connected data, engaged leadership, and the courage to rethink what's been accepted as normal for 20 years. Fred challenges healthcare leaders to stop refining broken models — and start building new ones. If you're a healthcare executive, EMS leader, policymaker, technology innovator, or revenue cycle professional navigating what modern healthcare should look like, this conversation is for you. Subscribe to The Leadership Lab for conversations at the intersection of healthcare leadership, finance, technology, and systems-level thinking.   Links: Asbel Montes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/asbel-montes-31027634   Solutions Group Services: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/solutionsgroupservices  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solution_sgroup/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutionsgroupservices  Website -  ​​https://www.solutionsgroup.com/

    23 min

  7. May 28

    The War on Waste: CMS Priorities in a New Era with Kimberly Brandt

    What happens when healthcare leaders stop chasing fraud after the fact — and start preventing it before the money ever leaves the door? In this Clarity Special Edition, Asbel Montes sits down with Kimberly Brandt, JD, Deputy Administrator & Chief Operating Officer at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). With experience spanning CMS, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, HHS OIG, and the private sector, Kim offers a rare inside look at how federal healthcare leadership is rethinking program integrity, modernization, and accountability in a rapidly shifting landscape. From "war room" initiatives that stopped over $2.5 billion in suspicious payments — before they were made — to the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare oversight, this conversation lives at the intersection of leadership, policy, technology, and patient-centered reform. What you'll hear in this episode: How CMS is using AI and machine learning to proactively detect fraud, waste, and abuse Why program integrity is a leadership issue, not just a compliance one What CMS priorities mean for providers, payers, EMS agencies, and healthcare leaders How organized healthcare fraud networks are evolving — and how oversight is keeping pace The balance between regulation, competition, and patient access How value-based care, Medicare Advantage, and program integrity intersect Why innovation and accountability are not opposing forces — and what it looks like when leaders treat them as one The bottom line: Healthcare reform is no longer just about reimbursement. It's about accountability, modernization, leadership, and trust. This conversation challenges healthcare leaders to think differently about how we protect patients, strengthen systems, and responsibly innovate. If you're a healthcare executive, EMS leader, policymaker, revenue cycle professional, or physician trying to understand where healthcare is heading — this episode is for you. Subscribe to The Leadership Lab for conversations at the intersection of healthcare leadership, finance, technology, and systems-level thinking. Links: Asbel Montes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/asbel-montes-31027634   Solutions Group Services: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/solutionsgroupservices  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solution_sgroup/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutionsgroupservices  Website -  ​​https://www.solutionsgroup.com/

    22 min

  8. May 14

    The Crosswalk Between Payers, Physicians, and Patients with Dr. Jeff Beeson

    What happens when physicians realize they've been practicing medicine inside a financial system they were never trained to understand? In this episode of The Leadership Lab, Adam sits down with Dr. Jeff Beeson, emergency physician, EMS leader, educator, and healthcare innovator, for an in-depth conversation about physician leadership, healthcare finance, value-based care, EMS transformation, and the future of AI in healthcare. Drawing from decades of experience as an EMT, paramedic, flight nurse, physician, medical director, and healthcare executive, Dr. Beeson shares the growing disconnect between patient care and reimbursement systems, and why clinicians must play a larger role in shaping healthcare reform. The conversation explores how EMS and prehospital medicine are evolving beyond transportation into integrated, patient-centered care models focused on outcomes, prevention, and community health. Adam and Dr. Beeson also discuss physician burnout, healthcare economics, payment reform, data fragmentation, community paramedicine, nurse navigation, and the promise and risks of artificial intelligence in healthcare. In this episode, you'll learn: ✅Why physicians are increasingly stepping into healthcare leadership and payment reform ✅How fee-for-service reimbursement impacts EMS and patient care ✅The role of value-based care in building sustainable healthcare systems ✅Why EMS is central to the future of community health and integrated care ✅How healthcare economics contributes to clinician burnout ✅The opportunities and challenges AI presents in healthcare operations and clinical decision-making ✅Why data integration between EMS, hospitals, and payers remains a major healthcare challenge ✅How leadership, storytelling, and collaboration can accelerate healthcare transformation If you're a healthcare executive, EMS leader, physician, policymaker, or healthcare innovator, this episode offers a forward-thinking look at the future of healthcare finance, physician leadership, reimbursement reform, and patient-centered care delivery. 👉🏻 Subscribe to The Leadership Lab with Asbel Montes for more conversations with industry innovators. 👉🏻  Follow and rate the show to help others discover the future of healthcare transformation. 👉🏻  Share this episode with your team to spark meaningful change.   Links: Asbel Montes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/asbel-montes-31027634 Jeff Beeson LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-beeson-ph-d-082b5381    Solutions Group Services: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/solutionsgroupservices  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/solution_sgroup/  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/solutionsgroupservices  Website -  ​​https://www.solutionsgroup.com/

    46 min
See All (38)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Hosted by Asbel Montes, The Leadership Lab explores bold ideas, tough conversations, and real solutions shaping the future of healthcare and public service. Join leaders from across the industry as they share insights, stories, and strategies that inspire action and elevate impact.

Information

You Might Also Like