Margin of Care

Margin of Care
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  • ALTERNATIVE HEALTH
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

A podcast for healthcare advisors and benefits leaders exploring the economics, policy, and innovation shaping the future of employee health plans. Hosted by Kirk Czonstka and guests. Presented by Garner Health

  1. FEB 10

    Fertility, Menopause, and the Care Gap Employers Can’t Ignore

    Fertility and family-building benefits are changing fast, and they now reach far beyond pregnancy. In this episode, Kirk sits down with Dr. Asima Ahmad, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Carrot Fertility, to unpack what “high-quality care” really means across fertility, male factor support, perimenopause and menopause, and more. They dig into how employers can reduce friction, improve outcomes, and protect ROI by pairing people with the right providers, offering wraparound clinical and emotional support, and building a comprehensive experience that drives real engagement. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at garnerhealth.com

    27 min

  2. JAN 27

    Hard Truths for Clients

    Being a healthcare consultant has never been harder. Rising costs, private equity pressure, fragmented point solutions, and constant scrutiny from CFOs and executives have changed what clients expect from their advisors. In this live panel recorded at a recent event, seasoned consultants Chris Merrill (IMA), Rico Bocala (USI), and Scott Wood (Benefit Commerce Group, an Alera Group company) share hard-won lessons on managing trend conversations, navigating tough client moments, and maintaining trust when the answers aren’t easy. From telling clients what they need to hear (not what they want to hear) to narrowing bloated solution menus and proving ROI in a high-pressure environment, this episode offers a practical look at what it takes to stay relevant as a benefits advisor today. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at getgarner.com

    28 min

  3. JAN 13

    How Benefits Leaders Are Rethinking Cost, Care, and Trust in 2026

    Employers are being forced to make harder benefits decisions than ever before. Rising costs, high turnover, and uneven access to care have turned benefits strategy into a series of real trade-offs, not theoretical ones. Recorded live at Garner’s Strategic Advisors Summit in Park City, this episode of Margin of Care features Steven Reszczynski, VP of Benefits at Global Medical Response, and Courtney Rodriquez, SVP of People Success and Enablement at MarketStar. Together, they share how they are rebuilding benefits strategies in the wake of COVID while balancing employee experience, financial sustainability, and trust. The conversation covers how mental health has become a core cost driver, when narrow networks work and when they break down, why ER overuse remains so difficult to solve, and how GLP-1 coverage is forcing employers to rethink ROI in the face of high attrition. This is a candid look at how benefits leaders are navigating cost, care quality, and workforce expectations heading into 2026. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at getgarner.com

    20 min

  4. JAN 6

    The Real Problem With Benefits Utilization

    Employers aren’t short on benefits. They’re short on connection. In this episode of Margin of Care, Kirk sits down with Chad Cruse, VP of Ecosystem at Benefitfocus, to unpack why utilization remains one of the biggest failures in employer healthcare. Despite an explosion of digital health tools and point solutions, most employees still struggle to understand what’s available to them—or how to use it when they actually need care. Chad explains how rapid growth and capital inflows have fragmented the healthcare landscape, creating plenty of aggregators but very few true curators. He shares why benefits administration platforms are uniquely positioned to serve as year-round engagement partners, not just open-enrollment destinations, and how real-time data, smarter routing, and ecosystem design can drive meaningful behavior change. The conversation also explores what separates effective digital health partnerships from shelfware, why efficacy and long-term commitment matter more than flashy features, and how employers can move from offering benefits to actually helping employees use them. If utilization is the real ROI problem in healthcare, this episode lays out what it takes to fix it. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at getgarner.com

    32 min

  5. 12/16/2025

    How AI and Talent Are Reshaping Healthcare

    Healthcare is being reshaped by two powerful forces: rapid advances in AI and a fundamental shift in what leaders, operators, and employees expect from work. In this episode of Margin of Care, Kirk Czonstka sits down with Sonia Millsom, CEO of Oxeon and longtime healthcare operator, to unpack how talent, leadership, and technology are colliding in today’s healthcare market. Drawing on her experience across organizations like UnitedHealthcare, Iora Health, Best Doctors, and Maven Clinic, Sonia shares what she’s seeing from the front lines of executive search and investment. The conversation explores how resilience has replaced grit as the defining leadership trait, why clock speed and decision-making matter more than ever, and where AI is truly creating leverage versus hype. They also dive into what today’s talent market reveals about the state of healthcare, how benefits are evolving as a differentiator for attraction and retention, and why employers must rethink one-size-fits-all approaches in a multi-generational workforce. This episode is a candid look at how healthcare leaders can adapt, build resilient organizations, and make smarter bets on both people and technology in an era of constant change. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at getgarner.com

    22 min

  6. 12/09/2025

    Managing Through Change: A Consultant's Perspective

    Benefits leaders talk about “cost” all day. Andrew Fondow argues cost is not the real problem. In this episode, Andrew and Kirk dig into why so many strategies stall, how to slow trend without drowning people in point solutions, and why real change starts with simple data, tight relationships, and helping members get to the right care at the right time. Key Takeaways 1. Cost is not the core problem Most teams react to a “cost problem” from the CFO instead of slowing down to define the real issue, the member story, and what behavior actually needs to change. 2. Relationships now matter more than secrets We are past the “trade secret” era. Every employer has access to similar data and tools, so trust, fit, and how well a consultant understands the client’s world matter more than ever. 3. Strategy needs to center on people, not only ROI Great advisors still care about savings, but they lead with impact on real people, real stories, and whether a program feels usable and human to HR, finance, and members. 4. The 2027 playbook is already taking shape Andrew sees three big focus areas: steering people to the right place for care, bringing care closer to members, and new ways to tackle drug costs like direct-to-pharma models. 5. The point solution era has to evolve Many strong solutions exist, but the current go-to-employer path is flawed. To last, more of these tools will need to plug into provider groups and health systems, not just HR buyers. 6. Simple, actionable data beats big reports Most reports are “nice to know” but do not move anyone to act. The winning use of data is simple: predict risk, reach out early, and guide people to better doctors before costs explode. 7. The best employers truly care about their people Andrew’s strongest clients build “professional intimacy” with employees, show real care, and get thanked for benefit changes. That trust makes behavior change much easier. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at getgarner.com

    23 min

  7. 12/02/2025

    Why Benefits Look Nothing Like They Did 20 Years Ago

    Benefits used to be simple and standardized. Today they’re complex, costly, and central to C-suite decision-making. In this episode, Eric Grossman breaks down how the benefits landscape has transformed over the last two decades, why employers can’t rely on old playbooks, and what leaders must do now to evaluate solutions, manage vendor overload, and actually move the cost curve. Eric shares practical guidance shaped by four decades in the field, and it’s some of the clearest, most actionable advice employers will hear this year. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at getgarner.com

    27 min

  8. 11/25/2025

    The Steady Erosion of Healthcare Affordability

    Healthcare costs keep climbing, and employers are running out of room to maneuver. In this unreleased pre-launch episode, Kirk sits down with Aon’s Kevin Fyock and Kevin Smith to talk about the affordability crisis, why traditional strategies haven’t solved it, and where employers must go next. They break down rising trend drivers, the limits of value-based care, the explosion of point solutions, what AI can realistically do today, and how employers should think about network design, high-cost claimants, and total rewards strain heading into 2025. This one sets the tone for everything the podcast became: direct, practical, and deeply rooted in the employer point of view. Margin of Care is presented by Garner Health. Learn more at getgarner.com

    33 min
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About

A podcast for healthcare advisors and benefits leaders exploring the economics, policy, and innovation shaping the future of employee health plans. Hosted by Kirk Czonstka and guests. Presented by Garner Health

Information

  • Creator
    Margin of Care
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Margin of Care
  • Show Website
    Margin of Care