Making Healthcare Sustainable

Lantern
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Medicine

Employee healthcare is at a tipping point. The costs are unsustainable. The system is overwhelming. And benefits leaders are being asked to do more — with less — for the people who count on them most. Making Healthcare Sustainable is a media experience from Lantern, spotlighting the bold thinkers, advisors, and changemakers transforming high-cost problems into life-changing outcomes. Through interviews, insights, and storytelling, we explore what it takes to deliver better care while optimizing the system and budget. This is where benefit design meets business impact. Because when healthcare works better, everyone wins.

Episodes

  1. Substance Use Treatment Today Isn’t What You Think with Suzette Glasner, PhD

    May 27

    Substance Use Treatment Today Isn’t What You Think with Suzette Glasner, PhD

    Substance use disorder is a growing issue in workplace healthcare, but it often remains hidden.  Dr. Suzette Glasner, Clinical Psychologist and Chief Scientific Officer at Pelago, discusses the hidden impact of addiction in your claims data, how employers are taking action,  and what might surprise you about the latest research on effective addiction treatment.  In this episode, you'll learn: The physical impact of addiction on employees and how this trickles down to healthcare costs Misconceptions about addiction treatment and Dr. Glasner’s thoughts on the headlines around psychedelics as addiction treatmentSurprising research Pelago led on the right “dose” of human support for recoveryHighlights: (00:00) Meet Dr. Suzette Glasner (02:07) The hype vs reality of psychedelic treatments for addiction (03:20) Why effective treatments are underutilized (07:13) The barriers of stigma, access, and insight (10:37) Why employers play a crucial role in addressing SUD (20:14) How harm reduction can engage people in treatment (28:49) Balancing human touch and AI in treatment approaches (32:10) What makes a recovery-ready workplace (39:44) Closing the gap with evidence-based solutions  Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ Dr. Suzette Glasner’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzette-glasner-ph-d-5846804/  Pelago’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pelago-health/

    42 min
  2. Fixing Healthcare Costs Without Cutting Benefits With Carl Pecoraro & Lindsay Leeder

    May 13

    Fixing Healthcare Costs Without Cutting Benefits With Carl Pecoraro & Lindsay Leeder

    Healthcare costs keep rising, and most employers feel stuck. Carl Pecoraro, Chairman of the Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Health and Welfare Fund, and Lindsay Leeder, SVP of Labor Union and Trust at Lantern, share how one fund changed that. Carl walks through building a plan with 21-point solutions and holding inflation to 1%. Lindsay brings the provider's view on what better care looks like. In this episode, you'll learn: How to build point solutions that lower long-term healthcare costsWhy primary care access changes outcomes and spendHow better provider experience leads to better patient resultsHighlights: (00:00) How one fund beat healthcare inflation (00:28) Meet Carl Pecoraro and Lindsay Leeder (01:38) Think, feel, do on today's healthcare reality (04:11) Lindsay on primary care and better outcomes (07:05) Building a point solution strategy that works (11:25) Finding Lantern and moving to direct contracting (17:53) Driving utilization through better navigation (21:48) Who the members are and why benefits matter (24:43) Plan design: wellness incentives that actually work (28:59) Fund leaders have more power than they think (33:08) What happens when you get all your vendors in a room (34:46) What the future of healthcare could look like Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ Carl Pecoraro’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-pecoraro-93ab4142/  Lindsay Leeder’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-leeder-msn-arnp-6a3740146/  Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Health & Welfare Fund: https://www.cbtfunds.com/

    41 min
  3. Choosing The Right Surgeon Changes Everything with Grant Zarzour, MD

    Apr 29

    Choosing The Right Surgeon Changes Everything with Grant Zarzour, MD

    Healthcare feels impossible to navigate when it matters most. Even doctors struggle to find the right care.  In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, Nancy Ryerson speaks with Grant Zarzour, MD, orthopedic surgeon and Lantern Medical Advisory Board member, on what actually drives better surgical outcomes. He shares how volume shapes results, why appropriateness comes first, and what faster recovery really looks like.  In this episode, you'll learn: Why high surgical volume leads to better outcomes and faster recoveryHow to guide members to the right procedure and avoid unnecessary surgeryWhat quality really means beyond reputation and referrals Highlights: (00:00) Meet Dr. Grant Zarzour (02:18) Navigating healthcare during a family crisis(05:01) Partial vs total knee replacement decision(08:41) Why appropriateness matters before surgery(13:13) How to define quality in surgery(14:30) What patient-reported outcomes reveal(15:22) Coaching patients through recovery(16:26) What great post-op care looks like(20:17) What is driving faster surgical recovery(23:35) GLP one drugs and the real tradeoffs(26:45) Breaking sugar habits and spikes(31:59) Why prevention still gets overlooked(36:43) Why personalized care plans matter(37:33) What the future of healthcare looks like Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ Dr. Grant Zarzour’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantzarzour/

    40 min
  4. What Really Drives Up (And Lowers) Cancer Costs with Troy Brennan

    Apr 15

    What Really Drives Up (And Lowers) Cancer Costs with Troy Brennan

    Healthcare costs are rising, especially for cancer, but there’s a better way to provide care that’s both affordable and effective. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, host Nancy Ryerson talks with Dr. Troyen Brennan, a healthcare expert, about the high costs of cancer care and specialty treatments. Dr. Brennan explains how a shift to value-based care can help reduce costs while improving patient outcomes. He also shares simple ways that employers and healthcare leaders can make care more affordable and effective for everyone. In this episode, you'll learn: How high costs in cancer and specialty care are impacting healthcareWhy switching to value-based care can lower costs and improve careEasy steps for employers to make healthcare more affordable and efficientHighlights: (00:00) Meet Dr. Troyen Brennan (01:58) The impact of Medicare prior authorization on costs (03:40) Understanding provider-induced demand in healthcare (05:14) The evolution of healthcare costs (06:47) Why Dr. Brennan is focusing on cancer care (09:08) The players in pharmacy commerce and their impact (10:28) Biosimilars: Lowering costs and maintaining margins (12:02) Changing incentives in healthcare to drive value (13:06) How employers can influence healthcare costs (15:28) Community-based care vs. cancer centers (16:32) The challenge of keeping up with new therapies (19:14) The future of cancer trends and screening (20:40) Reality check: The effectiveness of wellness programs (22:44) One key move for benefits leaders to improve care (23:34) A look ahead: The future of healthcare costs Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ Dr. Troyen Brennan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyen-brennan-494bb533/  Dr. Troyen Brennan’s Email: troyenbrennan@gmail.com

    26 min
  5. How to Influence People to Actually Use Their Benefits with Tammy Fennessy

    Apr 1

    How to Influence People to Actually Use Their Benefits with Tammy Fennessy

    Data and AI are transforming how we deliver healthcare, making it smarter, more affordable, and personalized for every employee. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, host Nancy Ryerson chats with Tammy Fennessy, Senior Director of Benefits at DICK'S Sporting Goods. They talked about how data, behavioral economics, and a sharper focus on specialty care are changing healthcare benefits and how people access them and ultimately use them. Tammy shares how DICK'S has successfully reduced costs while improving employee health outcomes, focusing on the power of personalized, data-driven communication strategies.  In this episode, you'll learn: How data and behavioral economics shape benefits strategyHow preventive care and better specialty care can both lower costs How AI and personalization drive employee engagement with benefitsHighlights: (00:00) Meet Tammy Fennessy (02:48) Applying behavioral economics to drive meaningful change in benefits (04:43) From the restaurant industry to benefits management (Tammy’s career path) (09:55) Challenges at DICK'S Sporting Goods and the importance of analyzing data (12:46) Utilizing data analytics and AI to improve health outcomes (22:13) Using personal employee stories to drive benefits awareness (26:05) Why preventive care is a top priority for DICK'S Sporting Goods (29:12) Integrating AI into benefits communication to enhance personalization (35:52) Interoperability and collaboration with vendors in the healthcare system (38:19) Tammy’s prediction for the future of universal healthcare Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ Tammy Fennessy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-fennessy-healthequity4all/  DICK’S Sporting Goods LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dick's-sporting-goods/

    40 min
  6. Specialty Care Redefined with Erin Tatar

    Mar 18

    Specialty Care Redefined with Erin Tatar

    Specialty care serves a small group but drives 50% of employer healthcare spend, yet many benefits leaders still overlook its value. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, Nancy Ryerson chats with Erin Tatar, SVP Consultant Relations at Lantern, about the complexities of specialty care. Erin breaks down the key components of specialty care (including plannable surgeries, cancer care, and specialty infusions), how it’s different from traditional healthcare models, and how it can be packaged to provide customers with a higher quality experience. In this episode, you'll learn: Why specialty care programs are cost-efficientThe importance of evaluating the appropriateness of care for any treatmentHow benefits leaders or employers can benefit from offering specialty care programsHighlights:(00:00) Meet Erin Tatar(01:55) What happens when the healthcare system isn’t working(05:05) Defining specialty care(07:35) Specialty care as a cost-efficient approach to health programs(08:46) Advantages of specialty care over the centers of excellence (COE) model(11:53) Why patients need specialty care programs(16:28) The challenges of transitioning from a pharmacy-first healthcare model(19:49) The importance of receiving appropriate care(24:38) Opportunities and risks in navigating specialty care(28:29) The future of specialty care programs Resources:Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/Erin Tatar’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erintatarLantern website: https://www.lanterncare.com

    29 min
  7. Rethinking Healthcare Quality Beyond Star Ratings with Will Bruhn

    Mar 4

    Rethinking Healthcare Quality Beyond Star Ratings with Will Bruhn

    Choosing a surgeon shouldn’t feel like guessing on Google. Yet most patients make high-stakes decisions about surgery with little visibility into what actually drives better outcomes. Star ratings and hospital billboards don’t tell you whether a procedure is appropriate, how often a surgeon performs it, or what their real complication rates look like. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, Nancy Ryerson sits down with Will Bruhn, MD, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Appropriateness Measures or GAM, to unpack what quality in healthcare really means. Will shares how misaligned incentives can lead to unnecessary procedures, why appropriateness should be the first question patients ask, and how transparent data can help employers steer members toward better care. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why appropriateness of care matters as much as outcomesHow to evaluate surgeons beyond online reviews and hospital rankingsWhy there is no consistent link between higher cost and higher quality Highlights:(00:00) Meet Will Bruhn(01:52) Innovations in network design for specialty care(03:00) Why a metric for appropriateness of care matters (05:17) The biggest misconception about healthcare quality(07:28) What finding quality care looks like today(13:20) Why some procedures happen even when they’re not appropriate(17:06) Real-world factors that affect appropriateness scores20:52) The myth that higher cost equals higher quality(22:04) The complexities of billing specialty care(24:15) Centers of excellence vs. networks of excellence(27:14) The quality transparency revolution Resources:Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/Will Bruhn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-bruhn-md/GAM website: http://www.gameasures.com

    29 min
  8. Why Many Cancer Patients Miss Better Care Options With Yousuf Zafar, AccessHope

    Feb 18

    Why Many Cancer Patients Miss Better Care Options With Yousuf Zafar, AccessHope

    Cancer care is one of the most complex and expensive parts of employee healthcare. Decisions are made quickly, often before patients understand their options. In this episode, Nancy Ryerson speaks with Yousuf Zafar, MD, MHS, Chief Medical Officer at AccessHope, about where cancer care breaks down and what actually changes outcomes. They explore why even experienced oncologists struggle to stay current, why patients rarely seek out second opinions, and how access to subspecialty expertise can improve care without forcing employees to travel. In this episode, you'll learn: Why many patients never receive subspecialty inputThe role expert review plays without disrupting local careThe connection between better care decisions and long-term cost control Highlights: (00:00) Meet Yousuf Zafar (01:19) What happens when expert review changes the course of cancer treatment (03:42) Why even experienced oncologists can’t keep up (05:27) Community oncology vs. academic cancer centers (07:39) How patients choose care right after diagnosis (08:05) Bringing subspecialty expertise to local cancer care (10:27) Why second opinions rarely happen (12:15) What’s really driving rising cancer costs (18:05) How better care can lower long-term costs (34:40) Advice for benefits leaders navigating cancer care Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ Yousuf Zafar’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yousufzafar/  AccessHope’s website: https://www.myaccesshope.org/

    36 min

  9. Feb 17

    Introducing Making Healthcare Sustainable

    Rising medical costs and mounting pressure on benefits leaders to do more with less have made employee healthcare more complex than ever before. Lantern presents Making Healthcare Sustainable, a show and media experience that puts the spotlight on high-cost problems and life-changing solutions in specialty care. In each episode, host Nancy Ryerson speaks to medical experts and changemakers who are witnessing the impact of better, more accessible healthcare on a small part of the population that represents a significant portion of employee healthcare spending. Through real-life stories and expert insight, this podcast explores an ideal system that delivers better care sustainably. Because when healthcare works better, everyone wins.  Join the movement on Making Healthcare Sustainable.

    1 min
  • 9 Episodes

About

Employee healthcare is at a tipping point. The costs are unsustainable. The system is overwhelming. And benefits leaders are being asked to do more — with less — for the people who count on them most. Making Healthcare Sustainable is a media experience from Lantern, spotlighting the bold thinkers, advisors, and changemakers transforming high-cost problems into life-changing outcomes. Through interviews, insights, and storytelling, we explore what it takes to deliver better care while optimizing the system and budget. This is where benefit design meets business impact. Because when healthcare works better, everyone wins.

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