80/20 with ParetoHealth ParetoHealth

Season 2 of “80/20 with ParetoHealth” launches with a discussion on the state of medical literacy and care navigation (aka care coordination) today. Justin Holland and Doug Morse-Schindler of HealthJoy explain how technology can build bridges in the massive healthcare ecosystem and where it falls short. We also rant about the pitfalls of self-diagnosing on Google and the immense potential of a revenue stream tied to sleepless nights caused by WebMD. Finally, we learn that building appropriate and valuable tech solutions requires layers of thought, partnerships, and room for customization. Simply put, we confirm that healthcare is never one-size-fits-all, not even in the digital space.

We made it! The end of the first season of 80/20 with ParetoHealth has us bringing it all back home, so join us for a trip down memory lane as we look at the history of ParetoHealth and some of the things that formed the company along the way.

From our beginnings 10 years ago as three people in a tiny office to where we are now, the story has been a great one. Listen to the episode to hear about the formulation of ParetoHealth’s core values, the impact of COVID-19, and some of our favorite moments from the past few years. The growth of our community, whether this is the core team, our Consultant partners, or the employers who simply wanted more out of healthcare, has been truly incredible.

Thank you all for the memories. More importantly, let’s look to the future. Together, there are almost no limits on what we can do.

In our knowledge segment, we talk a little bit about a big expense – pharmaceuticals. Many employers don’t know that drugs make up 25-30% of their total healthcare spend. In fact, these numbers are projected to get more dramatic, reaching 50% in the next few years.

Then we talk with Jake Frenz of SmithRx about the ways that we can continue creating value in the pharmaceutical space, his history of serving in the Marines, and a short digression into… classical music? In between Andrew Clayton’s prospects as a classical pianist, ski trips, and some shots taken at golf, we discussed the specific levers that can fix the problems of outsize pharmaceutical prices.

Finally, in the “you know they’re a knucklehead when…” section, we discussed the role of people skills versus strategic vision in relationship-based businesses. It turns out – who knew? – that if you’re giving advice to someone, you need more than a good golf swing and a box of donuts.

In this episode, we go over the phenomenon of medical inflation and what parts of the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to rising medical costs – as well as what self-insured employers can do about it.

Then we chat with Brian Olsen of Sterling Seacrest Pritchard (SSP) to talk about his deep, committed relationship with self-funding and why that means we need a dating site for SIIA members. He shares one great insight about the often-misunderstood relationship between high claims and self-funded plans that you won’t want to miss.

Finally, we discuss one knucklehead move that too many brokers use in a feeble attempt to contain costs. It’s the epitome of short-term thinking. Is your broker guilty of this particular howler?

How is anyone able to buy specialty pharmaceuticals without going broke? What are some of the economic pressures on doctors to prescribe expensive meds? Where is Andrew Clayton hiding, and will he be back next time?

Join us with special guest host Ashley Hull and guest Rashaun Reid of ParetoHealth as they team up with Andrew Cavenagh to tackle these questions in an updated format.

Along the way, they go into why taking the convenient route when you should be helping people is a classic knucklehead move, the strange phenomenon of giving up transparency for a few dollars off your PEPM costs, and how to educate physicians on best pharmaceutical practices.

How do you provide first-class healthcare benefits while also containing costs?

That’s the main question of this live episode, recorded with Suzanne Lutz, Laura Williams, and Santina Daily, three captive Members from very different industries and backgrounds. What they all have in common is a complete dedication to the well-being of their employees and a desire to change that relationship.

This is only a small part of the value that you can get from a ParetoHealth Members’ Meeting. If the advice here resonates with you, visit paretohealth.com to learn more.