The Business of Benefits Podcast

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For decades, employers have been fed a lie: “There’s nothing you can do to control healthcare costs.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. The system is doing exactly what it was designed to do—profit off of HR, CFOs, and CEOs who believe that lie year after year.With 180 million Americans relying on employer-sponsored healthcare, it’s time to challenge the status quo. The Business of Benefits is your No BS, No Sales guide to the real solutions. No gimmicks—just the truth about how to take control, transform your benefits, and care for your most valuable asset: your people.Each episode dives deep into the data, exposing industry misalignments and inefficiencies that inflate costs while offering actionable strategies for designing financially sustainable, high-value benefits.Through eye-opening interviews with industry insiders, expert analysis, and real-world success stories, hosts Donovan and Chelsea pull back the curtain on the hidden flaws in the healthcare system. The result? An empowering roadmap for employers ready to break free from outdated models and unlock smarter, more sustainable benefits.If you’re tired of the same old sales pitch and ready to rethink benefits, reduce costs, and improve care—this podcast is for you. The truth is out there—are you ready to hear it?

  1. 3D AGO

    72. Future Proofing Your Health Benefits: A Case Study in Multi-Year Planning w/ Julia Watt

    In this session, Chelsea Ryckis and Julia Watt, Director of HR at Medical Technology Transfer (MTT), delve into a case study on "Future-Proofing Your Health Benefits." They discuss how MTT, a 125-employee company, achieved a 67% reduction in claims cost over three years through a multi-year strategic plan. This conversation offers a roadmap for employers of all sizes to move away from the traditional, reactive renewal cycle and adopt a proactive, data-driven approach to managing healthcare costs and fiduciary responsibilities. What you'll learn:How a small employer (125 employees) can implement innovative healthcare strategies often considered only for large corporations.The limitations of fully insured plans and the benefits of transitioning to level-funded and self-funded models.The importance of data transparency in understanding and controlling healthcare cost drivers.How to strategically unbundle your health plan and select vendors aligned with your company's best interests.The critical role of a fiduciary PBM in managing pharmacy costs, which are often a significant expense.Actionable steps to take control of your health plan, negotiate better terms, and reduce costs without compromising employee benefits.-------------------------------- Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    59 min

  2. FEB 12

    71. The Hospital Programs Your Broker Never Mentioned: 501(r) & Hospital Bill Review with Patrick Haig

    In this episode of The Business of Benefits, host Donovan Ryckis sits down with Patrick Haig, co-founder and CEO of Goodbill, to reveal the secrets of hospital billing that every employer needs to know. They dive deep into the world of 501(r), a little-known IRS regulation that requires nonprofit hospitals to offer financial assistance, and how it can dramatically reduce healthcare costs for both employees and plan sponsors. Patrick explains how Goodbill leverages this and other strategies to audit hospital bills, find errors (which appear in about half of all bills), and secure significant savings. This is a must-listen for any CFO, CHRO, or business owner looking to fulfill their fiduciary duty, contain rising healthcare costs, and provide real, tangible support to their employees—especially those on high-deductible health plans. What you’ll learn: - What 501R is and how it mandates financial assistance from 80% of hospital beds in the US. - The surprisingly high income thresholds that allow many employees to qualify for bill reductions or full waivers. - How to get refunds for hospital bills that have already been paid. - Why half of all hospital bills contain errors and how to find and correct them for savings of 20% or more. - How proactive bill review can be a powerful tool for employee advocacy and trust-building, not a punitive measure. - Practical steps for implementing a bill review and financial assistance program, whether you have a fully insured or self-funded plan. Time Stamps: 00:00 – Preview 01:16 - The Business of Benefits Intro 01:43 – Meet Patrick Haig 03:11 – What is 501R? 05:15 – For-Profit Hospitals and Financial Assistance 08:23 – Income Limits for 501R 12:00 – How Goodbill Reviews Bills for Errors 13:35 – Why Don't More People Know About 501R? 16:05 – The Bill Review Process 18:51 – Shocking Bill Review Results 22:09 – Fiduciary Duty and Overpaying for Healthcare 25:28 – Bill Review Thresholds and Inaccuracy Percentages 29:26 – Common Hospital Billing Errors 34:28 – Implementation and Integration of Goodbill 37:15 – Timing and Refunds for 501R 41:47 – Where to Find Patrick Haig -------------------------------- Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    42 min

  3. JAN 29

    70. Redefining Benefits Leadership w/ Stephanie Porrino & Kristina Ewing

    In this episode of The Business of Benefits, host Chelsea Ryckis sits down with two trailblazing benefits leaders, Stephanie Porrino, Director of HR at Hendry Marine Industries, and Kristina Ewing, Director of Health and Wellbeing at Shoestring Valley Holdings at the Best of the Best Florida Healthcare Alliance event. Together, they share their journeys of transforming employer health plans through innovative strategies, data-driven decision making, and bold vendor partnerships, offering actionable insights for employers ready to take control of their benefits and deliver real value to their people. From self-funding and reference-based pricing to no-cost care alternatives and fiduciary governance, Stephanie and Kristina reveal how they navigated complex challenges, disrupted traditional models, and built multi-year benefits strategies that prioritize both financial sustainability and employee wellbeing. Time Stamps: 00:00 – Welcome to The Business of Benefits   01:02 – Introduction to Guests and Episode Overview   02:19 – Stephanie and Kristina’s Backgrounds and Company Profiles   04:10 – Stephanie’s “Aha” Moment: Discovering Healthcare Pricing Discrepancies   07:19 – Kristina’s Journey: Unbundling and Finding the Right Partners   09:31 – The Importance of Ownership and Advisor Switching   10:08 – Kristina’s Multi-Year Benefits Strategy Overview   13:26 – Overcoming Challenges: Member Education and Engagement   15:41 – Vendor Summit and Setting KPIs for Accountability   18:07 – Hendry Marine’s Roadmap to Reference-Based Pricing and Pharmacy Savings   20:54 – Increasing Preventive Care Utilization with Onsite Clinics   25:29 – Financial Performance and Savings Highlights from Shoestring Valley   27:15 – New Program Innovations and Plan Design Shifts at Hendry Marine   30:25 – Managing High-Cost Claimants and Spousal Coverage Strategies   32:53 – Incentivizing In-Network Utilization and Mental Health Support   33:21 – Compliance and Fiduciary Responsibilities: Leveraging CAA and ERISA   37:03 – Procurement Best Practices: Questions to Ask Vendors   41:32 – Fiduciary Governance: Committees and Due Diligence   43:55 – Addressing Disruption and Administrative Burden in Benefits Changes   46:13 – Q&A: International Pharmacy Programs Explained   47:33 – Q&A: Direct Primary Care and C-Suite Perspectives on ROI vs. Disruption   50:44 – Closing Thoughts on Employee Experience and Leadership Alignment   Guest Links: Stephanie Porrino  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieporrino/ Hendry Marine Industries: https://hendrymarineindustries.com/ Kristina Ewing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-ewing-98aa9867/ Shoestring Valley Holdings: https://www.shoestringvalley.com/ Andersen Construction: https://www.andersen-const.com/ Connect with Chelsea and Donovan: Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/businessofbenefitspodcast Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/ Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/ -------------------------------- Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    51 min

  4. JAN 15

    69. Zero-Copay Generic Drugs & Six-Figure Savings w/ Trace Voshell

    In this episode of The Business of Benefits, host Donovan Ryckis sits down with Trace Voshell, Chief Revenue Officer at GoGoMeds, to expose one of the most overlooked cost drains in employer healthcare: generic drug inflation. While most employers focus on high-cost specialty medications, Trace reveals that generic drugs, covering 80-90% of employees on medication, are systematically overpriced by 30-60% through PBM spread pricing and hidden conflicts of interest. Trace pulls back the curtain on how PBMs profit twice (on adjudication and through ownership of mail order pharmacies), why brokers often block cost-saving solutions (hint: per-script kickbacks), and how employers can bypass these roadblocks even when they feel "handcuffed" to large carrier PBMs. With real case studies showing $45,000 to $140,000+ in annual savings, this episode proves that transparent cost-plus pharmacy pricing can deliver six-figure savings while offering employees zero-copay medications. What You'll Learn:  - Why generic drugs represent the biggest overlooked savings opportunity in pharmacy benefits  - How PBM "spread pricing" allows them to pocket the difference between what they charge you and what they pay pharmacies  - The shocking conflict of interest: PBMs owning their own mail order pharmacies and profiting twice  - Why brokers often block pharmacy savings solutions (per-script fees and backend compensation)  - Real case studies: How a 70-employee shop saves $45K annually and larger groups save $130K-$140K+  - The difference between GoGoMeds and Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company  - How to bypass PBM roadblocks with direct-to-employer pharmacy arrangements  - The vague PBM contract language that enables systematic overcharging (and how to spot it)  - A 60-second ChatGPT hack to identify unfavorable terms in your PBM contract  - Why zero-copay generics are a powerful recruitment, retention, and employee trust-building tool  - How to implement mail order generic pharmacy mid-year without waiting for renewal -------------------------------- Get more on our guest Trace at: GoGoMeds https://gogomeds.com/GoGoClient/ LinkedIn: Trace Voshell https://www.linkedin.com/in/trace-voshell-34040b7a/ Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control. Connect with Chelsea and Donovan: The Business of Benefits Podcast Website: https://www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/businessofbenefitspodcast/ Chelsea https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/ Donovan https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/ -------------------------------- Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    29 min

  5. 12/18/2025

    68. The Great American Healthcare Heist with Guest Chris Deacon

    In this episode, Donovan and Chelsea sit down with Chris Deacon, a nationally known healthcare reform advocate, attorney, and former director of the State of New Jersey’s massive public sector health plan. Chris pulls back the curtain on how public and private employers are getting overcharged, how procurement and politics protect the status quo, and why nonprofit hospital systems often behave like for-profit empires. They break down real examples of claims, hospital contracts, and “negotiated” rates that actually drive prices higher, not lower. You will hear Chris unpack key themes from her new book The Great American Healthcare Heist: Why We’re Paying More and Getting Less, including nonprofit hospital expansion, fully insured versus self-funded plans, the hidden incentives of carriers and PBMs, compensation conflicts in the broker/consultant world, and why most claim review processes are built to fail employers. They also dig into gag clauses, CAA 2021, weak fiduciary enforcement, and how plan sponsors can start demanding data, transparency, and true accountability from everyone at the table. If you are a CFO, HR leader, benefits advisor, or plan sponsor who suspects you are getting crushed by a broken system but are not sure what to do next, this conversation will both infuriate you and give you a playbook to start pushing back. Get more on our Guest Chris at: Website: versanconsulting.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdeaconc/ -------------------------------- Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control. Connect with Chelsea and Donovan: Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/ Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/ Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/ Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    54 min

  6. 12/11/2025

    67. How One Employer Broke The Renewal Cycle: A Case Study

    In this episode of The Business of Benefits, Donovan Ryckis guest starred on a Be More Than a Fiduciary Podcast episode with Eric Dyson of 90 North Consulting and Brenda Kruse of Axiom Healthcare Services. Together, they break down how employers can finally escape the renewal treadmill, create a 3–5 year benefits strategy, and apply fiduciary principles to healthcare. Brenda shares Axiom’s transformation... from repeated renewal frustration to achieving a 13% premium decrease, lowering deductibles, expanding benefits, and reducing employee out-of-pocket costs by 27–38%. Eric and Donovan dig into why the healthcare system fails employers, how to identify misaligned incentives, and why transparency and governance are the keys to long-term success. They also explore PBM dysfunction, compensation conflicts, the four components of a health plan, and why employers must act as true stewards of their healthcare dollars. What You’ll Learn: What’s really behind recurring renewal increases How Axiom achieved a 13% premium decrease while improving benefits Why data transparency directly drives better outcomes Why PBM strategy is the fastest path to meaningful savings The four structural pillars of every health plan How to build and follow a multi-year health plan strategy Fiduciary responsibility explained for employer health plans How to identify and correct misaligned broker/consultant incentives Practical governance tools: fiduciary committees, 408(b)(2), comp review What responsible healthcare stewardship looks like for employers Eric Dyson — 90 North Consulting LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-dyson/ Website: https://90northconsulting.com/ Podcast: Be More Than a Fiduciary Brenda Kruse — Axiom Healthcare Services LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-kruse-2078386/ Website: https://www.axiomhealthcareservices.org/ Donovan Ryckis — Ethos Benefits LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/ Website: https://www.ethosbenefits.com/ Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@thebusinessofbenefits Timestamps: 00:00 – Preview 00:38 – Title Intro: The Business of Benefits   01:00 – Episode Overview: Axiom’s journey & fiduciary crossover   02:08 – Guest Introductions   03:53 – Axiom Healthcare Services: Who they are 04:39 – How Axiom Met Ethos Benefits   05:10 – Early Challenges & The Broken Renewal Cycle   05:52 – Ethos’ Approach: Strategy over sidestepping   06:44 – Building a Multi-Year Plan 07:16 – The Renewal Turnaround (13% decrease)   08:26 – Lowering Costs for Employees 09:19 – Why Data Matters in Healthcare Strategy   10:50 – Making Data Simple for Decision Makers 12:27 – Pharmacy Benefits: The 60% Cost Problem   13:25 – PBM Conflicts & Misaligned Incentives   15:25 – Fixing PBM First: High-Return, Low-Friction Changes 16:27 – Member Experience: What Improves   17:37 – Understanding the Four Parts of a Health Plan   18:20 – Increasing Competition & Transparency 19:46 – Compensation Transparency & Fiduciary Responsibility   20:35 – Forming a Fiduciary Committee   22:53 – Industry Conflicts & Broker Incentives 25:07 – 408(b)(2) Disclosures & Reasonable Arrangements   26:22 – Why Compensation Alignment Matters   27:15 – Advice to New Advisors & Consultants   27:50 – Advice to New Benefits Managers   29:18 – Raising the Standard of Care in Healthcare   31:11 – Internal Alignment: How Employers Improve Outcomes   32:27 – A Better Approach: Curiosity Over Judgment   33:10 – What “Good Healthcare Stewardship” Means   34:28 – Ethos Healthcare Documentaries   35:20 – Closing Remarks & Episode Wrap -------------------------------- Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    36 min

  7. 12/04/2025

    66. Self-Funding Explained in 60 MINUTES with Spencer Smith

    In this episode, Donovan Ryckis, CEO of Ethos Benefits, sits down with Spencer Smith (SVP of Sales at Pareto Health and host of Self-Funded with Spencer) to unpack captives, stop-loss, PBMs, and the steps plan sponsors can take to finally regain control of healthcare spend. Spencer shares how short, educational content helped bring self-funding concepts downstream, why captives act like “bumpers” against catastrophic renewals, and where employers should start: data access, pharmacy, and a long-term strategy. They cover real-world examples—NICU and oncology claims, lasers, biosimilars, international sourcing—and discuss why employee contributions keep rising when nothing seems to change. You’ll walk away with a framework to move from guaranteed cost to variable cost with discipline, reduce claims costs without cutting benefits, and ask your broker the questions that matter. What You’ll Learn: Self-funded fundamentals and the role of stop-lossHow group captives improve predictability across renewalsThe first lever to pull: pharmacy strategy and data accessWhy “reduce claims” means smarter pricing and site-of-care, not less careThree questions every plan sponsor should ask at renewal:  Why these solutions, specifically?  How are you paid, where, and how often?  What’s the long-term strategy beyond this 12-month cycle?POSIWID: the outcomes your system delivers define its true purpose Time Stamps: 00:00 – Welcome & Guest Introduction 02:10 – Spencer’s Journey into Self-Funding 06:20 – Breaking Down Stop-Loss & Captives 10:45 – Fully Insured vs Self-Funded Explained 15:12 – The 401(k) Analogy for Health Plans 19:20 – Why Short-Form Education Works in Benefits 24:05 – Pharmacy Costs & Where to Start Saving 28:48 – Broker Incentives and Transparency 34:32 – Data Access, Claims, and Real-World Fixes 41:20 – POSIWID Framework & Final Takeaways Get more on our Guest at: Website: https://spencerharlansmith.com/ YouTube: @SelfFunded -------------------------------- Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control. Connect with Chelsea and Donovan: Website: https://businessofbenefitspodcast.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/ Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/ Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/ Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    45 min

  8. 11/20/2025

    65. The New Fiduciary Frontier: Transparency, Litigation & the Future of Employer Health Plans

    In this episode of The Business of Benefits, Donovan Ryckis sits down with attorney and national thought leader Alden J. Bianchi to expose one of the most costly and overlooked failures in employer-sponsored healthcare: the illusion of broker transparency. The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) was supposed to fix hidden compensation. It didn’t. Instead, it created a fiduciary requirement to ask, without ever creating a requirement for brokers to actually tell. Employers are expected to manage fiduciary risk without pricing transparency, claims clarity, or conflict-free advice. Alden brings decades of experience advising Fortune 500 employers, consulting firms, and government agencies on ERISA, fiduciary duty, ACA compliance, transparency regulation, machine-readable files, and emerging litigation. In this conversation, he explains why: CAA compensation disclosures are “an absolute joke”Brokers and ASOs avoid disclosure by redefining themselves Employers are left negotiating blindfoldedCurrent PBM and ASO lawsuits are stalled by standing issuesFiduciary governance needs to mirror 401(k) standardsMachine-readable files and AI will change everythingHidden compensation lives in places most employers never lookTransparency is worthless without someone who knows how to use the dataIf you're a CFO, CHRO, HR Director, consultant, or fiduciary of a health plan, this conversation will change how you see the entire benefits ecosystem. What You’ll Learn: Why CAA broker transparency rules failedHow hidden compensation still influences broker recommendations Why employers must build fiduciary governance like their 401(k) plans The difference between named vs. functional fiduciaries How data, machine-readable files, and AI tools will reshape oversight Why market concentration and hospital power keep prices high How reference-based pricing and captives fit into employer strategy What upcoming congressional reforms might change Time Stamps: 00:00 – Preview 00:53 – Show Opener 01:18 – Donovan’s Introduction 02:04 – Meet Alden Bianchi 02:49 – Alden’s Background (ACA, ERISA, Romney Reform) 03:39 – Why Employer Healthcare Costs Exploded 05:10 – Fiduciary Exposure and 401(k) Lessons 07:17 – Donovan on Lack of Data in Healthcare 08:49 – ACA vs. CAA: What Transparency Actually Changed 10:12 – Machine-Readable Files: Why They Matter 10:59 – Broker Compensation Rules Are “A Joke” 12:14 – Why Disclosures Don’t Work (Undisclosed Incentives) 14:02 – Donovan on Conflicts in Broker Comp 15:30 – The True Fiduciary Standard for Employers 16:14 – Alden’s B.O.L.O.s: Override Commissions, Referral Fees 17:48 – Fiduciaries Must Become Quant Analysts 18:54 – Who Is a Fiduciary? Alden’s Simple Definition 20:36 – Why Fiduciary Exposure Is Personal 21:13 – SHRM, CAA Compliance, and Employer Pushback 21:56 – Challenges With Gag Clauses, RxDC, and Disclosures 23:33 – Why Naming a Fiduciary Protects the Board 25:40 – PBM Lawsuits: Standing Problems Explained 27:35 – Why ERISA Remedies Are So Hard to Win 29:20 – How PBM Practices Impact Premiums & Wages 30:31 – Employers Subsidizing Medicare Rates 31:13 – The $35,000 Family Plan Problem 31:44 – Extreme Cases of 16x–21x Medicare Pricing 32:29 – Alden on Reference-Based Pricing’s Role 33:29 – Why Obamacare Didn’t Lower Costs 34:27 – Hospital Profits, Medicare Rates & Misconceptions 35:08 – Are Hospitals Really Underpaid? 36:18 – Where Employers Should Actually Start 37:43 – Incentive Problems in Broker/Consultant Models 38:29 – Group Captives, AHPs, and Small Employer Solutions 39:47 – Why Transparent Products Matter 40:20 – Claims Reporting Problems (Body-Part Categories) 41:18 – The Real Issue: Market Concentration, Not Just Benefits 41:43 – PBM Regulation vs. Antitrust Problems 42:26 – Broker Compensation Should Be on Page 1 of Renewals 44:05 – Hidden Comp in MECs, Indemnity & Non-ERISA Lines 45:48 – Excess Compensation, Double-Dipping & Fiduciary Risk 46:03 – Alden’s Final Advice to Employers 46:55 – Follow Alden on LinkedIn (B.O.L.O. Posts) 47:28 – Closing Thoughts & Episode Wrap-Up Connect With Alden Bianchi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajbianchi/ Firm Bio: https://www.mintz.com/people/alden-j-bianchi Connect with Chelsea and Donovan: Website: https://businessofbenefitspodcast.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/ Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/ Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/ Subscribe for Weekly Employer Insights! Finished with the content? Claim your CE credit here: https://ideas.ethosbenefits.com/continuing-education SHRM: Ethos Benefits is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities. HRCI: Ethos Benefits is approved to offer HRCI® recertification credits for this program. This program has been approved for 0.5 - 1 HR (General) recertification credit(s) toward aPHR®, PHR®, SPHR®, and GPHR® certification.

    48 min
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About

For decades, employers have been fed a lie: “There’s nothing you can do to control healthcare costs.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. The system is doing exactly what it was designed to do—profit off of HR, CFOs, and CEOs who believe that lie year after year.With 180 million Americans relying on employer-sponsored healthcare, it’s time to challenge the status quo. The Business of Benefits is your No BS, No Sales guide to the real solutions. No gimmicks—just the truth about how to take control, transform your benefits, and care for your most valuable asset: your people.Each episode dives deep into the data, exposing industry misalignments and inefficiencies that inflate costs while offering actionable strategies for designing financially sustainable, high-value benefits.Through eye-opening interviews with industry insiders, expert analysis, and real-world success stories, hosts Donovan and Chelsea pull back the curtain on the hidden flaws in the healthcare system. The result? An empowering roadmap for employers ready to break free from outdated models and unlock smarter, more sustainable benefits.If you’re tired of the same old sales pitch and ready to rethink benefits, reduce costs, and improve care—this podcast is for you. The truth is out there—are you ready to hear it?

Information

  • Creator
    Hi Hello Labs Network
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    73
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Hi Hello Labs Network
  • Show Website
    The Business of Benefits Podcast