Self-Funded With Spencer

“There's this ability to impact people directly through the employer in a very cost effective way, giving everyone the chance to improve their health. The more employers that we can impact, the more people we're going to impact." - Erica ArmstrongI recently had the pleasure of speaking with Erica Armstrong, MD, IFMCP, the founder of Root Functional Medicine, who is on a mission to use functional medicine to find and treat the root cause of our health issues. After first connecting with Erica on LinkedIn, I was excited to have her on the show to discuss her holistic approach to healthcare.We discussed the core pillars of functional medicine, including a nutrition-first care model, the critical importance of a healthy gut microbiome, the keys to inflammation management, and even the potential for reversing chronic conditions. We also cover how she is bringing this new, more comprehensive model to employers and their employees.Tune in this week to learn all about functional medicine!Chapters:(00:00:00) Functional Medicine 101 | with Erica Armstrong(00:05:37) The “Root Cause” Approach(00:07:03) Holistic Approach Of Functional Medicine (00:16:56) Nutrition-First Care(00:25:59) The Importance Of A Healthy Gut Microbiome(00:34:46) Chronic Condition Reversal(00:44:10) The Key To Inflammation ManagementKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

If you'd like your question answered on next month's episode, call/text 469-213-6381 and leave us a voicemail/text.Each month on Last Month In Healthcare, producer Nathaniel joins me to discuss the previous month's podcasts, headlines, and listener-submitted questions. This month, we were joined in studio by Shawn Ferguson from Acrisure!This episode covers healthcare news from May 2025, including:- Trump's 'most favored nation' executive order- AI in the FDA- FDA's plan to review chemicals in our food supply- Prices for new drugs doubling in the last 4 years- Hospitals outsourcing minor surgeries- The DOJ lawsuit against Aetna, Elevance, and HumanaAnd we play a new game called the Macro Matchup, where Spencer and Shawn attempt to guess the calories, sugar, fat, and protein of 4 very unhealthy fast food items.Chapters: 0:00 - Intro1:01 - Healthcare Headlines18:21 - The Self-Funded Review31:29 - Macro Match-up (this month's game)38:06 - Ask Spencer AnythingSources: https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/trump-most-favored-nations-drug-pricing-plan/747761/https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-fda-centers-deploy-ai-internally-immediately-2025-05-08/https://www.reuters.com/world/us/fda-plans-review-chemicals-us-food-supply-official-says-2025-05-15/https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/prices-new-us-drugs-doubled-4-years-focus-rare-disease-grows-2025-05-22/https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/innovation/healthcare-diversified-hospitals-are-outsourcing-minor-surgerieshttps://www.reuters.com/sustainability/us-files-false-claims-complaint-against-three-health-insurers-2025-05-01/

"I want to be in our own category." - Rob GelbI recently joined Rob Gelb, CEO of Vālenz, which is a sponsor of this show, at the Vālenz office in Philadelphia to discuss the story of the company, how it operates in the market currently, and it's future, which includes the recently announced Vālenz One. Rob describes VālenzONE as a “health plan optimizer”, and we discussed what that means and what it looks like to build a new way for employers to manage their healthcare. We also discussed the healthcare market as a whole, what it's currently lacking, and Rob's general philosophy of how he's approached building this new platform.Tune in this week to learn all about VālenzONE!Chapters:(00:00:00) What Is VālenzONE? | with Rob Gelb(00:08:03) How Data Can Reduce Health Plan Spend(00:19:48) How Vālenz Has Transformed Over The Years(00:22:43) What Does Optimized Healthcare Look Like?(00:36:58) Why Integrated Health Solutions Are The Future(00:41:34) Innovative Healthcare Collaborations(00:50:17) What Does It Mean To Be Innovative?Key Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

“We show…very similar weight loss outcomes to GLP1 in a similar timeframe at a fraction of the cost, but sustainable through behavior change." - Colin RogersColin Rogers, VP at Signos, joined me for episode 200! On this special episode, we talked about something I'm very passionate and vocal about: weight loss for everybody. Signos combines continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), our phones, and AI to track longitudinal data and help educate and prompt members to make better health decisions. If you're into personalized population health, then this is the episode for you!On one of our earliest episodes, a guest shared that the best way to solve the problem of healthcare is to produce less disease. GLP-1s definitely appear to have a role to play in that, but as Colin shares on this episode, the more we can achieve GLP-1 results in a way that's sustainable, the better, for employers and for America.Chapters:(00:00:00) GLP-1 Weight Loss At A Fraction Of The Cost | with Colin Rogers(00:11:29) Real-world CGM Data Impact(00:15:26) Health Programs for Metabolism Control(00:21:37) Real-time Glucose Monitoring Devices Empower Employees(00:36:03) How CGMs Can Optimize A Health Plan(00:42:05) Why This Data Is So PowerfulKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

“You know, Marshall was known in the healthcare space, but there's 100 million Americans who don't know anything about the healthcare space. And those are the people that we're really trying to serve." - Sonja AllenSonja Allen is the Managing Director of the Marshall Allen Project and the Allen Health Academy, and as many of you know, she was also married to our dear friend, the late Marshall Allen. Sonja joined me to discuss how she's continuing Marshall's mission of helping Americans fight back against our healthcare system, using the MAC, an AI clone of Marshall Allen.She also shared the story of her and Marshall's lives together, including how they met and how he found his passion for healthcare journalism, and I'm humbled to have had the chance to capture a permanent record of it for the world. Marshall was a dear friend and an inspiration, and I was honored to have him on the show. I hope you'll tune in this week to hear how we can all continue his legacy.Chapters:(00:00:00) Continuing Marshall Allen's Legacy | with Sonja Allen(00:03:40) Sonja's Experience Growing Up In Kenya(00:08:43) Meeting Marshall Allen(00:16:04) Marshall's Career Transformation(00:30:58) The MAC - The Marshall Allen AI Clone(00:33:53) Empowering Healthcare Navigation Using The MAC(00:42:55) Informing Americans Of Their Healthcare RightsKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

“That's the great thing about upfront, all inclusive, transparent specialty care is you eliminate all of that, right? You purchase the service, you never see another bill from it again. You're done." - Dean JargoDean Jargo, CEO of Fair Market Health, joined me this week to share why US healthcare desperately needs to be a fair market. We talked about what that means and why it requires us to construct a new healthcare ecosystem, how it enables patients to actually receive better care at a lower price point, and how it can work in conjunction with employer benefits to create a more effective system for employers, employees, and providers. Join us this week on Self-Funded with Spencer as we talk the big-picture future of healthcare!Chapters:(00:00:00) Returning Healthcare To The Free Market | with Dean Jargo(00:03:50) Streamlining Healthcare Payments(00:10:02) Directly Purchasing Specialty Care(00:16:00) Why Healthcare Desperately Needs A Fair Market(00:21:44) Transparent Pricing Model(00:26:23) Creating A New Healthcare Ecosystem(00:53:12) Clear Pricing Leads To Informed Healthcare PurchasesKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

“Some of the most expensive real estate is healthcare real estate. And so by pulling that out of our business model, it allows us to bring care in a very convenient way directly into the homes of our patients." - Jory ZunichThis episode combines two topics we speak about frequently on Self-Funded: making healthcare more affordable, and improving access to care for employees. Jory Zunich of Nice Healthcare joined me to explain how Nice is able to provide in-home healthcare affordably, and how their model can potentially revolutionize primary care. We discussed how Jory got into healthcare and his track-and-field background before talking about Nice, and how simply removing the element of real-estate costs can make in-home care cheaper in some cases. Jory shared how his kids have only ever experience in-home care, and why that convenience is powerful.Chapters:00:00:00 How Nice Healthcare Provides Affordable In-Home Healthcare | with Jory Zunich00:20:05 The Power Of Virtual Healthcare00:30:58 How In-Home Care Can Actually Be Cheaper00:40:11 Convenient In-Home Labs00:40:57 Streamlined Patient Navigation in Primary Care00:42:29 Cost-Effective Healthcare SolutionsKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

“I want other people to know that, like, there's nothing wrong with you. If you have mental health issues, there's help for you and there's life on the other side." - Sims TillirsonThis is the second part of my conversation with Sims Tillirson, the first of which released this Tuesday. In this episode, we focused on Sims' openness about his mental health issues on LinkedIn, his struggle to get off of antidepressants, and destigmatizing conversations about mental health, especially among men. Sims also shared some tips for men who have friends struggling mentally, and how we can all do a better job supporting each other.This episode is pretty distinct from the first, and from most episodes of Self-Funded, but it was an important conversation to be had, and I hope you'll tune in.Chapters:00:00:00 Helping Each Other Through Mental Health Struggles | with Sims Tillirson00:00:32 Destigmatizing Mental Health00:03:15 How Do We Increase Access To Mental Healthcare?00:06:14 The Power of Genuine Listening00:09:54 Holistic Approach to Medication and Mental HealthcareKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Mental Health Awareness, Mens Mental Health, Break The Stigma, Empathetic Listening, Antidepressants, Mindfulness, Depression, Supporting Others, Alternative Therapies, sims tillirson, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#MentalHealthAwareness #MensMentalHealth #BreakTheStigma #EmpatheticListening #Antidepressants #Mindfulness #Depression #SupportingOthers #AlternativeTherapies #simstillirson #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

“If you've shied away from showing who you are because you fear that you'll lose sales: people that would not like the authentic version of you are not going to be good customers of you anyway. Put yourself out there, disqualify the people that don't like the real you, and create a bunch of raving fans for yourself." - Sims TillirsonI would honestly be surprised if you listen to this show and haven't heard of Sims Tillirson; he has one of the best social media presences of anyone in the benefits industry, and he joined me this week to share what got him into benefits, how he got started with social media selling, and his thoughts on the importance of authenticity in the current LinkedIn environment. If you're just getting started with social media posting or you've been posting for a while, there's a lot to learn from Sims and I've been continually impressed to see how his personal brand has grown over the years. Tune in to this week's episode of Self-Funded with Spencer to learn the power of being authentic on LinkedIn, from the social media master himself!Chapters:00:00:00 The Four Pillars of the Perfect LinkedIn Strategy | with Sims Tillirson00:06:57 How Sims found his way into benefits00:11:13 Navigating the challenges of working at startups00:21:21 How Sims built his personal brand00:24:35 Why personalized video messages are so effective00:27:03 Relationship-focused outbound sales techniques00:28:54 Building trust through social mediaKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Sales Techniques, Sales Networking, Social Media Selling, Authenticity, Personal Storytelling, Video Messaging, Outbound Sales, Social Selling, Benefits Industry, Sales Success, Social Media Presence, sims tillirson, spencer smith podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#SalesTechniques #SalesNetworking #SocialMediaSelling #Authenticity #PersonalStorytelling #VideoMessaging #OutboundSales #SocialSelling #BenefitsIndustry #SalesSuccess #SocialMediaPresence #simstillirson #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

If you'd like your question answered on next month's episode, call/text 469-213-6381 and leave us a voicemail/text.This month, we were joined by Rob Gelb in his office in Philadelphia!Welcome to Last Month In Healthcare! Each month, producer Nathaniel joins me to discuss the previous month's podcasts, headlines, and listener-submitted questions. This episode covers healthcare news from April 2025, including:- RFK banning artificial food dyes- Phasing out animal testing- The amount of microplastics in our brains- An update on the FTC lawsuit against PBMs- Can AI answer medical questions better than your doctor?- Bill Gates on AI doctors/teachers- The UnitedHealth stock crash- Heavy metals in Girl Scout cookiesAnd, we play a game of "Medical Myths."Chapters: 0:00 - Intro0:47 - The Self-Funded Review7:44 - Healthcare Headlines33:11 - Medical Myths35:12 - Ask Spencer AnythingSources: ⁠https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-announces-plan-phase-out-animal-testing-requirement-monoclonal-antibodies-and-other-drugshttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-ai-answer-medical-questions-better-than-your-doctor-202403273028https://www.instagram.com/breakfreefromplastic/p/DGBbTB5z48n/https://www.barrons.com/articles/unitedhealth-stock-falls-medicare-advantage-6c54e1c1https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/unitedhealth-lowers-annual-profit-forecast-higher-costs-2025-04-17/https://unusualwhales.com/news/bill-gates-says-ai-will-replace-doctors-and-teachers-in-10-yearshttps://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/rfk-jr-announces-plans-remove-artificial-dyes-nations-food-supply-rcna202184https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/ftc-pbm-case-move-forward-ferguson/744454/

"Automating those healthy habits is essential." - Chris BurgessChris Burgess is the creator of the app Affili-Fit, which creates custom workout and diet plans for its users. We talked about what led him to create this app, how it sets itself apart in that market, and how he's working with employers to use the app for employee wellness programs. Chris never intended to start an app, and he shares what the experience has been like from initial idea, to taking on investment, and now expanding in different markets. We talked about the psychology behind paid vs. free apps, what he sees as the future for Afiili-Fit, and how it's found success with its users.Tune in this week to learn about a fitness and diet app for employee wellness!Chapters:00:00:00 A Fitness And Diet App For Employee Wellness | with Chris Burgess00:06:07 Chris's Construction Background00:21:32 Automated Meal Planning/Nutrition App00:31:26 Using AI To Help Build Meal Plans00:37:29 Helping Users Meet Their Health Goals00:48:35 How Affilifit Can Be Used For Employee Wellness01:06:09 Employer-Sponsored Fitness PlansKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Construction, Nutrition App, Affilifit, Meal Planning, Employee Wellness, Custom Workout, diet app, exercise app, fitness app, wellness, diet, nutrition, fitness, exercise, chris burgess, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, selffunding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#Construction #NutritionApp #Affilifit #MealPlanning #EmployeeWellness #CustomWorkout #dietapp #exerciseapp #fitnessapp #wellness #diet #nutrition #fitness #exercise #chrisburgess #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

“Each acquisition has its own fingerprints. You kind of think, oh, it's an acquisition. No, it's all different.” - Diane DooleyDiane Dooley, a CHRO and consultant, joined me this week to discuss what HR's role in mergers & acquisitions is, and why HR is so key to that process. We talked about doing the right due diligence before an acquisition, how to merge cultures, and how to navigate the different reactions that employees inevitably have. Diane and I also dove into the psychology of both the buyer and the seller in an M&A transaction, and why the reasons to buy are often not the same as those to sell. Founders often have much more emotions surrounding the transaction, which have to be taken into account to make sure the transition is as smooth as possible for them and their employees.Join me this week on Self-Funded with Spencer to find out what HR's role is in the M&A process!Chapters:00:00:00 HR's Role In M&A: Due Diligence, Culture, and Integration | with Diane Dooley00:08:08 Assessing Cultural Fit in M&A00:15:49 Thorough Due Diligence When Acquiring00:20:52 Impact of Company Culture in Mergers00:25:26 Navigating Integration With Change Management 00:39:17 Leadership Continuity00:41:54 The Importance of Employee Incentives00:46:37 Avoiding Hiring Mistakes01:06:51 Being Proactive In HRKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: HR, Mergers And Acquisitions, M and A, Mergers, Acquisitons, CHRO, Due Diligence, Culture, Integration, Change Management, Succession, Recruitment, Diane Dooley, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#HR #MergersAndAcquisitions #MandA #Mergers #Acquisitons #CHRO #DueDiligence #Culture #Integration #ChangeManagement #Succession #Recruitment #dianedooley #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

"If you're an employer, if someone comes up and knocks on your door, take a second, breathe, and listen to what they have to say." - Christopher CordonChristopher Cordon joined me this week to talk about something that may initially seem contradictory to what I typically preach: level-funding. Chris shares why worksite benefits sales for employers with under 50 employees led him to level-funding as a solution, and why he's so passionate about serving that under-served market.  Chris has a background as an actor, and we also discussed how that has helped him in sales and in the entrepreneurial world, as well as in his recent LinkedIn content. Chris is a passionate guy who genuinely wants to make insurance affordable and easy for small employers, and I hope you'll tune in to hear just how he does that. Chapters:00:00:00 Health Insurance Benefits With Less Than 50 Employees | with Christopher Cordon00:08:37 Chris's Career Path00:23:56 Learning How To Navigate Sales00:33:45 Why Large Employers Are Almost All Self-Funded00:44:33 The Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness of Direct Primary Care00:48:21 Why Chris Has Embraced Level-Funding00:52:59 Simplifying Self-Insurance01:01:51 How Do We Make Healthcare Sustainable?01:10:27 AI's Impact on Healthcare CostsKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Direct Primary Care, DPC, Level Funded, Level Funding, Employer Solutions, Healthcare Consulting,  Insurance Business, AI in Healthcare, entrepreneurship, christopher cordon, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#DirectPrimaryCare #DPC #LevelFunded #LevelFunding #EmployerSolutions  #HealthcareConsulting  #InsuranceBusiness #AIinHealthcare #entrepreneurship #christophercordon #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

"If you know how a PBM gets paid, that's the best transparency you can ask for.” - Julie WassermanJulie Wasserman, VP of Sales for VerusRx, joined me this week to discuss the PBM industry in 2025. If you're a PBM, how do you gain trust with employers and build plans that work for them? We talk about what every PBM should be doing for their employers, what true transparency looks like, how to reach employees directly through software, and how GLP1s are changing the industry.If you're a PBM or work with them, or are just curious about one of the biggest industries in healthcare, make sure to tune in this week to Self-Funded with Spencer to hear from Julie on what the best practices need to look like.Chapters:00:00:00 What The PBM Industry Should Focus On In 2025 | with Julie Wasserman00:15:07 Increasing Employee Engagement00:20:16 Complexity in the PBM Industry00:25:03 Data-Driven Health Savings for Employers00:31:27 What Does True Transparency Look Like00:49:36 Global Drug Price Discrepancies00:56:38 Incentivizing Cost-Effective Healthcare Decisions in PBMs01:01:11 Financial Risks of Covering GLP1s for Weight LossKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: VerusRx, PBM, PBMs, Rebate, Rebates, Pharmacy Rebates, Transparency, PBMIndustry, GLP1, GLP1s, Ozempic, Wegovy, pharma, Reference Based Pricing, RBP, Healthcare Costs, julie wasserman, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#VerusRx #PBM #PBMs #Rebate #Rebates #PharmacyRebates #Transparency #PBMIndustry #GLP1 #GLP1s #Ozempic #Wegovy #pharma #ReferenceBasedPricing #RBP #HealthcareCosts #juliewasserman #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

If you'd like your question answered on next month's episode, call/text 469-213-6381 and leave us a voicemail/text.Last Month In Healthcare is officially a video podcast! Each month, producer Nathaniel joins me to discuss the previous month's podcasts, headlines, and listener-submitted questions. This episode covers healthcare news from March 2025, including:- Marty Makary getting confirmed to lead the FDA- The HHS restructuring, including 10,000 job cuts- Texas's response to the MAHA commission- Operation Stork Speed, aiming to make baby formula safer and healthier- The potential ban on soda/candy for those on food stamps- Increasing cybersecurity risks for healthcare providersAnd, we play a game of "AI Company, Healthcare Company, or Metal Band?"Chapters: 0:00 - Intro1:10 - The Self-Funded Review5:38 - Healthcare Headlines23:13 - AI Company, Healthcare Company, Or Metal Band?25:17 - OutroSources:https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2025/03/26/Senate-confirms-Marty-Makary/7901742973955/https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/hhs-restructuring-doge.htmlhttps://texasscorecard.com/state/texas-senators-tackle-maha-agenda/https://www.newsnationnow.com/health/rfk-jr-baby-formula-operation-stork-speed/https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/27/rfk-jr-food-stamps-soda-usda-tension-00252045https://www.hipaajournal.com/himss-survey-healthcare-cybersecurity-2024/https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/06/rural_hospitals_cybersecurity/https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/private-equity-takeover-healthcare-firms-need-cybersecurity-vigilance-reporthttps://www.hipaajournal.com/healthcare-data-breach-statistics/https://globalventuring.com/corporate/healthcare/us-hospitals-bump-up-tech-investments-as-healthcare-crises-widen/https://www.discogs.com/lists/Underrated-Obscure-And-Cult-Heavy-Metal-bands/313760?page=7https://builtin.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-companies-rounduphttps://www.glassdoor.com/Explore/browse-companies.htm?filterType=RATING_OVERALL&locId=1&locType=N&locName=United-states§or=10012&page=15&overall_rating_low=4

"Insurance is about health and wealth. It protects your health, it should protect your wealth." - Kylie EverhartKylie Everhart, Chief Growth Officer at Oxbridge Health, joined me to discuss episode benefit plans and how they empower consumers to make better healthcare choices. Episode benefit plans bundle pricing for the entirety of an “episode of care” - for example, if you need a knee surgery, an episode benefit plan would figure out the cost of everything involved in that procedure from several different providers in your area, and offer you multiple bundled price points to choose from. Americans deserve to know the price of their healthcare upfront so that they can make informed decisions. As Kylie shares in the episode, once people have transparent pricing on medical procedures, they demand it from any healthcare plan they use in the future.Tune in this week to Self-Funded with Spencer for a new method of empowering consumers to make good healthcare choices.  Chapters:(00:00:00) Empowering Americans To Shop For Their Healthcare | with Kylie Everhart(00:05:22) Consumerism In Healthcare(00:23:59) Connecting Patients To Cost-Effective Care(00:28:02) The Balance of Technology and Human Connection(00:29:44) Data-Driven Solutions for Employer Healthcare Costs(00:42:17) What Are Episode Benefit Plans?(00:57:21) Transparent Pricing Empowers ConsumersKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Healthcare Choice, Employer Healthcare, Healthcare Plans, Episode Benefit Plans, Oxbridge, Empowering Consumers, Consumer Healthcare, Healthcare Consumerism, Healthcare Transparency, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#HealthcareChoice #EmployerHealthcare #HealthcarePlans #EpisodeBenefitPlans #Oxbridge #EmpoweringConsumers #ConsumerHealthcare #HealthcareConsumerism #HealthcareTransparency #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

"I think innovation is supposed to be hard. That's why it's innovation.” - Seth Denson“Better consumption requires a lot more education.” - Trey Marinello"Don't compare GLP-1s to working out, because if they were working out, they wouldn't need the GLP1s." - Danish Nagda“I think what RFK has done with the MAHA movement is he's gotten people interested in health again.” - Jonathan LopezSeth Denson, Trey Marinello, Danish Nagda, and Jonathan Lopez joined me for the most ambitious podcast we've ever attempted. On location in the Red Phone Booth speakeasy in The Colony, Texas, 35 guests joined us from across the United States to share ideas to shape the future of healthcare. In my longest podcast ever, we covered the doctor shortage in America, GLP-1s, AI's role in healthcare, answered live audience questions, and so much more.This podcast was made possible by Havencrest Capital Management and True Rx Health Strategists. Special thank you to Sawyer Stratton.No matter what role you play in our healthcare ecosystem, I promise that you'll learn something from these four amazing guests I had on this week's episode of Self-Funded with Spencer.Chapters:00:00:00 The Future Of Healthcare Podcast00:11:31 Solving The Healthcare Provider Shortage00:16:49 AI's Role In Healthcare00:23:01 Enhancing The Healthcare Consumer Experience00:29:27 Empowering Individuals in Healthcare Decision-Making00:32:20 PBMs Role In Healthcare00:39:06 GLP-1 Concerns00:51:02 Improving Patient Outcomes01:13:05 Audience Q&AKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Healthcare Innovation, Future Of Healthcare, Doctor Shortage, Care Navigation, GLP1, Ozempic, PBMs, Healthcare Incentives, MAHA, make america healthy again, rfk, jonathan lopez, danish nagda, seth denson, trey marinello, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#HealthcareInnovation #FutureOfHealthcare #DoctorShortage #CareNavigation #GLP1 #Ozempic #PBMs #HealthcareIncentives #MAHA #makeamericahealthyagain #rfk #jonathanlopez #danishnagda #sethdenson #treymarinello #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

"Our business is predicated on two things: consolidating things that would otherwise be disparate, and then using that as a trusted chassis to communicate and engage effectively." - Ryan CoplonRyan Coplon, co-founder of HealthWallet, joined me to discuss why improving member engagement actually reduces health plan expenses, how we get members to understand their healthcare, and what the “perfect” employer health plan would look like. In my opinion, solutions like HealthWallet are something of a no-brainer if you're an employer; you can implement amazing, cost-containing point solutions, but if your employees don't know how to access them, they aren't going to when they access care. Ryan and I talk about the importance of accessibility and empowering consumers to make the right choices with their care.Tune in this week to learn how to simplify the way employees access their healthcare!Chapters:00:00:00 Fixing The Way Employees Access Healthcare with Ryan Coplon00:14:26 Re-bundling Disparate Services To Improve Member Experience00:19:50 Enhancing Member Engagement00:21:28 Integrated Healthcare Reduces Expenses00:31:50 Healthcare Simplification00:46:45 Transitioning to Digital Member IDs00:52:49 Building the Perfect Health PlanKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Member Experience, Health Wallet, Health Plans, Member Access, Accessing Healthcare, Digital ID, Direct Primary Care, Emergency Care Navigation, Care Navigation, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#MemberExperience #HealthWallet #HealthPlans #MemberAccess #AccessingHealthcare #DigitalID #DirectPrimaryCare #EmergencyCareNavigation #CareNavigation #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

If you'd like your question answered on next month's episode, call/text 469-213-6381 and leave us a voicemail/text.Welcome to our new monthly podcast series, Last Month In Healthcare! Each month, producer Nathaniel joins me to discuss the previous month's podcasts, headlines, and listener-submitted questions. This episode covers healthcare news from February 2025, including:- the start of the Make America Healthy Again commission- executive orders to make healthcare prices more transparent - beef tallow fries at Steak 'n Shake- telehealth advertising and GLP-1 statistics - the FTC lawsuit against huge PBMs- American's wariness about AI in healthcare- allowing AI to prescribe medicine- a bipartisan bill to allow HSA dollars to be used for direct primary careChapters: 0:00 - Intro1:09 - The Self-Funded Review8:40 - Healthcare Headlines30:40 - Ask Spencer Anything

"I think that's the difference with a contagious community. Like, I want to bring other people that I like into this community." - Scott SmithScott Smith, President of True Network Advisors, joins the show for a third time for this podcast filmed at his boathouse in Guntersville, Alabama. Scott and I talked about contagious communities, which Scott defines as a community that people want to share with other people in their life. We also talked about Scott's list of paradoxes, why he calls his wife “Miss Hot Dog”, creating genuine relationships in life and business, and why authentic expression is so important to both of us. This is the longest podcast we've ever released, but also one of the most engaging, and Scott is always a fascinating person to talk to. Tune in this week to Self-Funded with Spencer to learn about what it takes to create a contagious community!Chapters:00:00:00 How to Build a Contagious Community | with Scott Smith00:12:19 What's in a name?00:16:36 Scott's definition of a “contagious community”00:24:46 Organic growing an engaging community00:36:27 Cultivating positive community experiences00:40:09 Building a culture of kindness 00:46:33 Creating genuine relationships in business and life00:57:48 Should we worry about our own legacies?01:06:29 Dealing with the negativity that comes with building anything01:16:37 Why authentic expression is so important 01:23:10 The burden of choice Key Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Contagious Community, Contagious Communities, Creating Communities, Community Building, Relationship Building, Legacy, Free Speech, Paradox Of Choice, Positive Communities, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#ContagiousCommunity #ContagiousCommunities #CreatingCommunities #CommunityBuilding #RelationshipBuilding #Legacy #FreeSpeech #ParadoxOfChoice #PositiveCommunities #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

"Reversing obesity, reversing diabetes is possible. You don't just have to manage a chronic condition." - Steve HastingsSteve Hastings, Leader of Health Plans at Virta Health, joined me to share Virta's strategy to help members reverse type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and obesity. He also shared their findings on just how important food is to our overall health and the power it has as medicine.If you've listened to pretty much any episode of Self-Funded with Spencer, you've heard my thoughts on the importance of healthy nutrition and eating, and how so many of America's chronic health problems are due to what we eat. Steve shared how they put together effective plans that actually work to help people lose weight, and keep it off, without using GLP-1s or other drugs. And, if a member needs GLP-1s, they work to create a strategy to make sure the drug is effective and they can maintain that weight loss.Join us on Self-Funded this week to learn how it's possible to reverse diabetes and obesity!Chapters:00:00:00 Meet Steve Hastings00:02:53 Food As Medicine00:07:47 Membership-based Primary Care 00:15:29 Nutrition-Based Reversal of Diabetes and Obesity00:17:35 America's Obesity Health Crisis00:20:03 Long-term Health Goal Support00:27:42 Tailored Nutrition Plans To Reverse Diabetes00:35:55 Mental Health Improvement From Weight Loss00:49:00 Optimizing Health Outcomes Through FoodKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Nutrition, Primary Care, Reversing Diabetes, Reversing Obesity, Diabetes, Obesity, Obesity In America, Behavior Change, Individualized Nutrition, GLP1s, GLPs, Ozempic, semiglutides, Food As Medicine, Wellness, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#Nutrition #PrimaryCare #ReversingDiabetes #ReversingObesity #Diabetes #Obesity #ObesityInAmerica #BehaviorChange #IndividualizedNutrition #GLP1s #GLPs #Ozempic #semiglutides #FoodAsMedicine  #Wellness #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

"If you're not going to be excited when I'm calling you, we're probably not a mutual fit." - Maggie QuinnMaggi Quinn, SVP of Consulting at Intrepid Benefits, joined me to discuss working at an all-female insurance agency, why specialization is so important in today's market, and some innovative approaches to self-funded healthcare.Maggi shares her journey into insurance, as well as how she found her way to Intrepid, and why the relationship side of the business is the most important to her. We also discuss what makes Intrepid so different, and how that's won (and lost) them business over the years. Tune in this week to Self-Funded with Spencer to learn why I gave Maggi the name “Maggi Quinn, Benefits Woman”.Chapters:00:00:00 Meet Maggi Quinn00:11:18 Maggi's Journey To Intrepid00:22:11 Enhancing Employer Healthcare00:26:09 Customized, Personal Solutions For Employers00:31:06 Mutual Fit in Client Relationships00:37:11 Enhancing Client Understanding in Healthcare Communication00:39:18 Personalized Medication Management through DNA Sequencing00:42:39 Enhancing Well-being Through Health Education00:55:14 Innovative Approaches To Employer-sponsored HealthcareKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Healthcare Solutions, Wellness, Personalized Medication, Client Relationships, Innovative Healthcare, Self Funded Employers, Specialized Healthcare, Future Of Healthcare, Cost Effective Healthcare, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#HealthcareSolutions #Wellness #PersonalizedMedication #ClientRelationships #InnovativeHealthcare #SelfFundedEmployers #SpecializedHealthcare #FutureOfHealthcare #CostEffectiveHealthcare #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

"Be kind, be focused on others, be a steward of your craft and take the opportunity to take action.” - Sean WoodSean Wood, SVP of National Partnerships at ParetoHealth, joined me for a podcast that is far less about captives than it is about being a sales ninja. We talk about getting started in sales, the buyer as a skeptic, collaborative selling, and sales mentorship.Sean was actually a pro basketball player, and he shares how his point guard experience has translated to his career. He shares what led him into sales and why he embraced it so quickly, and why Pareto felt like a natural fit when he joined. Whether you're just getting started in sales or you're a sales veteran, I promise you'll learn something from this week's episode of Self-Funded with Spencer.Chapters:00:00:00 Meet Sean Wood00:04:16 Elevating Your Team As A Leader00:11:04 Transitioning From Pro Basketball To Sales00:20:04 Trust-Based Team Selling 00:24:11 Long-term Relationship Building In Sales00:31:30 The Importance Of Sales Mentorship00:53:09 Healthcare Solutions Driven By The Market00:59:57 The Future Of Healthcare ConsultingKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Transition To Sales, Collaborative Selling, Team Sales, Mentorship, Relationship Building, Sales Process, Healthcare Solutions, Buyer Mentality, Sales Success, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#TransitionToSales #CollaborativeSelling #TeamSales #Mentorship #RelationshipBuilding #SalesProcess #HealthcareSolutions #BuyerMentality #SalesSuccess #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

“Whatever your clients find attractive about you and the reason they want to work with you is the exact same reason that a buyer is going to find you attractive and want to acquire your agency.”- Shelby CowleyShelby Cowley joined me this week to discuss the complicated world of insurance mergers & acquisitions. How do you get the best valuation for your agency? What key metrics are most attractive to buyers? How much does personality impact the value?We answer all of those questions and more on this week's episode of Self-Funded.Chapters:00:00:00 Meet Shelby Cowley00:08:51 Empowering Entrepreneurs through Unique Insurance M&A00:11:42 Valuation Impact on Agency Acquisition Success00:15:46 High Demand Driving Top-Tier Valuations in Acquisitions00:19:29 Strategic Evaluation for Successful Business Acquisitions00:22:18 Long-term Partnership Potential in Buyer Selection00:28:45 Performance-Based Growth In Business Sale Agreements00:37:57 Leveraging Private Equity for Growth and Acquisitions00:42:15 Maximizing Acquisition Value Through Seller's Representation00:45:18 Value-Driven Consulting in Client RelationshipsKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: Insurance Mergers, Mergers And Acquisitions, Business Sales, Sales, Business Acquisition, Market Dynamics, Transactions, Private Equity Deals, PE, Private Equity, Buyer Selection, Earn Out Period, Seller Representation, Consultant, Insurance Industry, Broker, Representative, Valuations, Growth Strategies, Transaction Goals, Employee Benefits, fixing healthcare, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding#InsuranceMergers #MergersAndAcquisitions #BusinessSales #Sales #BusinessAcquisition #MarketDynamics #Transactions #PrivateEquityDeals #PE #PrivateEquity #BuyerSelection #EarnOutPeriod #SellerRepresentation #Consultant #InsuranceIndustry #Broker #Representative #Valuations #GrowthStrategies #TransactionGoals #EmployeeBenefits #fixinghealthcare #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding

“Organ transplant is not something that the employer or even the TPAs are necessarily all experts in." - Guy Finley “There are still going to be some situations and some events inside that episode of care that are going to be stop-loss related, so we want the two to work together.” - Robby Kerr Guy Finley and Robby Kerr from HCC joined me in studio for this week's episode of Self-Funded to discuss covering organ transplants. The costs associated with and frequency of these procedures have greatly increased in recent years, and Guy and Robby share HCC's strategy to separately insure transplants. Before jumping into the world of organ transplants, we talked about Guy and Robby's backgrounds and how they made their way to HCC, as well as each of their roles currently. I was interested to learn why organ transplants became such a passion project for Guy, and how covering them is similar to other high-cost expenditures like specialty drugs.  Join us this week to get an education on organ transplant policy and the best way to cover them in today's market! Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Guy Finley and Robby Kerr 00:07:52 Organ Transplant Insurance 00:13:05 Rising Costs of Transplant Procedures 00:17:31 Comprehensive Coverage for Potential Transplants 00:21:56 Transplant Coverage Financial Assessment 00:27:11 Transplant Nurse Advisors 00:33:24 Transplant Policy Evaluation and Underwriting Process 00:37:26 Rising Liver Transplant Numbers 00:47:42 Innovative Risk Mitigation in Gene Therapy 00:50:17 Rising Rates of Organ Transplants Nationwide 00:59:41 Empowering Consumers Through Healthcare Price Transparency Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  insurance industry, organ transplant, transplants, transplant, transplant insurance, healthcare costs, risk mitigation, transplant coverage, care coordination, stop loss, price transparency, financial planning, Employee Benefits, fixing healthcare, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #insuranceindustry #organtransplant #transplants #transplant #transplantinsurance #healthcarecosts #riskmitigation #transplantcoverage #carecoordination #stoploss #pricetransparency #financialplanning #EmployeeBenefits #fixinghealthcare #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding

“It's everything. Exposure, knowledge, education, generating new business, solving clients, risk management objectives. It's all here." - John Capasso“And the question comes up year over year, what is the ROI of SIIA? Did we have a legitimate hard dollar return on investment? And the answer is yes, we've always seen a return.” - Amy Gasbarro This week's episode of Self-Funded was recorded at the SIIA National Conference in September 2024. I spoke on-stage with Amy Gasbarro and John Capasso about their work at SIIA, what SIIA's legislative efforts have looked like in recent years, and some practical networking tips for anybody attending a SIIA event. Along the way, we also dive into the history of SIIA, what's made it so relevant for so long, and what the real ROI is for both the attendees and the sponsors. At the end of the podcast, we have a Q&A with the audience.  Thank you to SIIA for sponsoring this special edition of the podcast!  Chapters: 00:00:00 Self-Funded At SIIA 00:07:44 Amy and John's Work At SIIA 00:11:09 SIIA's Legislative Efforts 00:18:29 Practical Tips For Insurance Conference Networking 00:27:26 AI Discussions At SIIA 00:36:50 Collaborative Networking At SIIA 00:41:10 The Real ROI Of SIIA Sponsorship 00:45:40 The Educational Opportunities At SIIA 00:50:09 Q&A Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  SIIA, Insurance Conference, Advocacy, Networking, SIIA Conference, Self Insurance, Sponsorship, Event Planning, Industry Education, Legislation, ROI, Self Insurance Community, Employee Benefits, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #SIIA #InsuranceConference #Advocacy #Networking #SIIAConference #SelfInsurance #Sponsorship #EventPlanning #IndustryEducation #Legislation #ROI #SelfInsuranceCommunity #EmployeeBenefits #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding

"If we're not accessible to you, we can't help you." - David Kinzler David Kinzler, CEO of One-to-One Health, joined me this week to talk about the importance of primary care, restoring the doctor-patient relationship, and TextCare, which provides text messaging access to a dedicated care team with response times under 5 minutes. David is a former Marine, and spent a few years in US politics before joining the healthcare world, and eventually leading One-to-One. His key focus is simplifying healthcare, meeting patients where they're at, and re-centering the healthcare experience around the primary care doctor. We're failing patients in the current system, and David and I discuss the potential solutions. Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet David Kinzler 00:08:12 Healthcare Cost Management 00:20:19 Enhancing Primary Care 00:27:09 Significance of Relationship-Based Primary Care 00:29:48 Primary Care Leads To Better Outcomes 00:32:34 The Power Of Texting With Patients 00:46:29 Making Healthcare More Accessible 00:59:32 Mental Healthcare Access 01:09:57 Employers Influencing The Future Of Healthcare  Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Primary Care, family doctor, Primary Care Access, Healthcare Innovation, Employer Sponsored Plans, Patient Engagement, Text Care, Healthcare Transformation, Mental Health, Primary Care Relationships, employer healthcare, Accessible Healthcare,  Fiduciary Services, Employer Driven Change, healthcare access, employer healthcare, Employee Benefits, fixing healthcare, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #PrimaryCare #familydoctor #PrimaryCareAccess #HealthcareInnovation #EmployerSponsoredPlans #PatientEngagement #TextCare #HealthcareTransformation #MentalHealth #PrimaryCareRelationships #employerhealthcare #AccessibleHealthcare #FiduciaryServices #EmployerDrivenChange #healthcareaccess #EmployeeBenefits #fixinghealthcare #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding

 "The problem with a lot of healthcare is everybody is coming in, making their own solution. So you have thousands of point solution vendors and all we're doing is confusing the end user and the people that we really want to be educated." - Chelsea Ryckis One of the most influential duos in healthcare, Chelsea and Donovan Ryckis, joined me this week to discuss their company Ethos Benefits, running a benefits agency based on values, and producing the documentary “It's Not Personal, It's Just Healthcare.” Along the way, we get into each of their origins in insurance, how they met each other, and what it's like to run an insurance agency with your spouse. Chelsea and Donovan also share why they're so passionate about promoting transparency and accountability in this space.  Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Chelsea & Donovan Ryckis 00:11:20 Getting Started In Health Insurance Consulting 00:18:08 Client-First Financial Advising 00:29:47 Building A Business Based On Values 00:35:32 Enhancing Client Value Through Self-Funding 00:37:33 Performance-Based Compensation 00:41:06 Value-Based Employee Retention 00:53:15 Compensation Transparency 00:59:08 Producing A Healthcare Documentary 01:07:49 Promoting Accountability in Healthcare Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Insurance Consulting, Fiduciary, Ethos, documentary, producing, filmmaking, movie, film, Client Retention, Employee Retention, Compensation Structure, Compensation, Transparency, Employee Benefits, fixing healthcare, podcast benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #InsuranceConsulting #Fiduciary #Ethos #documentary #producing #filmmaking #movie #film #ClientRetention #CompensationStructure #EmployeeRetention #Compensation #Transparency #EmployeeBenefits #fixinghealthcare #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding

"I think I'd say our patients deserve better. Our Americans who are encountering the healthcare system deserve better." - Binu Samuel Binu Samuel, Director of Commercial Partnerships at Carrum Health, joined me for the first podcast of 2025 to discuss how we lower healthcare costs for self-funded employers. Binu, and Carrum's, mission is to make healthcare easier for the employers, employees, and physicians, which includes focusing on making healthcare cost nothing out of pocket to employees. That also typically increases the amount of proactive care that members engage with, which is key to catching huge health problems before they happen. Join us this week to learn how to save money for employers and employees! Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Binu Samuel 00:04:42 Outcome-Driven Healthcare 00:05:12 Value-Based Care 00:10:55 Cost-saving Strategies For Employers 00:20:01 Enhanced Healthcare Cost Savings 00:25:51 Carrum's Mission 00:29:51 Predictive Member Care Outreach for Procedures 00:34:20 The Benefits Of Proactive Healthcare Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words: Value Based Care, Patient Experience, network, Employers, Cancer Treatment, Cost Savings, Proactive Care, Warranty System, Healthcare Innovation, Quality Care, Transparent Healthcare, fixing healthcare, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #ValueBasedCare #PatientExperience #network #Employers #CancerTreatment #CostSavings #ProactiveCare #WarrantySystem #HealthcareInnovation #QualityCare #TransparentHealthcare #fixinghealthcare #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding

"Everybody makes an excuse at the end as to why they didn't post or why they didn't start the thing they really wanted to start." - Me 
Happy New Year! As a bonus episode this week, I'm sharing a talk I gave at a recent ParetoHealth event about getting started with social media content, and how it can be used effectively for sales. Whether you're new to the industry or you've been in it for decades, it's never too late to start a social media presence, and I share some practical tips on how to get started. Chapters: 00:00:00 Social Media Presence 00:01:43 Utilizing Social Media To Boost Sales 
00:04:01 How To Build Your LinkedIn Network
 00:07:32 How To Get Started With Video Content
 00:14:00 How The Podcast Impacts My Industry Presence
 Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words: Social Media Sales, social media, linkedin, brandbuilding, Engagement, Podcasting, content, networking Content Creation, Authenticity, Consistency, Virtual Networking, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #SocialMediaSales #socialmedia #linkedin #brandbuilding #Engagement #Podcasting #content #networking #ContentCreation #Authenticity #Consistency #VirtualNetworking #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/self-funded/support

"They have to understand the value. That's how you get people to use it." - Megan Glaros “I had somebody who said once, why take a pill when you can get a shot? That's the way we kind of treat health, is like, just treat us with medication.” - Matt Glaros 
For the final podcast of 2024, Matt and Megan Glaros joined me (in a different studio than usual!) to discuss the unique ways that they both approach benefits. Matt helped grow his family's agency before co-founding the Meyers Glaros Group, while Megan is a former meteorologist and TV personality who joined the insurance world recently to film benefits education content for employers, and she shares the fresh perspective she has as an industry outsider. I'm obviously passionate about the role that content plays in broadening the understanding of the healthcare system in America, and we talked about the impact that their content has had so far, both on cost containment for employers and on individual employees lives. Join us for a conversation on the power of educational content and how it can (help) solve some of this industry's biggest challenges. Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Matt and Megan Glaros 
00:03:08 Megan's Experience As A Meteorologist
 00:19:45 Why Megan Left The TV Industry
 00:28:29 Engaging Insurance Education
 00:36:05 How Do We Get Employees To Understand Their Benefits? 
00:40:15 It's Hard To Get Employees To Engage With Their Benefits
 00:53:07 Empowering Employees 
00:55:58 Cost-Effective Healthcare Education 
01:08:39 Enhancing Cost Containment Through Employee Education
 01:12:23 AI's Impact on Benefits Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words: Effective Communication, Communication, Meteorology, TV Industry, Employee Benefits, Storytelling, AI, AI Healthcare, healthcare tech, health tech, Employer, Education, Care Navigation, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #EffectiveCommunication #Communication #Meteorology #TVIndustry #EmployeeBenefits #Storytelling #AI #AIHealthcare #healthcaretech #healthtech #Employer #Education #CareNavigation #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"I felt like I was putting $10,000 bandaids on someone's diabetic ketoacidosis instead of actually helping them to never be there in the first place." - Tiffany Ryder 
Tiffany Ryder, medical physician associate and healthcare advocate, joined me this week to continue the theme of my previous episode: how do we empower patients to make informed decisions, and to advocate for a better system? Tiffany shared with me her journey to this space, which took her from the world of NFL cheerleading to providing care as a medical physician associate, and why that gives her a unique perspective on the industry. We talk about the critical lack of awareness that the average American has of how the healthcare and health insurance industries work, why there needs to be much more transparency in these spaces, and what the future looks like for healthcare in America. Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Tiffany Ryder
 00:00:38 Veterans' Healthcare
 00:24:39 Empowering Patients
 00:29:08 Healthcare Cost Transparency
 00:37:50 Informed Decision-Making in Healthcare
 00:40:33 Simplifying Healthcare Communication 
 00:45:12 Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare
 00:54:23 Advocating For A Better System Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words: Impact, Patient Advocacy, advocacy, Transparency, Patient Care, education, Effective Communication, fair, provider, Ethical Healthcare, Healthcare Awareness, Veterans Healthcare, Patient Empowerment, affordable healthcare, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #Impact #PatientAdvocacy #advocacy #Transparency #PatientCare #education #EffectiveCommunication #fair #provider #EthicalHealthcare #HealthcareAwareness #VeteransHealthcare #PatientEmpowerment #affordablehealthcare #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"I think that the general public thinks that health care is just expensive and this is just the way it has to be. It doesn't. And I think if more people knew that they would rise up and fight the system, fight for change.” - Jenni Nolan 
Jenni Nolan, Board-Certified Patient Advocate at Clear Healthcare Advocacy, joined me this week to discuss the need for more patient advocacy in America, and how she goes about negotiating medical bills with hospitals, on the behalf of patients. The number one thing we need in this industry as a whole is more consumer education. As Jenni shares, many people will get a huge hospital bill and assume that the only option they have is to go into a huge amount of debt. The emergence of patient advocates has helped so many across the country get their bills corrected/lowered, and Jenni and I discussed the sector as a whole and what the future looks like for medical billing in this country. Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Jenni Nolan
 00:03:23 Advocating For Patients
 00:10:01 Correcting Healthcare Billing Mistakes 
00:15:39 Understanding Medical Billing 00:23:05 Healthcare Costs' Long-Term Financial Impact 
00:29:36 Negotiating Fair Hospital Bills
 00:32:09 Fair Hospital Billing Rate Negotiations
 00:48:11 Navigating Healthcare As A Consumer
 00:53:41 Empowering Individuals through Healthcare Education Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words: Patient Advocacy, Medical Billing, advocate, advocacy, Billing, errors, Hospital Bills, medical bills, Transparency, affordable healthcare, Patient Advocates, Healthcare Literacy, Hospital Billing, Education, Fair Healthcare, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #PatientAdvocacy #MedicalBilling #advocate #advocacy #Billing #errors #HospitalBills #medicalbills #Transparency #affordablehealthcare #PatientAdvocates #HealthcareLiteracy #HospitalBilling #Education #FairHealthcare #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"Any time you can reward employees for doing the right thing, to me, it's benefiting the employer group, it's benefitting everybody.” - David Mallen You can provide employees with the best healthcare benefits in the world, but if they don't know how to navigate the healthcare system, those benefits aren't very effective. David Mallen, EVP of Partnerships at HealthJoy, joined me this week in studio to discuss care navigation and how we make benefits plans more effective for employees.  Having personally used Healthjoy, I think there's immense value in a care navigation solution like this; we need to empower healthcare consumers to understand that they can often get the same/better care for cheaper, both to them and the health plan. Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet David Mallen 00:04:42 From Baseball to Healthcare 00:07:28 Healthcare Advocacy 00:18:56 Personalized Healthcare Navigation 00:21:34 Streamlining Healthcare Benefits 00:23:45 Personalized Patient Care 00:36:03 Enhanced Healthcare Interactions For Patients 00:41:54 Healthcare Experiences That Are Backed By Data 00:47:23 Empowering Consumers To Make Decisions Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  HealthJoy, Healthcare Tech, Care Navigation, Digital Healthcare, virtual care, Wellness, wellness programs, baseball, advocacy, advocate, Healthcare Integration, FitnessJourney, Telemedicine, Member Experience, Future Healthcare, Preventive Health, podcast, benefits, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #HealthJoy #HealthcareTech #CareNavigation #DigitalHealthcare #virtualcare #Wellness #wellnessprograms #baseball #advocacy #advocate #HealthcareIntegration #FitnessJourney #Telemedicine #MemberExperience #FutureHealthcare #PreventiveHealth #podcast #benefits #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"Looking back now, cancer gave me something to fight for at a time when I felt like maybe life wasn't worth fighting for." - Dylan Slattery Dylan Slattery, VP at ClaimsBridge and motivational speaker at Stage Four 2 On Stage, joined me this week to share his powerful story of beating stage four cancer against all odds, beating it again when it recurred, and how that experience completely changed his perspective on life and healthcare. Dylan was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma completely out of nowhere at the age of 23. We discussed the traditional treatment plan that he initially followed, and the somewhat experimental immunotherapy treatment that actually worked.  We also discussed the impact that diagnosis had on his family, his friends, and him, what kept him fighting in his darkest moments, and why he wants to continue to share his story to inspire others.  Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Dylan Slattery 00:11:33 Stage Four Melanoma Diagnosis 00:19:47 Dylan's Healthcare Journey 00:27:21 Why Immunotherapy Worked For Dylan 00:38:07 Melanoma Reoccurrence and Recovery 00:48:24 Simplifying Healthcare Communication 00:53:29 Enhancing Employee Well-being Through Healthcare 00:55:56 The Financial Barriers in Accessing Healthcare Services Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  melanoma, terminal, immunotherapy, cancer survivorship, healthcare journey, healthcare costs, cancer awareness wellness management, patient advocacy, survivor, cancer, stage four, stage 4, podcast, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #melanoma #terminal #immunotherapy #cancersurvivorship #healthcarejourney #healthcarecosts #cancerawareness #wellnessmanagement #patientadvocacy #survivor #cancer #stagefour #stage4 #podcast #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“I'm going to say something that people claim isn't true, but it is. I'm an ear nose and throat doctor. I don't remember your eardrum from last year. I don't care what people tell you, doctors don't remember 3,000 eardrums.” - Danish Nagda Danish Nagda, founder of Rezilient, has come up with a pretty unique solution to doctor burnout in primary care: a hybrid model, where patients go in-person to checkups, an attendant takes all of their vital signs, and the data is uploaded directly to a doctor.  As an ear, nose, and throat doctor himself, Danish understands the importance of the human touch in healthcare, but also sees the future of primary care as data-based: for instance, if a doctor has your exact EKG readings from a year ago, they have a baseline to measure your current data off of.  Rezilient haș also focused on making all of this appealing to employers, and he shares why this model has positive ROI within the first year for most.  Join us this week as we explore the future of primary care!  Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Danish Nagda 00:01:02 The Future Of GLP-1s 00:06:19 Comprehensive Healthcare Access 00:09:58 Physician Burnout 00:14:04 Healthcare Should Focus On Data 00:17:54 Tech-Focused Primary Care 00:26:24 The Importance Of The Primary Care Doctor 00:47:05 The ROI Of Rezilient For Employers 00:51:09 Empowering Patients Through Accessible Healthcare Data 01:01:42 The Future Of Rezilient Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Obesity Drugs, GLP1s, GLPs, Physician Mental Health, Rezilient, Concierge Medicine, Tech Enabled Care, Healthcare Transparency, Healthcare AI, Healthcare Innovation, Virtual Care Model, virtual care, podcast, primary care, doctor, health, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding #ObesityDrugs #GLP1s #GLPs #PhysicianMentalHealth #Rezilient #ConciergeMedicine #TechEnabledCare #HealthcareTransparency #HealthcareAI #HealthcareInnovation #VirtualCareModel #virtualcare #podcast #primarycare #doctor #health #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"In what other industry could a purveyor put out 99% bad bills and stay in business?" - Linda Komisak “They're diagnosing things for things that you don't even have. And that's scary.” - Kimberly Carleson Kimberly Carleson, CEO of US Beacon, and Linda Komisak, founder of Upturn Consulting LLC, joined me to talk about two critical ways of increasing healthcare transparency: claims reviews and quality metrics.  These two topics are key to understanding why the healthcare system is so broken. If you buy any other service, you can (a) expect to only be billed for the services that were performed and (b) have the ability to research the quality of vendors and pick the best one.  Why can't we do that in healthcare?  This is an incredibly informative episode, and we cover more than just those two topics including nurse staffing shortages, how to identify the best hospital systems, and why it's so important to gather feedback from nurses.  Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Kimberly Carleson and Linda Komisak 00:01:11 Taking Feedback from Nurses 00:06:30 Nurses' Impact on Hospital Quality 00:11:31 Why Are There Nursing Shortages? 00:18:18 Nurse Advocacy for Enhanced Patient Experience 00:25:18 Quality Metrics and Patient Billing Integrity 00:39:11 The Importance of Nurse Feedback 00:49:17 Surgeon Incentives in Billing 00:58:12 Healthcare Cost Savings Through Billing Review Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Healthcare Quality, Nurse Insights, Patient Experience, Claims Integrity, Quality Metrics, Upcoding Practices, Nursing Shortage, Billing Transparency, Nurse Anonymity, Healthcare Billing, Hospital Quality, Nurse Feedback, insurance, nursing, healthcare, health insurance, podcast, self funded, self funding #HealthcareQuality #NurseInsights #PatientExperience #ClaimsIntegrity #QualityMetrics #UpcodingPractices #NursingShortage #BillingTransparency #NurseAnonymity #HealthcareBilling #HospitalQuality #NurseFeedback #insurance #nursing #healthcare #healthinsurance #podcast #selffunded #selffunding --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"Quit tolerating mediocrity. Go get in action. Find the right broker consultant that will take you to a new place. Don't give up hope." - Scott Conard Dr. Scott Conard tragically lost 3 patients one summer to unexpected heart problems, and immediately changed how he thought of healthcare. This week on Self-Funded, we talk about “conscious capitalism”, and by extension “conscious healthcare”, what the 7 numbers that everybody needs to know are, and how we need to change the way we approach health risk. Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Scott Conard 00:02:08 Crony Capitalism In Healthcare 00:06:34 Focus On Aligning Incentives 00:15:38 Holistic Well-being Approach To Healthcare 00:27:12 Revolutionizing Self-Insurance 00:37:54 Healthcare Advocacy And Engagement 00:42:22 How Do We Get People To Care About Their Health? 00:49:08 Primary Care's Role in Healthcare Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Conscious Capitalism, Employer Driven Healthcare, insurance, healthcare, health insurance, Empowering Employers, Incentive Programs, Risk Management, Alternative Risk, health risk, fixing healthcare, selffunded, podcast #ConsciousCapitalism #EmployerDrivenHealthcare #insurance #healthcare #healthinsurance #EmpoweringEmployers #IncentivePrograms  #RiskManagement #AlternativeRisk #healthrisk #fixinghealthcare #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"It's progress we couldn't have envisioned decades ago." - Oscar “I felt interested in being part of something bigger than my practice and something that will impact even more people that I was able to in the hospital.” - Carolina Dr. Oscar Bronsther and Dr. Carolina Escobar from Interlink joined me this week to discuss the exciting and scary world of cell and gene therapy, CRISPR, and how we fund these amazing medical advances.  In addition to me attempting to act smart enough to be in the same room as these two, we covered their wholistic approach to this emerging scientific field, which promises potential cures for rare and debilitating diseases, but often comes with 7-figure price tags. The rare genetic diseases are known as “orphan diseases”, and there have been some recent incredible advances in detecting them early on in life. We talked about what this all means for individuals as well as the insurance space as a whole, and how it has the potential to increase medical costs in this country even further.  Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Oscar and Carolina 00:09:16 Genetic Therapy Solutions for Orphan Diseases 00:14:39 Detecting and Targeting Single Gene Mutations 00:26:52 CRISPR Technology 00:30:08 Equitable Access To Gene/Cell Therapy 00:37:21 How Do We Finance This? 00:46:13 The Ethical Concerns Of Cell/Gene Therapy 00:59:45 Economic Implications of This Technology Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Rare Diseases, Gene Therapy, CRISPR technology, CRISPR, Healthcare Skepticism, Healthcare Warranties, Medical Revolution, Healthcare Advances, Orphan Diseases, Cell Therapy, Healthcare Innovation, self funded, podcast #RareDiseases #GeneTherapy #CRISPRtechnology #CRISPR #HealthcareSkepticism #HealthcareWarranties #MedicalRevolution #HealthcareAdvances #OrphanDiseases #CellTherapy #HealthcareInnovation #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"If my child needs a gene therapy to live, they should get it and anyone's child should. So let's figure out how to pay for it." - Jake Frenz On the final of four podcasts filmed at a recent healthcare thinktank I hosted in Frisco, Texas, Jake Frenz, the founder and CEO of SmithRx, joined me to share his journey from the Marine Corps to Pharmacy Benefit Management, and what makes him so passionate about ending prescription drug price gouging.  Jake and I discussed what some of the core challenges are in the PBM space, why he was so inspired by Mark Cuban's venture Cost Plus Drugs, and what the “watershed” moment in US healthcare will look like.  I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to talk to one of the best minds in the PBM space, and I hope you enjoy this week's episode of Self-Funded with Spencer. Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Jake Frenz 00:08:06 Consumer-Driven Healthcare 00:15:53 Transparency in the PBM Industry 00:20:57 The “Watershed Moment” in US Healthcare 00:36:14 Mark Cuban's Innovative Healthcare Venture 00:39:34 Subscription-Based Models Disrupting Pharmacy Competition 00:52:34 Revolutionizing Healthcare 00:55:14 Empowering Americans to Drive Healthcare Reform Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Healthcare Insights, Pharmacy Benefit Managersm, Simplify Healthcare, Watershed Moment, Cost Plus, cost plus drugs,  mark cuban, Big Picture Healthcare, American Spirit, Healthcare Innovation, Affordable Medications, price gouging, self funded, podcast #HealthcareInsights #PharmacyBenefitManagers #SimplifyHealthcare #WatershedMoment #CostPlus #costplusdrugs #markcuban #BigPictureHealthcare #AmericanSpirit #HealthcareInnovation #AffordableMedications #pricegouging #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

 "I would say a lot of it is education, helping both the member and the provider realize that it's okay for them to get healthcare in home." - Dan Cochran On the third of four podcasts filmed at a recent healthcare thinktank I hosted in Frisco, Texas, Dan Cochran, CEO of Cochran Health Ventures, joined me to discuss infusions, in-home healthcare, why the future of healthcare will be personalized, and how we educate consumers. I, and many others in this industry, consistently advocate that much of healthcare is way too complex for the average consumer and that they don't know how to utilize the solutions when they are available. Dan and I discussed that problem, ways that people can educate themselves, and how we can push for more healthcare education in America.  Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Dan Cochran 00:09:58 The Future Of Self-Insurance for Employers 00:12:09 The Payer-Provider Dynamic 00:19:19 How Do Consumers Navigate Healthcare? 00:28:29 Sustainable Business Success By Focusing On Clients 00:36:12 We Can Fix Healthcare By Focusing On Patients 00:42:01 Healthcare Cost-Saving Strategies 00:45:34 Empowering Consumers Through Healthcare Education Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Self Insurance, Cost Management, Healthcare Solutions, Client Retention, Consumer Education, Healthcare Complexity, Care Appropriateness, Plan Design, Payer Insights, Infusion, Home Infusion, Remote Specialty Care, Future Healthcare, Healthcare, Insurance, self funded, podcast #SelfInsurance #CostManagement #HealthcareSolutions #ClientRetention #ConsumerEducation #HealthcareComplexity #CareAppropriateness #PlanDesign #PayerInsights #Infusion #HomeInfusion #RemoteSpecialtyCare #FutureHealthcare #Healthcare #Insurance #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

"There can be a better path forward. We don't have to remain adherent to the system that is built against us. It's just going to take some rolling up of the sleeves and a commitment to it." - Shawn Sanford This week, another ParetoHealth colleague joins the show: Shawn Sanford, RVP of Sales and Pod Leader. Shawn and I discussed his transition from pro baseball to ancillary benefit sales to Pareto, and what he learned from each step along the way.  We also discuss some of the biggest problems in this industry and why they excite Shawn so much, and what he sees as the single biggest case of “highway robbery” in healthcare.  Join us this week on Self-Funded as we discuss the opportunity we have to fix healthcare.  Chapters: 00:00:00 Meet Shawn Sanford 00:14:02 An Unexpected Career Transition Into Insurance 00:22:43 The Importance Of Networking In Sales 00:25:48 Building Trust With Brokers 00:31:39 Transition to ParetoHealth 00:42:25 Having The Right Sales Process 00:51:49 Equity and Transparency in Healthcare 00:55:54 Aligning Incentives Properly  Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Sales Success, Career Transition, Relationship Building, Healthcare Reforms, Insurance Industry, Education Matters, Sales Process, Healthcare Awareness, Healthcare Challenges, Healthcare Transformation, Sales Networking, Career Advancement, self funded, podcast #SalesSuccess #CareerTransition #RelationshipBuilding #HealthcareReforms #InsuranceIndustry #EducationMatters #SalesProcess #HealthcareAwareness #HealthcareChallenges #HealthcareTransformation #SalesNetworking #CareerAdvancement #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“There's a reason why every insurance carrier likely owns or is owned by a pharmacy benefit management company, that's one of the ways that they can drive revenue." - Kristen Rivers My guest this week, Kristen Rivers from ParetoHealth, is one of the strongest healthcare advocates I know.  This week on Self-Funded, Kristen and I discuss her upbringing, how that affects the work she does today, what caused her to leave a position at the biggest insurance company in the world, and why she believes in the work she's doing at ParetoHealth today. Along the way, we talk about some of the biggest problems in healthcare, from the user experience to misaligned incentives that profit from driving up the cost of healthcare.  The main takeaway: we need more advocates like Kristen if we're going to fix this industry. Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Kristen Rivers 00:08:16 Kristen's Introduction To Health Insurance 00:16:10 The Importance of Data Transparency and Choice 00:19:50 Advocating For Better Healthcare 00:33:23 Renewal Increases in California Insurance Market 00:35:18 Medicare Cuts 00:41:18 Employer-led Healthcare Plans 00:51:06 Misaligned Incentives 00:53:26 Driving Down Healthcare Costs through Employer Advocacy Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Healthcare Industry Transition, Transparency Matters, Navigating Healthcare, California Insurance Market, Medicare Cuts, Self Funded Plans Healthcare Quality Metrics Industry Complexities, Employer Advocacy, CAA Regulations, Healthcare System, Cost Management, self funded, podcast #HealthcareIndustryTransition #TransparencyMatters #NavigatingHealthcare #CaliforniaInsuranceMarket #MedicareCuts #SelfFundedPlans #HealthcareQualityMetrics #IndustryComplexities #EmployerAdvocacy #CAARegulations #HealthcareSystem #CostManagement #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

Luke Aslesen, founder of INFRMD, joined me a few weeks ago for the podcast, and we also filmed this extended interview after, in which Luke asks me about my comedy background, upbringing, relationship with my wife, and more.  If you're a long-time listener of the podcast and want to get to know me a bit better, or you just stumbled onto the podcast and want to know who I am, this is a great place to start!  Chapters: 00:00:00 Luke/Spencer Q+A 00:00:35 When/how did you think of bringing your entertainment background into insurance? 00:01:35 What's the biggest thing you've taken from stand-up in the work you do today? 00:02:37 How did your upbringing affect the work that you do now? 00:03:36 How do you not burn out with all the work you do? 00:05:03 How do you balance doing both creative and logical work? 00:06:33 How do you keep yourself accountable? 00:08:57 Have you already seen the rewards of the work you're putting in, or is that down the road? 00:10:57 What does “justice” mean in the work that you do? 00:12:31 How do you keep the hope alive? 00:13:54 What do you do to keep yourself motivated? 00:15:20 Where do you find the time to do all of those things? 00:16:41 Where did Tom Broker come from? 00:18:21 Favorite comic of all time? 00:19:57 What has the response been to using comedy? 00:22:03 Does using comedy open doors for you? 00:24:29 Why don't more people build personal brands? 00:26:30 Where did your love for people come from? 00:27:42 If you could have a 4-hour dinner with anybody, who would it be and why? 00:28:46 How has your relationship with your wife shaped your success? 00:35:53 When you're retired, how do you want to be remembered? 00:36:44 Tell us about your car. 00:39:08 Favorite comedy movie and series? 00:41:05 Favorite drama movie and series? 00:42:41 If you could have one message on a billboard that everyone could see, what would it be? Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  #QA #spencersmith #infrmd #insurance #entertainment #standup #creativity #justice #accountability #comedy #celsius #joerogan #mustangs #selffunded #selffunding #podcast QA, spencer smith, infrmd, insurance, entertainment, standup, creativity, justice, accountability, comedy, celsius joe rogan, mustangs self funded, self funding, podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“PBM is one of the most complicated concepts out there and it's incredibly difficult to understand. But it's not because the system itself is complicated. It's because pbms make it complicated.” - Justin Jasniewski Justin Jasniewski, CEO of Serve You Rx, joined me this week to discuss the state of the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) market in 2024.  We discussed the competitive landscape in the PBM industry, why that's (slowly) leading to more actual transparency, and how Serve You Rx fits into that market.  Justin and I also discussed GLP-1s, how they're going to continue to be a problem for the industry to solve for, and what they say about the effectiveness of wellness initiatives. Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Justin Jasniewski 00:03:01 The PBM Market in 2024 00:06:28 Tailoring PBM Solutions 00:17:59 How Do GLP-1s Affect The PBM Industry? 00:26:37 Real Transparency In PBMs 00:32:39 The Importance Of Customer Service For PBMs Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  PBM Landscape, PBM Flexibility, Self Insurance Simplified, GLP1s, Future Of PBMs, Service Quality PBM, Client Satisfaction, Regulatory Changes, Transparent Pricing, Rebate Handling, Emerging Solutions, self funded, podcast #PBMLandscape #PBMFlexibility #SelfInsuranceSimplified #GLP1s #FutureOfPBMs #ServiceQualityPBM #ClientSatisfaction #RegulatoryChanges #TransparentPricing #RebateHandling #EmergingSolutions #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“You know, Africa has no peanut allergies.” - Dr. Marty Makary I was honored to be joined this week by Dr. Marty Makary to promote his new book “Blind Spots”, which published this week and is currently a national bestseller.  To purchase “Blind Spots”, use this link: https://geni.us/blindspots Dr. Marty Makary is a surgeon, researcher, and author, as well as an advocate for better approaches to public health. He's known for challenging medical dogma and asking the questions nobody else will. In our conversation, we talked about his new book, why these misguided public health recommendations get broadcast in the first place, and why it's so important to have better health conversations in this country. One of the bigger topics that we covered was the peanut allergy epidemic, and why Marty Makary believes that recommendations based on opinion instead of data caused so many more kids to get peanut allergies than they would otherwise. Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Dr. Marty Makary 00:08:13 Misguided Public Medical Recommendations 00:14:49 Challenging Established Health Norms 00:24:46 Why The Low-Fat Diet Was Misinformation 00:36:45 Why Are We Doing So Many C-Sections? 00:41:46 Unnecessary Medical Care 00:47:56 Questioning Medical Dogma 00:50:11 Influential Figures Shaping Health Conversations Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  Blind Spots, Medical Dogma, Evidence Based Medicine, Public Health, Nutrition Misinformation, C-Section Consequences, Healthcare Challenges, Health Awareness, Public Health Figures, Critical Thinking, Health Discourse, Quality Healthcare, self funded, podcast, peanut allergies, peanut allergy, peanut allergy epidemic, marty makary, dr marty makary, pediatricions, public health recommendations #BlindSpots #MedicalDogma #EvidenceBasedMedicine #PublicHealth #NutritionMisinformation #CSectionConsequences #HealthcareChallenges #HealthAwareness #PublicHealthFigures #CriticalThinking #HealthDiscourse #QualityHealthcare #selffunded #podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“So many times these employers are like, ‘dude, I spend so much money on this, and my employees don't care at all.' Or what's even worse is they go, ‘our employees love it, we have a great, great plan.' Did they tell you that?” - Luke Aslesen This is one of my favorite podcasts of the year: Luke Aslesen, Founder of INFRMD, joined me to talk about entrepreneurship, creativity in insurance, comedy, and how to stay authentic.  INFRMD is an insurance education platform, designed to make it as easy as possible for employees to understand and use their benefits. Luke and I discussed the importance of education, why this type of solution is so needed, and how he value it provides to employers.  This podcast is a bit longer than usual, but only because I think this conversation truly justified that. Join me and Luke this week on Self-Funded to learn how to stay creative and authentic in this industry!  Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Luke Aslesen 00:00:35 Timing and Persistence in Entrepreneurship 00:07:42 Embracing Imperfection 00:10:56 A Creative Approach to Insurance Education 00:21:29 How Do You Teach People To Navigate Healthcare? 00:32:09 The Importance Of Creativity 00:46:11 Humor In The Insurance Industry 00:49:12 Revolutionizing Insurance Literacy with INFRMD 01:05:06 Empowering Informed Decision-Making Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  #Entrepreneurship #StartingBeforePerfect #InsuranceEngagement #GenerationalShift #ConsumerEmpowerment #InformingConsumer #CareerCreativity #InsuranceCommunity #HumorInCommunity #HealthcareLiteracy #selffunded #selffunding #podcast Entrepreneurship, Starting Before Perfect, Insurance Engagement, Generational Shift, Consumer Empowerment, Informing Consumer, Career Creativity, Insurance Community, Humor In Community, Healthcare Literacy, self funded, self funding, podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“If we're facing a [mental health] crisis and we want radical change, we've got to think about radical solutions. If those radical solutions can show objectively with safety and efficacy data, that they're really helping people and really changing lives, then I think we ought to at least explore and get curious about offering those solutions to to people.” - Amil Patel We have a mental health crisis in America, and we need new solutions to help those who are struggling. Amil Patel, from Meeko Health, joined the show this week to talk about offering ketamine therapies through the employee benefits channel. I would suspect that many of you who listen to the podcast would be immediately skeptical about the effectiveness, safety, and utility of psychedelic therapy; honestly, going into the podcast, I was too. But I would urge you to hear Amil's testimony, look into the research and studies currently going on, and form your own opinion. And as Amil shares, hear the testimony of the many people who feel like they would still be in a mental health crisis without these therapies.  Join us this week on Self-Funded as we discuss why employers should consider offering psychedelic therapy as an employee benefit!  Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Amil Patel 00:03:30 Struggling With Parental Judgment 00:12:58 The Mental Health Impact of Childhood Experiences 00:18:16 Psychedelic Therapy Access Through Meeko 00:33:37 How Can We Prove That Psychedelic Therapy Works? 00:43:37 Do Employers Want To Offer Ketamine Therapy To Employees? 01:01:08 The Transformational Effect Of Ketamine Therapy 01:03:58 Getting To The Root Of Mental Health Issues Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  #MentalHealth #PsychedelicTherapy #MentalHealthCare #KetamineTherapy #PsychologicalApproach #CulturalImpact #HealingJourney #PersonalGrowth #PsychedelicSupport #MeekoHealth #selffunded #selffunding #podcast Mental Health, Psychedelic Therapy, Mental Health Care, Ketamine Therapy, Psychological Approach, Cultural Impact, Healing Journey, Personal Growth, Psychedelic Support, Meeko Health, self funded, self funding, podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“Utilization is key for virtual urgent care. Let us be your first line of defense, rather than like, ‘oh, I do have a telemedicine on the back of my insurance card, I'm not sure what it does.'” - Jon O'Toole Especially in the last few years (for obvious reasons), telehealth and virtual care have proved that they're here to stay. But how do we best determine when a patient should use virtual or in-person care, and how do we actually get them to utilize it?  Jon O'Toole, from Recuro Health, joined me this week to share his take.  The benefits of virtual care are pretty clear: quicker access to appointments for patients at a much lower cost. As Jon shares, it's extremely important to educate patients on their virtual benefits and to make the experience easy and tailored for them. Jon also speaks about virtual urgent care, which can add a ton of value and help alleviate some of the panic that sets in when a health emergency occurs.  Join us this week for a deep dive into virtual care and its future.  Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Jon O'Toole 00:14:37 Customizing Telehealth 00:17:09 Why We Need To Monitor Utilization 00:25:50 What Is “Virtual Urgent Care”? 00:31:00 Virtual Talk Therapy and Psychiatry 00:40:59 Using Data To Improve Benefits 00:42:04 AI-Enhanced Virtual Primary Care Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  #TelehealthUtilization #ValueCreation #RemoteHealthcareMonitoring #VirtualUrgentCare #BehavioralHealth #UtilizationMonitoring #HealthcareEvolution #VirtualCare #InnovationInHealthcare #AIinHealthcare #Wearables #HealthTech #selffunded #podcast Telehealth Utilization, Value Creation, Remote Healthcare Monitoring, Virtual Urgent Care, Behavioral Health, Utilization Monitoring, Healthcare Evolution, Virtual Care, Innovation In Healthcare, AI in Healthcare, Wearables, Health Tech, self funded, podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“Life is short. In the meantime, your health is, at the end of the day, your health is all you have." - Heather Bowers Differentiating yourself through customer service is a tricky thing: it's talked about so frequently that it can almost feel outdated focusing so much on the customer experience.  But, as my guest Heather Bowers from Lone Star Benefits shared with me this week, it's still the best way to truly serve your clients in 2024. Heather joined me from literally across the street, and we discussed what it's like to be a business in Frisco, Texas, a rapidly growing city. Heather and I also discussed what it was like to take over the family business, as Lone Star was actually started by her father.  We also discussed how the industry as changed since she took over the business, dealing with compliance, and what future regulation may mean for healthcare. Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Heather Bowers 00:12:09 Preserving The Family Business 00:16:18 Differentiating Through ACTUAL Customer Service 00:29:14 Taking Care Of Your Work, Family, and Personal Health 00:34:48 How Do We Get Members To Care About Health? 00:37:47 $10,000 Wellness Prize 00:40:13 Balancing GLP-1 Drugs with Lifestyle Changes 00:46:19 Navigating Compliance 00:53:39 Balancing Health and Passion in Business Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  #InsuranceIndustry #ClientRelationships #FriscoTexas #WorkLifeBalance #WellnessPrograms #EmployeeIncentives #WeightLoss #ComplianceRegulations #IndustrySolutions #PassionForWork #LongTermClients #SelfFunded #podcast Insurance Industry, Client Relationships, Frisco Texas, Work Life Balance, Wellness Programs, Employee Incentives, Weight Loss, Compliance Regulations, Industry Solutions. Passion For Work, Long Term Clients, Self Funded, podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support

“We're simplifying the complexities of healthcare. We gotta declutter it, we've gotta demystify it, we've gotta make it more transparent and understandable in bite sized ways where members know and understand what's happening for and to them." - Rob Gelb It sounds like a simple question, but as an industry, we're still working towards figuring it out: how do we engage members?  Rob Gelb joined me this week to discuss what role Valenz has in solving that seemingly unsolvable equation. Along the way, Rob and I also discuss his perspective on sales, why “yes, and,” is so important in Valenz's culture, and where the healthcare industry is moving towards, big picture. Chapters: 00:00:00 Introducing Rob Gelb 00:06:23 Sales Is Just Solving Problems 00:13:07 Creating Cohesive Health Plans 00:22:32 How Do We Engage Members? 00:30:52 'Yes, and' 00:42:00 Valenz's Role In The Marketplace 01:03:31 The Role Of Private Equity In This Industry Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/ Key Words:  #SalesSuccess #HealthPlanInnovation #HealthcareLiteracy #BrandPromise #CulturalTransformation #ValenzHealthcare #HealthcareTransparency #ReferenceBasedPricing #PrivateEquityHealthcare #BusinessGrowth #CompetitionInHealthcare #StimulatingThoughts #SelfFunded #podcast Sales Success, Health Plan Innovation, Healthcare Literacy, Brand Promise, Cultural Transformation, Valenz Healthcare, Healthcare Transparency, Reference Based Pricing, Private Equity Healthcare, Business Growth, Competition In Healthcare, Stimulating Thoughts, Self Funded, podcast --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support