Podcasts about CMS

This week I Talk About Saying Yes, No, Maybe [powerpress]

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What would happen if one client lawsuit, one hacked account, or one missed renewal completely wiped out your agency? Have you ever stopped to think about how exposed your business really is even if you're “doing everything right”? Today's featured guest started his career working in the insurance industry and eventually found a love for marketing. He talks about the side of agency life most people ignore: protecting what you've built, and breaks down how to safeguard your business with the right insurance, why every agency should have cyber liability coverage, and how a “give first” mindset has helped him land major clients like Daymond John, Chris Voss, and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Draye Redfern is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Redfern Media and FractionalCMO. Over the past decade, he's built and sold multiple companies, including a $40M insurance agency acquired by one of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries. With 15 years in risk management and a passion for modern marketing, Draye now helps businesses scale smarter while protecting their downside. In this episode, we'll discuss: How “Growth Blindness” Can Hurt Your Business. The Hidden Risk Most Agencies Ignore. Why You Probably Need a Cyber Liability Insurance. How to Get Big Clients by being in the Right Rooms. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. The Unlikely Path From Insurance to Marketing Draye grew up in a household where entrepreneurship was a way of life. His dad owned a business, and by age 12, Draye was doing the grunt work: filing papers, scanning documents, and learning what it really meant to keep a company running. He had a front-row seat to the chaos and grit of small business. Over time, Draye realized he had a knack for marketing. His early ideas sometimes outperformed everyone else's, and by his early 20s, he was leading the marketing division of a $28 million firm. Under his direction, they scaled past $40 million in annual revenue. That success led to the company's eventual sale to none other than one of the Berkshire Hathaway companies. Stop Being Growth Blind and Start Protecting the Downside While most marketers are obsessed with lead flow and growth, Draye brings a completely different mindset to the table: protect the downside first. After spending 15 years insurance and the risk management world, he learned that too many businesses are “growth blind.” They're chasing top-line numbers while leaving themselves totally exposed if something goes wrong. For his part, Draye thinks about how to mitigate downside risks first and then, once he has that locked down, then he starts thinking about growth. Admittedly, it's backwards from how most people do it, but it's what makes the most sense to him.  The Hidden Risk Most Agencies Ignore Why does Draye prioritize mitigating downside growth? Most agencies don't think about errors and omissions (E&O) insurance until it's too late. One poorly worded ad, a leaked password, or a miscommunication with a client could lead to a lawsuit that costs hundreds of thousands—if not millions—in legal fees. That's why he recommends a basic “risk protection stack” for agency owners: General Liability – Covers physical damages or slip-and-fall type issues. Employment Practices (EPLI) – Protects against HR-related claims. Errors & Omissions (E&O) – Covers mistakes or oversights in your work. Cyber Liability – Protects against data breaches and hacks. As Draye puts it, marketing agencies hold the keys to dozens of client kingdoms. If you get hacked, they get hacked. Protect yourself first, then scale. Why Every Agency Owner Needs Cyber Liability (and What Happens If You Don't) Most agency owners assume general liability insurance has them covered. Slip-and-fall in the office? Sure. But what about when a client's site gets hacked because one of your team members reused a password? Or when a campaign you ran unintentionally exposes customer data? That's not covered: this is where cyber liability and errors & omissions (E&O) insurance come in. Here's where most people go wrong: they forget to renew. Unlike car or home insurance, E&O and cyber liability policies are “claims-made” policies. That means you're only covered if the policy is active when the claim is filed, not when the incident happened. So if you let your policy lapse, even for a few weeks, you could lose coverage for everything that happened in previous years. That's why many experienced owners “tail out” their policies when they sell or sunset a business. Tail coverage locks in past protection for a set number of years. It costs more upfront but prevents millions in potential exposure later. Keep your coverage active, review it annually, and don't cut corners to save a few hundred bucks. Think of it as part of your agency's operating system, not an optional add-on. Lessons From Selling to Berkshire Hathaway When Berkshire Hathaway came calling, he learned just how deep corporate due diligence can go. “They fly out all their MBAs and basically give your business a financial colonoscopy,” he joked. But that process forced him to see business from a different lens—as an asset, not a job. He walked away with not just a successful exit, but also a new appreciation for how structure, systems, and compliance create enterprise value. How to Get Big Clients: Ask Questions, Be in the Room, and Give First Draye's agency has publicly traded companies in its current client roster, with some notable names including Dr Benjamin Hardy and Chris Voss, and almost all of those brands came to his agency because Draye was in the right rooms to strike up conversation. As he puts it, successful people like to hang around other successful people. To him, his job in the agency at this point is figuring out how to get invited into the room with the right people, which includes joining masterminds and attending events. Even with big clients, Draye recommends offering value first without expecting anything in return. I'll give them an idea of the work you do and, if they like it, they'll have you in mind the next time they need agency services. For instance, after attending a talk by Dr. Benjamin Hardy, Draye had the chance to chat with him and learned he was pulling in over 30,000 email opt-ins a month but wasn't monetizing them. Instead of pitching a retainer, Draye built him a simple funnel — for free — that started generating $10,000 a month in passive revenue. A few months later, Hardy came back and asked, “What else can you do?” That turned into a long-term partnership and a roster of launches that ran for years. How to Stand Out and Make People Feel Seen Draye's other secret weapon is personalization. Not the lazy kind where someone drops your name into a cold email template. Real personalization. When a prospect says they're interested, his team clones a landing page, updates the name in the headline (“Welcome, John!”), and records a 30-second video personally greeting them. The whole process takes fifteen minutes, but it makes people feel like they matter, and that's the part most agencies forget. That simple touch has led to multiple referrals, long-term clients, and lasting loyalty. As Draye puts it, “People don't want to feel like a number. They want to feel like they matter.” This type of simple gesture is usually something clients talk about non-stop, because the more automated the world gets, the more human connection stands out. Old School Is the New Advantage While everyone else is obsessing over AI and inbox deliverability, Draye see a lot of potential on a forgotten channel: direct mail. “People's inboxes are full, but their mailboxes are empty,” he explained. “So, when something real shows up, it stands out.” He's seen massive ROI from direct mail, especially when paired with personalized URLs (PURLs) and custom video. It's more expensive upfront, sure, but it cuts through the noise. Something to keep in mind for agency owners trying to stand out at a time when your client's emails are probably inundated with the same offers everyone is sending out. From his own experience, he says “if I were to look at our client base across the various businesses, the vast majority came from direct mail.” Protect Your Business and Hang Out in Different Rooms Draye shares two pieces of advice for agency owners: You never know what's around the corner, so protect your business. Spend the couple thousand bucks on proper coverage. Don't risk your agency's future over something preventable. Change your rooms. If you only hang out with other marketers, you're limiting your reach. Take Jay Abraham's advice and go fishing in someone else's swimming hole. Attend events for other industries, add value, and you'll be amazed at who you meet. In short, Draye's philosophy blends practical protection with proactive growth. Be bold enough to give first, smart enough to protect what you've built, and intentional enough to show up where the right people are. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Public RSS Feeds vs Private RSS Feeds for Best Podcast SEO Distribution Practices with Favour Obasi-Ike | Sign up for exclusive SEO insights.In this podcast episode, Favour provides an extensive comparison between public podcast RSS feeds and private podcast RSS feeds, offering guidance on how to choose the appropriate option for one's needs, particularly for business growth. A public podcast is openly accessible on various platforms and directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, serving as a powerful tool for brand building, content marketing, and increasing accessibility. Conversely, a private podcast is characterized by requiring authentication for access, making it suitable for exclusive content, internal corporate training, or paid subscription communities, with platforms like Supercast and Hello Audio recommended for this purpose. Favour stresses that consistent content publication and maximizing RSS feed distribution to various directories are crucial for public podcast success, while noting that starting with a public podcast is often advisable before transitioning to a private, often monetized, model.The Public RSS Feed: Maximizing Reach and DiscoverabilityA public podcast RSS feed is a publicly listed show available on third-party platforms and directories. It is designed for open access and broad distribution.• Definition: A public feed is accessible to anyone on podcast players and websites without requiring a login or payment. It operates on a one-to-many distribution model, where a single RSS feed from a hosting platform is submitted to numerous podcast directories.• Analogy: The structure is comparable to a website, which has a backend hosting provider (e.g., GoDaddy, Hostinger) and a front-facing content management system (CMS) or website that users interact with. In podcasting, the hosting platform holds the audio files, and the directories (players) make them accessible to listeners.• Mechanism of Reach: The key to a public podcast's success is submitting its RSS feed to as many directories as possible. Each directory is a separate website or application, and being listed on 30 different players means 30 distinct online entities are linking back to the podcast, significantly enhancing its digital footprint and discoverability.The Private RSS Feed: Monetization and ExclusivityA private podcast RSS feed is intentionally not listed on public directories and is structured to control access.• Definition: A private feed is ineligible for public listing because it requires authentication—a user must sign up, log in, or pay to access the content. This creates a secure and exclusive listening experience.• Analogy: This model is comparable to subscription-based streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime. 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AI has existed for decades, but modern deep learning is finally delivering precision decisions in clinic. Dr. Spratt details how ArteraAI's predictive biomarker—validated on long-term randomized data—can spare roughly two-thirds of eligible men from ADT without compromising outcomes. We unpack ADT's quality-of-life trade-offs, practical training and nutrition strategies to preserve muscle, and where AI is headed next (post-surgery models, higher-risk disease). You'll also hear a clear framework for shared decision-making so men are treated as people, not just numbers.Key Points✅ AI meets prostate cancer. ArteraAI, developed by Dr. Daniel Spratt's team, is now part of the NCCN guidelines—helping doctors know which patients truly benefit from hormone therapy.✅ Two-thirds can skip ADT. Long-term data from the RTOG 9408 trial show most men can avoid the side effects of hormone therapy without affecting outcomes.✅ Quality of life first. Treatments should improve survival or well-being—if they don't, they shouldn't be used.✅ Lifestyle still matters. Exercise, protein, and resistance training help men on ADT preserve muscle and energy.✅ The future is personalized. New AI models will soon guide therapy for higher-risk patients and integrate full-body health data for truly tailored care.⏱️ Time-Stamped Highlights00:00 – Why AI in prostate cancer now? From buzzword to bedside with ArteraAI.01:30 – Deep learning vs. “human-defined” inputs; beyond Gleason to hundreds of slide features.03:10 – Landmark validation: RTOG 9408 and how the model predicts who benefits from ADT.05:00 – ADT trade-offs: longevity vs. libido, energy, bone/muscle; treat only if it improves life or survival.07:15 – “Exercise is medicine”: the 10-minute rule, protein targets, and resistance training on ADT.09:00 – Current indication: primarily intermediate-risk (Gleason 7) men receiving radiation.10:45 – What's next: models for higher-risk and post-prostatectomy patients; shorter-course ADT questions.13:00 – “Black box” & explainability: why robust external validation matters for trust.15:10 – Access & coverage: ordering via online portal; CMS coverage; what patients can ask their doctors.17:20 – Shared decision-making: reduce PSA anxiety; treat the person, not the number.___________________________________

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to take a look at the recent government shutdown, how health policy plays into it, HHS layoffs, the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, the ACA marketplace, and more.Join us for this upcoming event:11/5: Health Benefits in 2025: Insights from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to exclusive events and our upcoming third trend report.Related Articles:Judge pauses shutdown layoffs at more than 30 federal agencies (NPR)Medicare backs off plan to pause doctor payments amid shutdown (STAT)White House: Shutdown layoffs will be ‘north of 10,000' (Politico) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Dr. Mark McClellan has served as a Member of the President's Council of Economic Advisors, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But his experiences before, and accomplishments following these leadership roles at the highest levels of government health policy are equally important to his perspective on the healthcare ecosystem – especially during a time of rapid policy change.Dr. McClellan always intended on pursuing a medical degree and entered a joint Harvard-MIT program that took him in a slightly different direction. He ended up studying economics and the rising cost of healthcare at MIT. He ultimately earned a medical degree from the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, a Ph.D. in economics from MIT, and a master's in public administration from Harvard's Kennedy School.Dr. McClellan began his career at the Treasury Department in the Clinton Administration, and returned to public service under the George W. Bush Administration where he led the FDA and CMS. Today, Dr. McClellan is the Robert J. Margolis, M.D., Professor of Business, Medicine and Policy at Duke University and the founding Director of the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy. His work centers on improving health care through policy and research, with a focus on payment reforms, quality, value, and biomedical innovation.With his expertise in medicine, economics and public policy, Dr. McClellan talked to Keith Figlioli in this episode of Healthcare is Hard to share his perspective on adapting to rapid change in the current healthcare landscape. Topics they discussed include:Misalignment of innovation and outcomes. While advancements in digital health are coming to market faster than ever before, Dr. McClellan says there's still a lack of technology truly centered on keeping patients healthy. He says traditional payment methods make it hard to support this type of innovation. For example, advancements in AI are helping physicians gather information for prior authorization requests, and ambient scribing saves time with note taking and administration. But these technologies essentially help providers see more fee-for-service patients or bill for more profitable services. He argues that more outcome-oriented payments are needed to advance technology-embedded care models. The evolution of value-based care. After Congress passed the Medicare Modernization Act in 2003 to establish Medicare Advantage, Dr. McClellan became administrator of CMS at the President's request to lead its implementation. With unique insight from leading some of the earliest VBC programs, he shared his thoughts on the speed of adoption and why it hasn't happened faster. He discussed how early MA models needed to be based on existing fee-for-service infrastructure, his surprise that not much has changed, and his optimism that it's finally starting to.Mobilizing private capital for public health. Private investment will be essential to support the significant changes required to improve healthcare – especially with uncertainties around future levels of government funding. Dr. McClellan explained how the Duke-Margolis Capital Impact Council (CIC) was launched to guide and improve the role of private investment in healthcare. He described how members of the council are developing and sharing practices for investors and their portfolio companies to track health value return on investment alongside financial ROI.To hear Dr. McClellan and Keith discuss these topics and more, listen to this episode of Healthcare is Hard: A Podcast for Insiders.

Allen and Joel speak with SkySpec's Chief Revenue Officer, Josh Goryl, at the SkySpecs Customer Forum. With record attendance, the forum emphasized industry collaboration, data amalgamation, and the application of AI for optimizing wind and solar renewable energy assets. SkySpecs announced their expansion into the solar industry, leveraging their established wind solutions to streamline data management and operational strategies across renewable energy sectors. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard's StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes' YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Allen Hall: [00:00:00] I'm Alan Hall, host of the Uptime Winner Energy podcast, and I'm here with Joel Saxon and Josh Gar, chief Revenue Officer with Sky Spec, and Josh brought us out this week to participate in the Skys Pick Customer Forum 2025, which as it turns out, has been the largest attendance this year. Joel Saxum: Yeah,  Allen Hall: it's grown every single year. Yeah. It's a room full of people, all experts in blades all here to learn about the next generation of skys specs, blades and  Joel Saxum: CMS predict CMS predict analysis and that's why it's growing so much. Right. How, what kind of percentage of the capacity in the states do you think is represented here? Allen Hall: We, we should have ran the number, I should have came prepared for this, but, um, I mean, I would say. 75%. Yeah. 80%. Okay. Yeah, that's, you're talking all the, all the big operators are, are here. Yep. I think, uh, 21 total organizations represented over 40 experts, blades, drivetrain, few senior management as well, and asset management [00:01:00] engineering. So it's an awesome, awesome group. We keep, uh, ev It's tough though. Every year we have to step it up a bit, so we're kind of, I think we're outgrowing the space that we're at here and excited for. Yeah, we're bursting at the seams. Uh, last year Joel and I were invited to come and it's the first time that we had been here and I thought, wow, this is a pretty full room. And this year, like, okay, she's back. We're we're, we are sitting next to the door right now because everybody is trying to learn what Sky Specs offers, what. Power do I have on my desktop right now, but also what is coming and there's a lot of new product releases happening that were announced just this morning. Yeah, and I think the cool thing too, that's it's not often you're able to get this many experts from operators together in one room, and even more so ones that cut across drive, train, CMS, all main components and. It can be tough to kind of keep everyone engaged 'cause everyone's a domain expert in different, different areas. But the conversations have been been incredible and I think even within [00:02:00] organizations as, as, as well. And so we're trying to learn how do we help our customers come together more and, and collaborate across. And even just having these discussions that want to discuss pulled out of is fantastic. Just some of that collaboration between even people that are, that are at the same company, they don't see each other as much. Joel Saxum: There, there's some cultural things playing out here that are funny to me because if you're in wind and you've bounced around, if you're an ISP or you're at an operator, you know, some of the players and kind of how they act, how they keep their, their, their poker hands close to their chest and stuff. So you see some people sitting at a table and you see, and I noticed this yesterday, like the psychological look of things sails, right? Mm-hmm. So I'm kind of looking at people listening and stuff and, and the,

The 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D Star Ratings are out—and they reveal more than just who earned 5 stars. Beneath the numbers lies a clear message: CMS is reshaping what quality means, shifting the balance from member satisfaction to measurable outcomes and data precision. Plans that once thrived on experience scores are now facing tougher cut points, new ECDS-only measures, and the rise of HOS as a major performance driver. This episode unpacks what changed, why it matters, and what payers must do now to avoid being left behind. Listen to uncover the real story behind the 2026 Star Ratings—and what it signals for 2027 and beyond.About Our Guest: Shelby Jansen, Manager of Quality, Stars and Strategy, RHIA. Shelby has deep expertise in guiding payer quality strategies to meet CMS expectations, reflecting NCQA updates, optimizing Stars and HEDIS programs, and guiding health plans through digital transformation.

This week I Answer Listener Questions [powerpress]

Jenna LoMonaco, Head of Marketing at ONErpm, discusses her career journey from Brooklyn to New Jersey, her transition from audio engineering to PR, and her role at ONErpm. She highlights the company's unique position as a modern music label offering distribution, artist deals, publishing, and content creation. Jenna emphasizes the importance of transparency, cultural sensitivity, and leveraging technology, such as their CMS platform, to provide comprehensive services to artists. She also stresses the significance of female leadership in the music industry and shares her passion for Cardi B's music. Timestamp Jenna LoMonaco's Background and Current Role 0:00 Journey into the Music Industry 3:24 Unique Aspects of one RPM 6:54 Evolution of Marketing in the Music Industry 10:03 Challenges and Opportunities in Global Marketing 13:20 Advice for Aspiring Music Industry Professionals 16:46 Importance of Female Leadership in the Music Industry 20:18 Jenna's Music Preferences and Final Thoughts 24:22

The future of orthopaedic practice won't be won by the highest offer or the loudest brand—it'll be won by groups that can bend without breaking. Dr. Doug Lundy sits down with Dr. Alex Vaccaro of Rothman to unpack how a true megagroup navigates shrinking CMS rates, anesthesia shortages, hiring wars, and private equity. 

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What do you do when your career takes an unexpected left turn? And how do you know when it's time to stop hustling like a freelancer and start leading like a CEO? Today's featured guest found herself in that situation and made the bold choice to go from career misstep to becoming an agency owner. She'll dive into what it really takes to go from a one-woman shop with dial-up internet to leading a team with vision, systems, and staying power. From handwritten letters with a 15% close rate to breaking free from client dependency and leveraging AI without losing the human touch, she shares the hard-earned lessons every agency owner needs to hear. Kriston Sellier is the President and Founder of Id8, a specialized branding agency based in Atlanta. With more than 25 years in the business, she's built a reputation for helping food, beverage, and manufacturing brands stand out and thrive. Kriston is passionate about research-driven branding, cultivating strong communities, and proving that the human side of leadership is just as critical as the strategy. In this episode, we'll discuss:                                    Starting over after being fired. Outgrowing freelance mode. What do agency owners need to grow? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Thriving in the Agency World After Being Fired Kriston didn't step into agency ownership with a clean, corporate plan. She was fired. After leaving IBM to co-found an agency, she found herself pushed out after a handshake deal gone wrong. At 20-something, she was suddenly unemployed and staring down two options: get another job or finally chase her dream of starting her own shop. It wasn't easy, but that leap turned out to be the right one. Starting out with no clients, she set a modest goal of making $35,000 in her first year. Instead, she closed out her first nine months with $90,000. That was the moment she knew she wasn't just freelancing; she was building something real. From Cold Calls to Handwritten Letters: Building the First Client Base Kriston started with just a basement office and dial-up internet. Since this was the 90s, if her husband picked up the phone line upstairs it would disconnect the whole system. She started out making cold calls to every food and beverage brand in the Yellow Pages. Additionally, she also sent handwritten letters pitching her services, yielding an impressive 15% close rate. In today's digital-first world, that kind of return sounds impossible, but back then it got her first wave of clients. It's a reminder that persistence and a personal touch can cut through the noise, even if the tools have changed. Outgrowing Freelance Mode and Thinking Like a CEO Like many agency owners, Kriston spent the early years acting more like a freelancer than a CEO. That all changed in 2006 when one client made up 75% of her business. The sleepless nights and anxiety from being handcuffed to a single account forced her to rethink everything. A colleague recommended working with a business consultant, so Kriston hired one and for four years, she worked with a full-time consultant who helped her transition from operator to CEO. That shift meant putting systems in place, committing to sales, and most importantly, diversifying her client base. Within the first year of working with her consultant, she added 25 new clients and broke free from the one-client trap. What Agency CEOs Need to Grow? Kriston strongly believes that CEOs should surround themselves with subject matter experts. Every agency owner needs a good advisory board that tells them the truths they doesn't necessarily want to hear, which is why she recommends relying on financial, HR, and sales consultants that can help you look at things from a different perspective. Regarding her role as CEO, Kriston definitely sees herself as more of a coach than a manager. For her, leadership is about helping team members uncover the real issues behind their challenges and guiding them to their own solutions. Likewise, the best team members are those who show they're coachable and open to feedback. She doesn't see failure as the end of the road but as a symptom of something deeper. Her job is to help her team ask the right questions, recognize the root cause, and take ownership of the fix. That shift from micromanaging tasks to coaching outcomes not only freed her up as a leader but also empowered her team to make better decisions without her constant oversight. AI, Research, and the Future of Agencies Running a research-based agency, Kriston is a big fan of Perplexity, a research-focused AI she uses 20–40 times a day for everything from writing stronger emails to analyzing massive datasets. But she's quick to point out that AI isn't a replacement for agencies—it's an enhancer. Where some fear AI will eliminate agency work, Kriston agrees that companies will still want experts to navigate the complexity and not DIY everything themselves. Clients may use AI for certain tasks, but they'll still rely on agencies for strategy, creativity, and execution.. AI + human expertise is the winning formula. And with large organizations outsourcing more marketing again, Kriston believes the future is bright for agencies that bring innovation, research, and personal connection to the table. Cooperation Over Competition Kriston wants agency owners to stop treating each other like competitors and start seeing each other as collaborators. She believes the industry's future depends on agency owners being open, honest, and willing to share both wins and lessons learned. Most agency owners see every other shop as a threat when they're starting out, fearful of competition instead of open to collaboration. At some point, however, through masterminds and peer groups, they come to realize the real growth comes when owners start to build community and create strategic partnerships. For Kriston, it all comes back to community, the same mission she set when she started ID8 decades ago. Build the community, and the business will follow. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

These sources collectively examine the nature of consciousness and altered states, particularly through the lens of brain function and the concept of "Contact Modalities" (CMs), which include phenomena like near-death experiences, remote viewing, and UFO encounters. A central theme is the left-brain interpreter (LBI) as the rational, filtering mechanism, and the right hemisphere as the source of intuitive insight, veridical memory, and anomalous cognition, often accessed when the LBI is inhibited through methods like meditation or sensory deprivation. The texts also focus heavily on savant syndrome, detailing how individuals with developmental disabilities or central nervous system damage can display "islands of genius," especially in music, which is often explained as a form of neurological dissociation or hyper-systemizing that bypasses normal cognitive filters and relies on implicit, non-conscious learning. Finally, the material includes detailed neuroscientific discussions on music and language processing, noting that musical abilities, which appear to be universal human competencies, are widely distributed across both hemispheres, with the right hemisphere often specialized for pitch and spectral processing, while the left is more involved in temporal and rapid sequential processing. #Consciousness #AlteredStates #NonOrdinaryStates #AnomalousCognition #AnomalousExperience #ContactModalities #CMs #NearDeathExperience #NDE #RemoteViewing #UFOExperience #UAPExperience #PsychicPhenomena #Parapsychology #SavantSyndrome #IslandsOfGenius #AcquiredSavant #Neuroscience #CognitiveScience #Neurobiology #LeftBrainInterpreter #LBI #RightHemisphere #RightBrain #HemisphericSpecialization #HemisphericLaterality #BrainLateralization #NeurologicalDissociation #CognitiveFilters #DefaultModeNetwork #DMN #ExecutiveFunction #FrontalLobe #Cognition #Intuition #ImplicitLearning #NonConsciousLearning #VeridicalMemory #HyperSystemizing #Systemizing #PatternRecognition #RationalMind #InterpretiveNarrative #CognitiveInhibition #Filtering #Insight #Creativity #Meditation #SensoryDeprivation #Ganzfeld #AlteredStatesInduction #BrainInhibition #TranscranialMagneticStimulation #TMS #Neurostimulation #FlowState #PeakExperience #MusicCognition #MusicNeuroscience #NeurologyOfMusic #LanguageProcessing #Linguistics #PitchProcessing #SpectralProcessing #TemporalProcessing #SequentialProcessing #UniversalCompetency #MusicalSavant #PerfectPitch #AbsolutePitch #FilterTheory #TransmissionTheory #GatewayVsFilter #MindBodyProblem #HardProblemOfConsciousness #ExtendedMind #Neurodiversity #ExceptionalAbility #ImplicitExpertise #DissociationTheory #Neurophenomenology #ExceptionalHumanExperience #HumanPotential #CognitiveSpectrum #Genius #Prodigy #Mind #Brain #Cognition #Awareness #Perception #Reality

October 10, 2025 In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Ray Painter address two pressing topics for urology practices. First, they provide the latest update on the government shutdown, its impact on Medicare claims processing, and the timeline for when the CMS-mandated 10-day hold may be lifted. They also clarify that Medicare funding is not in jeopardy—this is purely an administrative delay related to expiring telehealth and COVID-era waivers.Next, they tackle a listener-submitted question about hidden processing fees on payer payments—specifically, credit card reimbursements that reduce practice income by 3% or more. Mark shares practical recommendations, including switching to ACH/direct deposit to reduce costs, proactively managing PECOS and credentialing, and negotiating cost-of-living increases in payer contracts. They also explain the risks of neglecting PECOS updates and why contract management should be a routine business process—not a reactionary one.Urology Advanced Coding and Reimbursement SeminarInformation and RegistrationPRS Coding and Reimbursement HubAccess the HubFree Kidney Stone Coding CalculatorDownload NowPRS Coding CoursesFor UrologistFor APPsFor Coders, Billers, and AdminsPRS Billing and Other Services - Book a Call with Mark Painter or Marianne DescioseClick Here to Get More Information and Request a Quote Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer GroupEmpowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.         https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptpClick Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com   The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/ 

Dans cet épisode du Panier enregistré au One to One Expérience Client 2025 à Biarritz, je reçois Nicolas Guillen, Managing Director de Dartagnan / JustRelate. JustRelate propose une plateforme modulaire qui réunit CMS, CRM, formulaires, personnalisation, scoring… avec une philosophie d'intégration progressive. Autrement dit : pas besoin de tout jeter pour moderniser votre stack tech.

Comment enrichir vos fiches produits et vos pubs à l'échelle grâce à l'IA générative - avec DataïadsDans cet épisode enregistré à Biarritz au One to One IA & Expérience Client 2025, je retrouve Raphaël Grandemange, CEO et cofondateur de Dataïads, une solution SaaS qui permet aux e-commerçants de produire des visuels et vidéos produits dynamiques à grande échelle grâce à la GenAI.L'ambition de Dataïads : automatiser la création d'assets marketing personnalisés (images, vidéos, visuels publicitaires…) à partir d'un simple flux produit. Résultat : des pages produits enrichies, des publicités plus performantes, et une personnalisation fine à grande échelle.

From Medicare cuts to billing delays, Asbel Montes joins Rob Lawrence to share practical strategies EMS agencies can use to weather the reimbursement storm In this episode of the EMS One-Stop podcast, we tackle the fast-moving realities of a federal shutdown and what it means for EMS finance, reimbursement and day-to-day operations. Rob Lawrence sits down with Solutions Group's Asbel Montes — a veteran of EMS reimbursement and policy expertise — to decode where Congress is (and isn't), what CMS's temporary claims hold really means, and how ambulance services can protect cash flow while preparing for potential reprocessing chaos if extenders aren't promptly restored. Beyond the headlines, Montes lays out a pragmatic playbook: build a Plan B for cash continuity, align with your billing team on reprocessing workflows, and model exposure across payers tied to the Medicare fee schedule. The conversation then widens to balance billing — why federal change is unlikely soon and why state-level action is delivering practical protections — before closing with leadership lessons on adaptation, data and telling EMS's story as a guide, not the hero. Memorable quotes from Asbel Montes “Our extender expired — that's that additional payment that we get from Medicare of that 2%, 3%, 22.6% — it expired September the 30th, and it was tied to the House-approved CR that went over to the Senate.” “We're solutions givers, as we say here at Solutions Group, not crisis managers. And if you have a plan, I can at least execute a plan.” “What turned out to be a smaller amount, now the cost associated with it, you started to really understand the complexities that really happened in people's AR.” “If this lasts longer than 15 days … then I would basically have a plan in place. So I would be trying to find out from my billing team … what is your contingency plan to ensure I don't see a hiccup in cash moving forward?” “The only way government can really invoke change is to make it hit where it hurts. And that's what's going on right now. They're hitting the pocketbook and our industry is grappling with it right now.” Additional resources Asbel Montes: The government shutdown's ripple effect on healthcare The Leadership Lab with Asbel Montes Episode timeline & key moments 00:21 – Why the shutdown matters to EMS reimbursement and operations 01:21 – Montes's 101: role at Solutions Group; 28 years in EMS finance and policy 02:40 – Historical context: number and length of shutdowns; current Hill outlook 03:48 – The ambulance extenders expired (2% urban, 3% rural, 22.6% super-rural); CMS claims hold window 05:03 – Planning posture: realistic timelines; “we're solutions givers, not crisis managers” 06:12 – Back-of-the-napkin math: short-term dollars vs. long-term reprocessing burden 07:43 – 2015–2016 déjà vu: retroactive fixes and the heavy lift for back-office AR 10:26 – Secondary impacts: VA eligibility, appeals, enrollments during a prolonged shutdown 11:11 – The “three-legged stool” for leaders: (1) have a plan with billing; (2) reconcile accounts & patient balances; (3) prevent cash-flow lag if more than15 days 14:06 – Framing the moment: “hurricane shutdown” response and recovery mindset 15:43 – Balance billing at the federal level: committee work, political pain and why movement is unlikely soon 18:19 – State action wins: consumer protections and access; examples of Medicare-indexed approaches 20:24 – Why ground ambulance stayed out of federal NSA; local regulation and state primacy 22:42 – “All politics are local”: using EMS's public visibility to advocate for patients and providers 23:09 – Adaptation over preservation: seize the 6-18 month window; let data and clinicians lead reform 27:13 – Lawrence's “Darwinism” takeaway: adaptation as survival 28:31 – The Leadership Lab podcast: purpose, cadence and upcoming guests; Montes's leadership journey Rate and review the EMS One-Stop podcast Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Contact the EMS One-Stop team at editor@EMS1.com to share ideas, suggestions and feedback. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify and RSS feed.

How do costs and reimbursements shape practice patterns regarding panretinal photocoagulation (PRP)? Niki Kothari, MD, moderates a discussion with Jesse Sengillo, MD, and Nicholas Farber, MD, about a new time-driven activity-based costing study by Berkowitz et al. The panel explores how procedure time, margins, and CMS reimbursement affect the role of PRP versus anti-VEGF therapy, and reflects on how these financial realities may alter clinical decision-making, practice logistics, and advocacy efforts in retina care.

Episode Description:  Listen as Kim Beer, Senior Vice President of Policy and External Affairs with the National Health Council, and Dermatologist, Dr. Jeffrey Cohen discuss the 2025 Medicare changes in relation to psoriatic disease and what's to come in 2026 with Jason Harris, Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy at NPF.  Join this discussion about what changes occurred with Medicare in 2025 that impact psoriatic disease care, outcomes to date, what's to come in 2026, and what you should consider when choosing health care plans during open enrollment with Kim Beer, Senior Vice President of Policy and External Affairs with the National Health Council, Dermatologist, Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, Director of the Psoriasis Treatment Program at Yale University School of Medicine, and Jason Harris, Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy at NPF.  The intent of this episode is to increase knowledge of the 2025 Medicare changes, what's to come, and how such changes impact psoriatic disease from coverage of prescriptions to overall health care. This episode is sponsored by Novartis. Timestamps:   (0:24) Intro to Psoriasis Uncovered and guest welcome Kim Beer, Senior Vice President of Policy   and External Affairs with the National Health Council, and Dermatologist, Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, Director of the Psoriasis Treatment Program at Yale School of Medicine. (2:25) Perspectives on current health care coverage in Medicare.    (5:14) Biggest changes to Medicare in 2025. (6:36) What is the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan and price negotiation for specific medications. (8:22) Challenges associated with the 2025 Medicare changes from a physician's perspective. (13:10) Price negotiation process via CMS  (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) with the first 10 drugs price effective in 2026.   (17:52) Plan ahead and what to anticipate when choosing the right Medicare plan. (20:04) What the National Health Council and other patient advocacy organizations are doing to assess the impact of the CMS changes and identify steps for moving forward. (21:49) Medicare changes for 2026 that affect deductibles for health care services, prescription drug coverage, and vaccinations. (28:38) Potential assistance options for people who have Medicare insurance. (31:32) The role of patients in providing feedback on policy changes. (33:45) Changing from a commercial insurance plan to a Medicare Plan and what to think about when viewing plan options during the open enrollment period. (37:07) Be part of the process – let your voice be heard by sharing your experiences to help effect change. 3 Key Takeaways: ·       There are four key parts to Medicare health insurance (Part A, B, C and D) which underwent changes in 2025 including a payment cap for prescriptions and availability of a 12 month Prescription Payment Plan to opt in for medications. Additional changes are coming in 2026 including enactment of a price negotiated list of 10 medications. ·       The impact of such changes are both positive (better predictability and affordability) yet also reactionary. Such changes and potential impact should be considered when identifying plan coverage for health care and prescriptions during the open enrollment Medicare period of October 15 to December 7th.   ·       Be involved by telling your story about the impact of Medicare changes and find a trusted health care provider who is willing to work with you to identify an effective treatment plan that aligns with your health care needs and coverage. Guest Bios:   Dermatologist Jeffrey Cohen, M.D., MPH, is the Director of the Psoriasis Treatment Program and the Director of Safety with the Department of Dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine where he is also an Associate Professor of Dermatology and Biomedical Informatics and Data Science. Dr. Cohen treats a variety of skin conditions with a special interest in diseases of the immune system such as psoriasis and eczema tailoring treatments for each individual. He is the author of over 150 peer-reviewed articles on psoriasis and other topics in dermatology. Dr. Cohen serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, is a Senior Editor for NPF's professional journal for health care providers Journal of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis, is a Councilor of the International Psoriasis Council, and serves on the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation.  Kimberly (Kim) Beer is Senior Vice President of Policy and External Affairs at the National Health Council (NHC) of which the National Psoriasis Foundation is a member. Kim leads strategic policy initiative and advocacy efforts to improve the lives of individuals with chronic conditions and disabilities. As a member of the NHC's executive leadership team, she helps to ensure access to high-quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans which includes advocating for policy and health care benefits within Medicare. Resources: For more reources and information about Medicare Contact the Patient Navigation Center to learn more about Medicare, find a health care provider, learn about treatments, or programs that may lower costs.   

Enforcement is active, policy is tightening, and threats continue to evolve. This episode looks ahead to what 2026 will bring for healthcare compliance—how recent OCR settlements, proposed HIPAA Security Rule updates, and CMS's 2026 payment rule all point to one clear expectation.Hear what strong compliance looks like going forward, from mapping ePHI and managing vendors to building steady routines that keep documentation current and defensible.Learn more about Medcurity here: https://medcurity.com#Healthcare #Cybersecurity #Compliance #HIPAA #SecurityRiskAnalysis 

Therapists face increased scrutiny around appropriate service delivery modes in rehab settings — particularly for concurrent, group, and co-treatment services. With reimbursement and compliance implications tied to correct usage, misapplication can result in overbilling, denials, and regulatory risk. In 2020, CMS clarified billing distinctions and accountability under PDPM, making it critical that rehab professionals know when and how to apply each mode within scope and regulation. This course provides practical, evidence-informed strategies to help therapy professionals understand, apply, and document group, concurrent, and co-treatment effectively. Participants will return to their setting equipped to ensure clinical appropriateness, enhance functional outcomes, and meet payer requirements — without sacrificing interdisciplinary collaboration or patient-centered care.   To view accreditation information and access completion requirements to receive a certificate for completing this course, please   The content of this Summit podcast is provided only for educational and training purposes for licensed physical therapists and occupational therapists. This content should not be used as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others.

Send us a textIn this episode we interview Evan Read, Head of Marketing at Quipli, a vertical SaaS platform built for independent equipment rental businesses across the U.S. and Canada.What you'll learn in this episode:How to productize your content using AI tools like Replit and v0Why templates and interactive tools outperform traditional blog posts in the age of AI searchThe strategy behind building free micro-SaaS tools to increase inbound leadsHow Evan's team turned non-indexable content into a defensible SEO moatA tactical breakdown of embedding tools directly into CMS pages without developersWhy "content so good it could be sold" should be your new benchmarkReal-world examples of how free tools lead to long-term customer conversions

In this Bright Spots in Healthcare episode, host Eric Glazer brings together an all-star panel of leaders who are reshaping the future of Medicaid and social care. Our guests include: Vanita Pindolia, Vice President, Medicare Star Ratings, Emergent Holdings (BlueCross BlueShield Michigan) Jason Merola, MD, Chief Medical Officer, MVP Health Care Charlotta Eriksson, Lead Director, National VBC Partnerships (Specialty), Aetna Mary O'Connor, MD, Chief Medical Officer & Co-Founder, Vori Together, they explore: How Medicare Advantage plans are embedding Stars, CAHPS, and adherence metrics directly into provider contracts to drive accountability, improve quality, and sustain year-over-year performance gains. How payers like Aetna are expanding value-based care into specialty domains—from CKD and oncology to musculoskeletal and cardiology—by partnering with specialty-aligned organizations rather than converting individual specialists to risk models. How MVP Health Care is designing hybrid incentive structures that reward specialists for closing quality gaps and improving outcomes, without requiring full downside risk. Why MSK care is becoming pivotal to Stars success, as physical and mental health measures grow in weight through 2027, and how holistic, physician-led models are improving activity, satisfaction, and cost savings simultaneously. How digital-first specialty networks are solving access challenges, reducing “ghost network” exposure, and creating new opportunities for plans to meet CMS adequacy standards while improving the member experience. How collaboration across utilization management, Stars, and member experience teams helps avoid trade-offs, ensuring that cost controls don't come at the expense of satisfaction or CAHPS performance. Panelist Bios: https://www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com/events/stars-savings-and-satisfaction-unlocking-msk-and-specialty-care-strategies-for-medicare-advantage-success/ Download the Episode Guide: Get key takeaways and expert highlights to help you apply lessons from the episode. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a_rX23Ev5VRrJKqb8_UwAYBd9tUBIfWA/view?usp=sharing Resources:  Maximizing 2026 Medicare Advantage Performance with Physician-Led MSK Care This report outlines how Vori's physician-led, virtual-first musculoskeletal (MSK) model helps Medicare Advantage plans:Improve up to 12 Star measures across preventive care, chronic condition management, and member experience Deliver faster access to care—appointments available within 48 hours Enhance outcomes for pain, fall prevention, and osteoporosis care while achieving an NPS of 87 Align with the new 2026 Star measures for Improving and Maintaining Physical and Mental Health To request your copy, email nroberts@brightspotsventures.com. Clinical Quality Performance of Value-Based and Fee-for-Service Models for Medicare Advantage: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2839238 This JAMA Health Forum article compares clinical quality outcomes for Medicare Advantage patients whose care is delivered under value-based payment (VBP) models versus traditional fee-for-service (FFS). It finds that VBP arrangements, especially those with two-sided financial risk—in general are associated with better performance on standardized clinical quality measures than FFS. Thank you to our Episode Partner, Vori: Vori partners with health plans and providers to improve musculoskeletal (MSK) care through data-driven, physician-led solutions. Their approach helps reduce unnecessary surgeries, improve recovery outcomes, and enhance patient satisfaction—supporting plans in achieving better Stars performance and overall member experience. To learn more, visit vorihealth.com. Schedule a meeting with Mary O'Connor Chief Medical Officer, Vori: To dive deeper into how Vori can help your plan improve outcomes, reduce costs, and strengthen Medicare Advantage Star Ratings,or to schedule a meeting with Mary O'Connor. Reach out to nroberts@brightspsotsventures.com  to schedule the meeting. About Bright Spots Ventures: Bright Spots Ventures is a healthcare strategy and engagement company that creates content, communities, and connections to accelerate innovation.   We help healthcare leaders discover what's working, and how to scale it. By bringing together health plan, hospital, and solution leaders, we facilitate the exchange of ideas that lead to measurable impact. Through our podcast, executive councils, private events, and go-to-market strategy work, we surface and amplify the “bright spots” in healthcare, proven innovations others can learn from and replicate. At our core, we exist to create trusted relationships that make real progress possible. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com.  

Discusses the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' proposed rule for the 2026 hospital outpatient prospective payment system and ambulatory surgical centers. Our guest today is Eric Tower, a partner at the law firm Blank Rome. Eric serves as a trusted advisor to healthcare clients on a wide range of corporate transactional and operational matters. He is well-versed in handling mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, fraud and abuse compliance, physician practice acquisitions, financing, litigation, and corporate governance matters. Additional resources: CMS fact sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-2026-hospital-outpatient-prospective-payment-system-opps-and-ambulatory-surgical Impact of Recent CMS Rule on Site Neutrality and 340B Programs—Implications for Oncology Services: https://www.blankrome.com/publications/impact-recent-cms-rule-site-neutrality-and-340b-programs-implications-oncologyCITI Program's course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog  

The revenue cycle helps keep hospital revenue flowing. But sometimes, it seems to sputter out, as if not all the cylinders are firing. And that is why the producers of Talk Ten Tuesdays have invited longtime ICD10monitor editorial consultant Dennis Jones, senior director of revenue cycle at the famed Jefferson Health, to be the special guest during the next live edition of the weekly Internet radio broadcast.The popular broadcast will also feature these instantly recognizable panelists, who will report more news during their segments:• CDI Report: Cheryl Ericson, Senior Director of Clinical Policy and Education for the vaunted Brundage Group, will have the latest clinical documentation integrity (CDI) updates.• Social Determinants of Health: Tiffany Ferguson, CEO for Phoenix Medical Management, Inc., will report on the news that is happening at the intersection of medical record auditing and the SDoH.• The Coding Report: Christine Geiger, Assistant Vice President of Acute and Post-Acute Coding Services for First Class Solutions, will report on the latest coding news.• News Desk: Timothy Powell, ICD10monitor national correspondent, will anchor the Talk Ten Tuesdays News Desk.

This week I Talk About How Shut Downs Could Equal Opportunity [powerpress]

This episode tackles the often-overlooked but critical topic of medical device reimbursement. Host Etienne Nichols speaks with Haley King, co-founder and CEO of Paxos Health, about why this process is just as vital as FDA approval for a device's commercial success. They explore the journey a medical device takes, highlighting the distinction between FDA approval and securing reimbursement from payers.Haley explains the three key pillars of reimbursement: coding, coverage, and payment. She delves into the complexities of CPT codes and the significant difference between a temporary Category 3 code and the gold-standard Category 1. The discussion also covers the immense challenges medical device companies face, including the lengthy timeline—sometimes years—to secure payer coverage, which can be a make-or-break factor for startups. The conversation wraps up with a look at how artificial intelligence is beginning to streamline the cumbersome, manual process of patient access and appeals.Key Timestamps1:45 - The initial challenge of making coverage match medical need.3:30 - The three-part reimbursement pathway: coding, coverage, and payment.5:50 - Navigating CPT codes and the difference between Category 1 and Category 3.10:15 - Common challenges for medical device companies seeking payer coverage.13:20 - The multi-year timeline to achieve Medicare coverage for innovative devices.15:00 - Advice for regulatory and quality professionals on speeding up reimbursement.20:10 - How AI is currently being used in patient access and reimbursement.24:45 - Debating the accuracy of AI and its role in replacing human expertise.Quotes"A lot of times patients are not going to be able to pay out of pocket for expensive medical treatments, and a lot of times providers are not going to be able to write off those treatments on their side. So somebody needs to pay for this. And that's usually the health insurance companies..." — Haley King"I think that for this sort of a use case [AI], you're always going to want some human in the loop... AI has the potential to be super, super powerful in this space, but I think you're always going to want to have human experts involved." — Haley KingTakeawaysIntegrate reimbursement strategy early: Unlike FDA approval, which focuses on safety and efficacy, payers also demand evidence of a device's clinical and economic value. Medical device companies, particularly startups, should integrate reimbursement planning into their pitch decks and product development timelines from the outset.Recognize the two-step process: FDA approval is not a golden ticket to reimbursement. Companies must understand the subsequent and often lengthy process of securing coding, coverage, and payment from payers like CMS and private insurance companies, which can take several years.Enhance clinical trials for payers: Regulatory and quality professionals can speed up the reimbursement process by designing clinical trials that not only meet FDA requirements but also generate robust data to prove a device's clinical and economic value. This may involve including additional endpoints to justify the cost.Harness AI for efficiency, not replacement: AI is a powerful tool for automating the tedious parts of reimbursement, such as sifting through patient records and payer policies. However, it should be viewed as a way to enhance, not replace, the work of human experts who can handle complex edge cases and appeals.Be aware of coding complexities: The distinction...

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Most agencies don't make it 25 years but Bill Swanston's has. From surviving 9/11 to leading a 30-person team through COVID, Bill shares how Bosun (formerly Frederick Swanston) adapted, learned to love KPIs, empowered their team, and even pulled off a successful rebrand. His story proves you can survive the toughest agency seasons and come out stronger—if you track the right numbers, avoid “superclient” risk, and learn to truly let go. What You'll Learn Why resilience (not just growth hacks) is the real agency survival skill How ignoring KPIs almost cost the agency big—and how to avoid that mistake Why letting go of control is the only way to grow past founder-dependence What a rebrand really signals about an agency's maturity and leadership shift The hidden dangers of relying on a “superclient” Key Takeaways Keep overhead light in uncertain times—it gives you room to maneuver when crises hit. Track your KPIs like a client project: salaries as % of AGI, AGI per employee, revenue per client. Don't rely on a single client for survival—client concentration is a silent killer. Empower your team early—you can't scale if you're reviewing every deliverable yourself. Rebrands work when they reflect a cultural shift—not just a new logo. What does it really take to keep an agency alive through market crashes, pandemics, and the endless grind without burning out or losing your edge? Today's featured guest will unpack his journey from starting in a basement with a couple of clients to leading a 30-person team through some of the toughest seasons an agency can face. From navigating financial blind spots to learning how to actually let go and trust his team, and the reason the agency's 25th anniversary actually marked a big shift with a new rebrand. Bill Swanston is the president and founder of Bosun, an Atlanta-based agency that just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Formerly known as Frederick Swanston, the agency has weathered market crashes, client shakeups, and a pandemic while building a powerhouse team with deep creative and digital chops. In this episode, we'll discuss: The challenges that really tested the agency's resilience. How learning to love KPIs saved the business. Why rebrand after 25 years? Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Building Through Adversity and Surviving 9/11 After moving back to Atlanta from New York, Bill was freelancing at BBDO and thinking about switching to smaller agency. As he saw it, it was better to be a big fish in a smaller pond. Unfortunately, his gig at the smaller agency was short lived, since the agency shut down for good. Instead of packing it in, Bill and his partner Scott Frederick grabbed a few clients, set up shop in a basement, and got to work. Built-in revenue gave them a smoother start than most scrappy entrepreneurs, but reality set in quickly. By the early 2000s, they were hit hard by 9/11 and its ripple effect on corporate events. It was a reminder that whether you're at a big holding company or running your own small shop, stability is often an illusion. Surviving those first waves meant keeping overhead light, grinding it out, and learning how to adapt before the word “pivot” became a business cliché. The Challenge that Really Tested the Agency's Resilience Partnerships can make or break an agency and Bill admits the early years with his partner had their rough patches, not as creatives, but as business owners learning how to disagree productively. Over time, their different strengths meshed into what became a powerful leadership duo. But nothing tested the agency quite like COVID. With a staff of 30 suddenly looking to them for answers, the partners had to act fast. They slashed salaries, cut their own pay completely, and relied on federal relief programs like PPP loans to keep the team intact. That lifeline, combined with quick adjustments, got them back on track. As Bill put it, “It was the absolute worst period of time for the agency. But we came out stronger because we had no choice but to figure it out fast.” From Gut Instinct to KPIs That Saved the Business Like a lot of creative-led shops, Bill and his partner weren't exactly obsessed with financial metrics at first. According to Bill, they mostly leaned on QuickBooks, check-writing, and gut instincts. That worked until it didn't. By the time they realized improprieties had slipped under the radar, they knew it was time to upgrade. Today, they track everything from salaries as a percentage of adjusted gross income to AGI per employee to recurring revenue versus project-based work. They also look at revenue per client to ensure there isn't any one account that is overwhelming the team. Like many agencies, they had this happen at one point, with a client that accounted for 50% of their billing. He remembers being scared once this client started to dwindle as a result of the ‘08 crisis, which taught him the danger of relying on superclients that can walk away and take half your revenue with them. Bill stresses that KPIs aren't about being a math whiz, but about having clarity. Knowing your true profitability by client or department means you stop guessing and start making better decisions. “We do it for our clients,” he said, “so we've got to do it for ourselves too.” Nowadays, he works with an external CPA and an internal comptroller who help him keep an eye on the agency's finances. Pro tip: If you're not yet at the point where you can have a CFO but don't know where to start to assess your agency's financials, use askquick.ai. It's a tool developed by Jason and his team that'll help you figure out your most profitable clients, assess your financial red flags, measure your KPIs, and more. Learning to Let Go and Empower the Team For the first decade, Bill and Scott were deep in the weeds, reviewing every creative output, managing every account, carrying the business on their backs. Eventually, the workload became too much and they had to learn how to trust others. Empowering team members to make real decisions wasn't easy. It started organically as new hires took over account management, media, and digital responsibilities. Over time, Bill realized the work improved when people felt ownership and felt empowered to shape the agency. “The ability to let go and trust others is essential to grow your agency,” he says. This trust not only gave the agency room to grow but also gave Bill and Scott the freedom to step back from being prisoners of their own business. Why Would a 25 Year Old Agency Rebrand Now? After two and a half decades as Frederick Swanston, the founders made the bold move to rebrand as Bosun to better reflect what they'd become. The decision was about more than a new logo. According to Bill, keeping their surnames in the brand felt too self-centered and didn't reflect the agency's culture. The rebrand signaled a shift: it's not about Bill or Scott anymore. It's about the team, the clients, and the relationships that actually fuel the work. While rebrands often make clients nervous, Bill said the transition was seamless. In fact, many partners celebrated alongside them, proving that strong relationships matter more than the name on the door. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Dr. Yul Ejnes of Brown University Health to the pod to discuss a recent Forefront article he authored about the trend of deprofessionalization in the health care workforce and potential antidotes to address these issues.Learn more about the topic of the health care workforce with a Health Affairs Insider trend report.Join us for this upcoming Insider exclusive events:10/15: Immigration Policies and Their Impact on Health CareBecome an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.Related Articles:Deprofessionalization: An Emerging Threat To The Physician Workforce (Health Affairs Forefront)The Health Care Workforce: A Challenge In Sustainability (Health Affairs) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

CMS released their 2026 Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D projections this week. Join Sarah as she highlights info for agents, from estimates on enrollment and premiums to plan accessibility and more!   Get Connected:

October 3, 2025 In this episode, Scott, Mark, and Ray Painter discuss two timely and important topics. First, they break down the current government shutdown and its effects on Medicare claims processing, including the 10-day hold issued by CMS to allow MACs to adjust their systems—especially around telehealth billing. They offer practical recommendations for urology practices, including billing guidance and the use of ABNs during the shutdown.Then, the discussion shifts to artificial intelligence in healthcare. After attending multiple urology meetings and AI sessions, Scott and Mark share real-world observations on how AI is being used across the urology landscape—from ambient documentation tools to claims scrubbing and patient scheduling. They emphasize the importance of human oversight, expertise, and carefully evaluating AI partners before implementing tools in your practice. Ray adds his perspective on the ongoing need for human knowledge and caution when embracing new technology.Urology Advanced Coding and Reimbursement SeminarInformation and RegistrationPRS Coding and Reimbursement HubAccess the HubFree Kidney Stone Coding CalculatorDownload NowPRS Coding CoursesFor UrologistFor APPsFor Coders, Billers, and AdminsPRS Billing and Other Services - Book a Call with Mark Painter or Marianne DescioseClick Here to Get More Information and Request a Quote Join the Urology Pharma and Tech Pioneer GroupEmpowering urology practices to adopt new technology faster by providing clear reimbursement strategies—ensuring the practice gets paid and patients benefit sooner.         https://www.prsnetwork.com/joinuptpClick Here to Start Your Free Trial of AUACodingToday.com   The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook group.The Thriving Urology Practice Facebook Group link to join:https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThrivingPractice/ 

In this special episode of Radio Advisory, recorded at 9:30 a.m. ET on Oct. 1, 2025, host Rae Woods walks through two major healthcare policy disruptions: the federal government shutdown and the Rural Health Transformation Program. Rae explains the immediate implications for care delivery and funding as Medicare telehealth and Hospital-at-Home waivers expire and debates over ACA tax credits and Medicaid work requirements stall in Congress. She also unpacks new guidance from CMS on the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program, outlining what leaders must do to apply for funding before the November 5th deadline and best position themselves to support their rural communities. We're here to help: Healthcare Policy Updates Timeline Health policy roundup: CMS opens applications for $50B rural health fund A transcript of this episode as well as more information and resources can be found on RadioAdvisory.advisory.com.

Telehealth coverage for SLPs under Medicare expired on October 1, 2025. In this episode, Dr. Jeanette Benigas, SLP, and Katie Brown, SLP, explain what this means for the provision of Telehealth services for traditional Medicare Part B beneficiaries, the nuances for Part A beneficiaries, and the allowance of private pay. They also unpack the government shutdown's impact on claims processing, what remains unchanged for Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans, and why employers shouldn't issue blanket telehealth bans without checking payer rules. Get clear, practical guidance plus the free Telehealth Toolkit to support your patients and advocate for continued access.Find all of the advocacy tools you need here to participate in the telehealth call to action, or check out Katie's SLPs Blueprint to Medicare Success and get $100 off with the code FixSLP.If you missed it, catch Katie and Jeanette's earlier conversation on Medicare telehealth in Episode 96. It sets the stage for what's happening now.Stop paying to track ASHA-approved CEUs. Save your money and set up for a FREE CEU/PDH tracker with Speech Therapy PD. While you are there, get $10 off a professional subscription with the code FixSLP10!

Today, I'm joined by Anup Malani. He's a professor of law at the University of Chicago, currently on leave, serving as the first Chief Economist at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This means he oversees economic analysis for the agency managing $2 trillion in annual healthcare spending — 23% of the entire federal budget. CMS runs Medicare for 70 million elderly Americans, Medicaid for low-income families, and the health insurance exchanges where millions buy coverage.Malani answers a lot of questions I have about American healthcare policy:* The US spends 20% of GDP on healthcare. Why is our life expectancy so bad?* How do you crack down on Medicare fraud without hurting patients who need care?* What incentives do private insurers like UnitedHealth have to make patients look sicker than they are?* What do academic economists get wrong about policy?The full transcript for this conversation is at www.statecraft.pub. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.statecraft.pub

In this episode, Molly Gamble, Vice President of Editorial at Becker's Healthcare, explores the looming expiration of CMS's hospital at home waiver, the investments health systems have made in this model, and the anxiety leaders face as they await Congress's decision on funding and program extensions.

As a distributor, publishing company, creator of DIY platform OFFstep and one of the world's largest music MCNs on YouTube, ONErpm is considered a full-service, modern record label. The company puts artists at the forefront by emphasizing transparency & education at both the front end and back end, and even has its own CMS platform for artists to track spending & marketing plans. In this episode, Head of Marketing Jenna LoMonaco details how ONErpm supports & helps to develop their artists' vision, along with the company's strategic incorporation of modern tech, and clears up misconceptions on exploitation in the industry.

By Adam Turteltaub With a rising focus on value-based care, and a new program seeking to make the approach mandatory, we spoke with Ed White (LinkedIn), Partner at Nelson Mullins. Previous efforts to move toward value-based models, such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), faced significant barriers due to regulatory frameworks like the Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute. These laws were designed to prevent financial incentives from influencing medical decisions, but they also limited the ability of hospitals and physicians to collaborate in ways necessary for effective value-based care implementation. Recognizing these constraints, CMS and the Office of Inspector General (OIG) collaborated in 2020 to issue new regulations aimed at facilitating the transition to value-based care. The next step in the transition is the new Transforming Episode Accountability Model or TEAM program, which will become mandatory in 2026. This program includes 740 hospitals across the country and targets five specific surgical procedures. Participating hospitals must coordinate care with a range of providers—including specialists, primary care physicians, labs, durable medical equipment (DME) providers, hospice agencies, and others. The TEAM program is designed to last for five years, during which time hospitals are responsible for ensuring that patients are connected to appropriate post-discharge care, including follow-up with primary care providers. The goal is to reduce complications, avoid emergency room readmissions, and promote better health outcomes—all while keeping costs below a CMS-established target price. To drive efficiency, the TEAM program introduces three financial risk “tracks”: Upside-only track – Hospitals can earn shared savings if costs come in below the target price. Moderate risk (upside/downside) track – Hospitals can either earn savings or incur penalties depending on performance. Full-risk track – This track will offer both greater risks and rewards. According to industry consultants, two-thirds of participating hospitals are expected to lose money in the early phases of the TEAM program. Hospitals must rethink their compliance, care coordination, and partnership strategies in the wake of these changes. Listen in to learn more about what this all means for your compliance program both today and in the future.

New data from the summer Vizient Spend Management Outlook show that in the inpatient space, high-cost drugs, especially CAR-T treatments like Yescarta and Breyanzi are major drivers of drug spend. To help offset these costs, certain therapies may qualify for additional reimbursement through the New Technology Add-On payment (NTAP), a program that supports innovations that substantially improve care for Medicare beneficiaries. Carolyn Liptak, Pharmacy Executive Director at the Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence joins host Stacy Lauderdale, Associate Vice President of Evidence-Based Medicine and Drug Information at Vizient to cover the purpose of this add-on payment, the criteria necessary for drugs to qualify and strategies to capture its full value.   Guest Speaker: Carolyn Liptak, MBA, RPh  Pharmacy Executive Director  Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence   Host: Stacy Lauderdale, PharmD, BCP   Associate Vice President  Vizient Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence     Show Notes:  [01:02-03:38] Overview of NTAP and why CMS created the program [03:39-05:02] How DRG recalibration depends on broad adoption [05:03-07:17] Criteria for medications to quality for NTAP status [07:18-08:24] Who determines whether a therapy represents substantial clinical improvement [08:25-10:05] The value NTAP provides to hospitals [10:06-11:51] How to locate products that are eligible for NTAP [11:52-16:22] Best practices to ensure that NTAP payment is captured when the drug is used [16:23-17:22] Resources for additional information   Links | Resources:  Payment Updates: Preparing for 2026 - On Demand New Medical Services and New Technologies  FY 2026 IPPS Final Rule Home Page  MAC Implementation File 8 (ZIP) – FY 2026 New Technology Add-on Payment  CMS Web Pricer    VerifiedRx Listener Feedback Survey: We would love to hear from you - Please click here   Subscribe Today! Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube RSS Feed

When the final rule take effect Oct. 1, 2025, coders, providers, and administration leaders will need to adjust to several key changes, including the new MS-DRGs and broad policy changes. And that is why the producers of Talk Ten Tuesday have invited Leigh Poland, vice president of the AGS Health coding service product line to return to the popular Internet broadcast, Talk Ten Tuesday, to report on these significant changes.The popular Internet broadcast will also feature these additional instantly recognizable panelists, who will report more news during their segments:• CDI Report: Cheryl Ericson, Senior Director of Clinical Policy and Education for the vaunted Brundage Group, will have the latest clinical documentation integrity (CDI) updates.• Social Determinants of Health: Tiffany Ferguson, CEO for Phoenix Medical Management, Inc., will report on the news that is happening at the intersection of medical record auditing and the SDoH.• The Coding Report: Jodi Worthington, with First Class Solutions, will substitute for Christine Geiger to report on the latest coding news.• News Desk: Timothy Powell, ICD10monitor national correspondent, will anchor the Talk Ten Tuesdays News Desk.• MyTalk: Angela Comfort, veteran healthcare subject-matter expert, will co-host the long-running and popular weekly Internet broadcast. Comfort is the Assistant Vice President of Revenue Integrity for Montefiore Health.

R. Ross Burris, Shareholder, Polsinelli, and Lindsey L. Lonergan, Senior Associate General Counsel, Wellspan Health, discuss current trends and developments related to audits and proactive strategies for dealing with audits. They cover issues related to CMS claim review programs, the increase in commercial audits versus government payer audits, artificial intelligence, Unified Program Integrity Contractor audits, and the 60-day rule. Ross and Lindsey spoke about this topic at AHLA's 2025 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.Watch this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iorXAhX0o9ELearn more about the AHLA 2025 Annual Meeting that took place in San Diego, CA: https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/annualmeeting Essential Legal Updates, Now in Audio AHLA's popular Health Law Daily email newsletter is now a daily podcast, exclusively for AHLA Premium members. Get all your health law news from the major media outlets on this podcast! To subscribe and add this private podcast feed to your podcast app, go to americanhealthlaw.org/dailypodcast. Stay At the Forefront of Health Legal Education Learn more about AHLA and the educational resources available to the health law community at https://www.americanhealthlaw.org/.

President Trump is expected to propose changes to the nation's largest work visa program, with implications for healthcare staffing. A CMS pilot adding prior authorizations to traditional Medicare is facing pushback from Congressional leaders. A major medical supply manufacturer is reportedly planning a high-profile IPO next month. More on these stories in today's episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Web Optimization: Technical SEO and Content Marketing Best Practices with Favour Obasi-Ike | Get exclusive SEO newsletters in your inbox.Focusing on web optimization, technical SEO, and content marketing, likened to building a durable house or maintaining a high-performance car. The discussion features several experts who explore strategies for increasing online visibility and revenue, emphasizing the critical role of a strong website foundation, reliable hosting, and effective content creation, particularly through blogs and YouTube, to address customer questions. We also debate the impact of AI on search and the necessity of SEO versus relying on other traffic channels like TikTok, concluding that a unified, authoritative online presence is key to gaining trust and accelerating business growth.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Next Steps for Digital Marketing + SEO Services:>> ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need SEO Services? Book a Complimentary SEO Discovery Call with Favour Obasi-Ike⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>> Need more information? Visit our Work and PLAY Entertainment website to learn about our digital marketing services.>> Visit our Official website for the best digital marketing, SEO, and AI strategies today!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------What marketing topics are central to this discussion? The core topics discussed are web optimization, technical SEO, and content marketing.Why are technical setup and content vital for a website? Technical and content aspects should work together to make your website an "optimized place" and an "optimized greenhouse" for your business online. When you combine technical elements and content, you create a much wider network and a more extensive resource.What does the term "optimization" imply? Optimization is equated with consistency. If a website is not being optimized consistently, it is metaphorically stuck, like a car not moving in a driveway.How should a business approach content creation to serve both people and algorithms? Website owners should write for people first, but they must also keep the search algorithm in mind. The goal is to create many pages that interlink, providing a journey from discovery to decision for the user, utilizing various formats like video, audio, infographics, FAQs, or glossaries.How does authorship relate to building credibility online? When content is created on your website, it should be attributed to an author page originating from the person writing the content. Including expert quotes within a blog that has your name attached builds credibility. Furthermore, having your name indexed by Google as a blog author via a profile link can put you ahead of the competition.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Technical SEO and Website FoundationWhat are the fundamental components necessary for a website? The process starts with your domain, followed by your hosting, and then your website. Key technical considerations include where you host the website, the CMS platform used, and how your DNS records are configured.Why is choosing a quality host important? You must have the correct hosting, meaning the host should not go down. Many cheap hosting services put literally thousands of websites on the same servers. It is better to pay more for a higher quality server.How can I monitor if my website is experiencing downtime? You can use free monitoring tools, such as Uptime Robot, which will monitor your website's uptime and send you an alert if the site goes offline.What is a major technical mistake regarding domain names? A "big one" is simply keeping track of your domain name. It is recommended to renew your domain name for a couple of years at a time, rather than just one year.What is the distinction between technical setup and content in an analogy? Technical SEO is like the exterior of a car—the battery, engine, oil, and fluids—determining speed and duration. Content marketing is the interior—the steering wheel, comfort, and aesthetics.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------AI, Schema, and Search StrategyWhat is the relationship between AI, search, and structured websites? The rise of AI suggests a thin line is developing between unstructured websites and structured websites. AI is actively affecting the way people search.What is schema, and how is it used on a website? Schema refers to structured data. When implementing schema on a web page, you should focus on elements like breadcrumbs, FAQs, and price/stock information, as these elements allow you to have a much higher signal. Structured data involves taking unstructured information (like a general blog post) and organizing it using visual elements, examples, statistics, and expert quotes.How can a business influence LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT? AI platforms (LLMs) seek to grab information. The "secret key" is to release news about your business through press releases. This process helps your information get into Google News, which the LLMs will then pick up.In terms of building authority, what should a business prioritize? The priority is to first be known, as you cannot be trusted if you are not known. Putting out content on how you solve problems is essential for gaining recognition.What specific content strategy is recommended for building authority (e.g., for an auto dealership)? A good strategy is to find long-tail keywords, particularly questions, using tools like ChatGPT or the "People Also Ask" section on Google results. Then, create content answering those questions, allocating one question per blog post. These articles should be at least 300 to 500 words long. To enhance this content, you can create and embed a related YouTube video on that specific blog page.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Content Distribution and Platform UseWhat platforms should be used to support a website's foundation? In addition to a strong website, you should have supporting foundations such as YouTube, social media, or news outlets. The game is distribution; the more you can distribute your content, the more you can increase your capacity.If a client is highly successful using a non-search channel (like TikTok), is SEO necessary? If a client has an amazing traffic funnel on a channel like TikTok or YouTube, they do not necessarily need SEO; they should focus on doing more of what is already working. However, if the market relies more on search, setting up a broad SEO net is highly recommended.What is the key difference in content interaction between Pinterest and Instagram? On Instagram, you can save a post, but you cannot click on the image to go to a destination link outside of the platform (unless you use the link in the bio). On Pinterest, you can click on an image, and it will take you to a destination link, providing a "soft backlink".What unique data intelligence does Pinterest provide to business owners? While Instagram saves are private, a business owner with a Pinterest business account can see the names of the boards that users saved their pins to (if the boards are public). This information tells the business owner what context the user assigned to the content (e.g., "mentorship," "food"). This data intelligence allows the business to create more relevant content.What category of platform is Pinterest considered? Pinterest is viewed as a hybrid of both search and social. People use Pinterest to plan.Why is it important to consider factors like font size in web content? When optimizing content, size matters. A font size of 20 pixels will likely be read faster than a font size of 12 pixels, as people often skim or scan content rather than reading every detail. Similarly, small text in emails can be ignored because people do not want to squint.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Glossary Term & DefinitionAuthorshipThe practice of associating content with a specific person or brand name. This builds credibility and helps Google and other search algorithms recognize the entity as an expert, which can improve search rankings.CMS (Content Management System)The software platform used to build and manage a website's content. The choice of CMS is a foundational technical decision that impacts how a site is built and maintained.Content MarketingThe strategic practice of creating and distributing various forms of media (text, audio, video, images) to attract and engage a target audience. In the session's car analogy, it represents the "interior" of the car—the user's experience.DeepseekAn AI search tool mentioned as an alternative to ChatGPT. It was noted for providing more detailed, contextual answers compared to just a list of questions, suggesting it performs a deeper data crawl.LLMs (Large Language Models)The AI systems, like ChatGPT, that power modern search and chat platforms. These models crawl the web for information, and the discussion focuses on how to get a website's content indexed and recommended by them.llms.txtA file, similar to robots.txt for search engines, that is intended to control how AI Large Language Models crawl and use a website's content.PinterestDescribed as a "hybrid of both search and social," this platform is highlighted as a powerful tool for web optimization. It functions like "Google Images," driving traffic through clickable pins and providing deep user insights through public board names.Press ReleaseA news announcement distributed to media outlets. It is presented as a key tactic to get a business featured in Google News, which helps it get noticed by LLMs and establishes the business as "known."SchemaA form of structured data markup added to a website's code. It helps search engines understand the content more deeply, enabling features like FAQs, price ranges, and breadcrumbs in search results, which is crucial for ranking in AI-driven search.Sigmoid CurveA concept mentioned by John to describe the adoption rate of new technology. It illustrates that different demographics (e.g., older vs. younger generations) are at different points on the curve in their adoption of tools like AI search.Technical SEOThe process of optimizing the technical aspects of a website to improve its performance and crawlability for search engines. In the session's car analogy, it represents the "exterior" and "under the hood" components like the engine and battery, which dictate speed and reliability.Uptime RobotA free online tool recommended for monitoring a website's availability. It alerts the owner if their website goes down, preventing loss of traffic and revenue from unnoticed outages.Web OptimizationA consistent, ongoing process of improving a brand's entire online presence, not just the main website. 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This week I Talk About GEO vs SEO [powerpress]

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training What does it really look like when employees step up to buy the agency they've helped run for years? Today's featured guest will share how she and her partners carried forward the 30-year legacy of an agency founded in the days of print and stamp, a business that has not only survived but thrived through three different ownership handoffs. You'll hear how they transitioned from licking envelopes to leading digital campaigns, navigated buying the business during COVID, and tackled the imposter syndrome that comes with suddenly being “the boss.” If you've ever thought about selling your agency, or buying one, this conversation is packed with lessons on culture, succession, and keeping an agency alive for the long haul. Alyssa Ash is one of the principals and co-owners of AOR, a creative and digital agency focused on branding, marketing, and web, with a strong focus on real estate development, municipalities, and economic development projects. Think housing solutions, community connections, and projects that shape cities—that's their sweet spot. Alyssa and her two business partners are the third generation of owners keeping AOR alive since its founding in 1992. A rare kind of legacy in agency land. In this episode, we'll discuss: How employees can be groomed into ownership. Lessons from buying an agency during COVID. Why imposter syndrome is normal (and even healthy). Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. A Legacy of Print and Culture Back in '92, AOR wasn't cranking out websites or SEO strategies. It was the time of print design, direct mail, licking stamps, and die-cut lounge chair mailers that made people long-time clients. It's not common that an agency that gets acquired lives on like this, but the founders had built something special. Each generation of owners didn't just grow the client list—they protected the culture. When the founders sold 13 years after starting the business, keeping that culture intact was non-negotiable. Fast forward again, and Alyssa's crew inherited not just an agency, but a philosophy: honor the people and the community as much as the work. Transitioning from Employee to Owner Unlike an outside buyer swooping in with an SBA loan, Alyssa and her partners were homegrown leaders. They'd each put in 10–15 years, running departments in strategy, sales, and operations. By the time the second set of owners started floating the idea of selling, the trio was already running day-to-day operations. At first, the conversation was casual, “Would you even want to own the agency someday?”, but over time it got real. The financial side was initially not even part of the conversation, although they did give a reasonable runway of five to ten years for the acquisition to happen. The fact that three of them shared the load made the acquisition possible. While the thought was intimidating at first, the gradual handoff built their confidence. By the time the deal closed, ownership felt less like a leap and more like the next natural step. Navigating an Agency Acquisition During COVID If you've ever thought about buying or selling an agency, you know the financing part can get tricky. For Alyssa and her partners, COVID hit right in the middle of negotiations. On one hand, this made it somehow easier for her and her partners to step even more into their roles as heads of the agency. While the owners stepped back from daily operations, Alyssa and her partners made the transition to their new roles. On the other hand, the pandemic did complicate things as SBA loans looked risky with interest rates climbing. Thankfully, the old owners worked out a five-year owner-financed note instead. That decision didn't just save them financially, it cemented trust. The outgoing owners wanted the next generation to succeed and structured the deal so everyone won. As Alyssa put it, “It didn't feel like a big shift… because we'd already been doing it.” Fighting Imposter Syndrome (and Why That's Healthy) Even with 15 years in the trenches, Alyssa admits stepping into ownership brought its fair share of imposter syndrome. She was still quite young, even though she felt comfortable leading day-to-day operations. This is where the former owner's trust really helped. They put her in a position to succeed and trusted she could make it. Ultimately, every agency owner feels that, no matter the stage of their career they're at when becoming an owner. In fact, it's the ones who don't who usually get tripped up by ego. Preparing the Next Generation So, is Alyssa grooming her team for eventual ownership? Not yet, it's too soon. But she is watching for the traits that made her and her partners natural fits: entrepreneurial thinking, leadership instincts, and a bias for taking responsibility. Her advice to other agency owners thinking about succession: Don't overlook your employees as potential buyers. Give them time and a runway to grow into the role. Protect your culture by keeping it in the hands of people who already live it. Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.

In this episode, we'll walk through resources you can use to get free help with Medicare. The Resources are broken into three categories:1. Free online educational content2. Free Medicare guidance from SHIP3. Free Medicare guidance from insurance brokersResourcesMedicare: https://www.medicare.gov/CMS: https://www.cms.gov/KFF: https://www.kff.org/topic/medicare/SHIP: https://www.shiphelp.org/JAMA Study on SHIP: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama...Chapter: 410-220-5494Federal Lawsuit: https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/139...Join the Newsletter. It's Free:https://robberger.com/newsletter/?utm...Get free guidance on Medicare from Chapter, a company I've partnered with, by calling 410-220-5494. If you call Chapter, please let me know about your experience.

Setting: President Trump held a press conference after attending Charlie Kirk’s funeral, teasing it as a “major announcement” on autism and public health. Main Claim: Trump and RFK Jr. asserted that acetaminophen (Tylenol) use during pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of autism in children. Trump directly warned against taking Tylenol while pregnant, except in extreme cases of high fever. Autism Statistics (as presented by Trump): Historical rates cited: 1 in 20,000 → 1 in 10,000 → 1 in 31 overall today, and as high as 1 in 12 among boys in some regions (e.g., California). He described this increase as “artificial” and linked it to medication and vaccines. Specific Policy Steps Announced: FDA to issue warnings and update labeling for acetaminophen, cautioning its use during pregnancy. NIH, FDA, CDC, and CMS to coordinate a new effort investigating potential environmental, pharmaceutical, and vaccine links to autism. New grant funding (13 awards) through NIH’s Autism Data Science Initiatives. Other Health Proposals Trump Raised: Vaccines: suggested spacing them out, avoiding certain ingredients (mercury, aluminum), giving MMR separately, and delaying hepatitis B vaccination until age 12. Treatment: referenced new findings suggesting folate deficiency in children may contribute to autism, with therapies under research. RFK Jr.’s Role: He emphasized that past autism research was too focused on genetics and ignored environmental/toxic exposures. Supported Trump’s push to investigate acetaminophen, vaccines, and other potential causes. Announced NIH/FDA would pursue depoliticized research, new label warnings, and public education campaigns. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast and Verdict with Ted Cruz Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join host Alex Crespo, MD as he chats with author Michael Weaver, MD about the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma article on the Frailty Index as a possible stratification tool in the CMS hip fracture bundle. To access the abstract, click here. For additional educational resources visit OTA.org

This week I Interviewed Miriam Schwab [powerpress]

Would you like access to our advanced agency training for FREE? https://www.agencymastery360.com/training Is hiring one of the biggest challenges you've faced when it comes to running your agency? How do you sift through hundreds of applications when most don't even read the job description? Today's featured guest opens up about the realities of building a team, the role that gave him his time back, and why finding the right people, not unicorns, but the right fits can make or break an agency's growth. Dan Salganik is the managing partner and CEO of Visual Fizz, a Chicago-based digital full-service marketing agency. He spent years working at agencies of every size and learning of the many flaws in their operations: bloated overhead, work designed more to win awards than to serve clients, and inefficiencies everywhere. Instead of sticking it out, he decided to try something different. With the help of a co-founder he met online, he turned his freelance gig into an actual business. Within nine days of their first conversation, they had their first paying client. Once they were at three clients, they decided it was time to make it official and started Visual Fizz. In this episode, we'll discuss: The digital nomad myth. Hiring as the biggest challenge for agency success. The unicorn problem. Why the big guys should be worried. Subscribe Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio Sponsors and Resources This episode is brought to you by Wix Studio: If you're leveling up your team and your client experience, your site builder should keep up too. That's why successful agencies use Wix Studio — built to adapt the way your agency does: AI-powered site mapping, responsive design, flexible workflows, and scalable CMS tools so you spend less on plugins and more on growth. Ready to design faster and smarter? Go to wix.com/studio to get started. Inspired to Create Something Better After Working With The Big Guys Dan's path into agency life started straight out of college, working at agencies as a project manager. He saw how the big guys worked and was frustrated by the waste. Expensive office space downtown, teams focused on portfolio-building instead of client results, and layers of inefficiency that didn't make sense to him. After a layoff, he started contracting and freelancing. After a while, he figured if he was already selling his time, why not build a team and sell more than just his own hours? Partnering with a co-founder who brought SEO and paid search chops, he launched Visual Fizz for just $50 and a “crappy logo.” The Digital Nomad Myth At first, Dan thought the digital nomad lifestyle was going to be the dream. He traveled through Asia, working out of hostels, hopping on 2 a.m. client calls from rooftop hotels, and running projects with a global team scattered across South Africa, Kuwait, and the U.S. It sounded cool on paper—but the reality was brutal. Trying to serve U.S. clients while living 12 hours ahead was a recipe for burnout. As he put it, “If you're traveling to Southeast Asia and trying to hit U.S. hours, you're in for a rude awakening.” Over time, he realized international travel had to shift into more realistic time zones if he wanted to scale the agency. From Scrappy Start to Scaling Smart Visual Fizz didn't take off by accident. From the beginning, Dan and his co-founder knew they wanted more than just a freelancing partnership. She had the technical expertise, he had the business and sales skills, and together they leaned into that divide. Their first clients came on at around $2,500/month retainers, which felt big at the time. But what really set them apart was their willingness to sell the agency model—not just themselves as individual contractors. Dan admits the early days were DIY to the extreme. He designed the first website, created the brand, and hustled every step of the way. But over time, they shifted from being “just two freelancers” into a legit business with structure, processes, and a growing client roster. Why Hiring is Always the Hardest Part Dan didn't hesitate when asked about the hardest part of running an agency: hiring. In a business where you're selling knowledge and time, having the right people is everything. And finding those people can be tough, especially for smaller agencies. Posting a single job ad often results in 700 to 1,500 applications—most of which are noise. Dan prefers entrepreneurial-minded hires over candidates with perfect credentials. He values people who can adapt, who want to learn, and who bring a cultural fit to the table. That's how he's built a team that can handle change in an industry that shifts constantly. Like most founders, Dan has had terrible interview experiences with candidates who applied mindlessly as soon as they saw an opening and didn't bother to read anything about the profile required. People were showing up to interviews while in their card eating, not even knowing the company's name, and clearly not having the skills required. If you've ever found yourself in this position, overwhelmed by resumes and constantly interviewing the wrong people, bury a hidden instruction in your job post, like requiring a candidate to send a video with a specific subject line to a private email. The people who follow directions prove they're serious. The rest self-select out, saving you hours of wasted interviews Tired of the fancy resumes and disastrous interviews, Dan has turned to his contractors. He's hired people who had contracted with the agency for years, which of course had the advantage of already understanding their capabilities and knowing they were up to the task. Furthermore, Dan considers himself to be very fiscally conservative when it comes to hiring, so he prefers working with the person until he feels he can comfortably hire them to be a full time team member. The Hire That Changed Everything For Dan, the biggest game-changer was bringing in a project manager who grew into a project lead. Having someone who could take ownership of processes, build out SOPs, and even tell him to log off at 6 p.m. gave him the space to focus on the bigger picture, strategy, branding, and biz dev. The right project manager isn't just checking boxes. They protect your time. They let you walk into client conversations clear-headed instead of stressed about whether a deliverable is behind. When they can run the team and operations, you can finally do the job of a CEO: winning new business and setting the direction of the agency. Stop Chasing Unicorn Hires What's the next hire on Dan's list? A hybrid between a campaign strategist and a creative marketing manager. Someone who can think strategically, get hands-on with campaigns, and still spot when an SEO report doesn't make sense to a client. Sounds great but also sounds like a unicorn. As most agency owners eventually learn: unicorn hires exist, but you can't build a hiring strategy around finding them. Instead, hire clearly defined roles—project managers who love execution, account managers who thrive on client leadership. When you stumble across someone who can flex across lanes, great. But don't make that the expectation. How to Train Your Team to Sell Naturally Dan's agency doesn't run with a traditional account manager structure. Their PMs double as client leads, which means Dan had to find a way to make sales training part of the culture without turning his team into pushy salespeople. The secret to this training is storytelling. Instead of saying, “Hey, we can upsell you,” his team learns to connect client comments with relevant success stories. If a client mentions running a content audit, a PM can naturally suggest looping in the SEO lead, not because they're chasing revenue but because they know it will help the client. Over time, this approach builds trust and positions the agency as a partner, not just a vendor. Positioning in a Shifting Market Dan has seen client expectations are moving “down a notch” lately. Big brands that once chased Ogilvy or Leo Burnett are now hunting for mid-sized partners. Those mid-sized companies are shifting to smaller shops. And boutique agencies like Visual Fizz are landing $100–500 million clients who want to be a top priority instead of client number 142 on a massive roster. It's the boutique hotel effect. Clients don't always want the 3,000-room resort. Sometimes they want the place where the staff knows their name, treats them like the biggest deal in the building, and still delivers world-class service. For smaller agencies, that's a huge opportunity to win the types of clients that used to feel out of reach. Why Lean Agencies Have the Edge The future isn't kind to bloated agencies. What used to take 100 people a few years ago could now be done with 40—or even 15. Large firms with huge overhead and outdated models will struggle unless they pivot, merge, or find a vertical niche. Meanwhile, smaller and mid-sized agencies that can move fast, price smart, and deliver with a lean team are better positioned than ever. As Dan put it, even Fortune 500 companies are asking, “Why should I pay $50k a month for SEO when I can get the same expertise at $8k?” Do You Want to Transform Your Agency from a Liability to an Asset? Looking to dig deeper into your agency's potential? Check out our Agency Blueprint. Designed for agency owners like you, our Agency Blueprint helps you uncover growth opportunities, tackle obstacles, and craft a customized blueprint for your agency's success.