Becker’s Payer Issues Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Saria Saccocio, Chief Medical Officer at Essence Healthcare, explains how strong provider partnerships, real time data, and a member centered approach drive the plan’s four and a half star performance. She also shares how addressing social needs and listening closely to members shapes future benefit design and care delivery.

In this episode, Steve Tringale, President of Mass General Brigham Health Plan, shares how the organization is expanding its product portfolio, entering the dual eligible market, and investing in integrated digital care management to better support members across all stages of life.

In this episode, Kevin Adams, CEO of HealthEdge, discusses how health plans can overcome legacy technology challenges through modernization, business process as a service (BPaaS), and AI-driven efficiency. He shares insights on building stronger operational foundations and how next-generation automation is reshaping payer operations. This episide is sponsored by HealthEdge.

In this episode, Rick Harbit of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and Bob Tavernier of Quest Analytics discuss how payers are navigating financial pressures, advancing network adequacy 2.0, and using data and network intelligence to drive long-term success. This episode is sponsored by Quest Analytics.

Dr. Meera Atkins, Chief Medical Officer at Lyric.ai and board-certified OB-GYN, discusses how clinically informed AI can revolutionize payment accuracy in healthcare. She highlights the shift from reactive to proactive strategies in payer-provider relationships, emphasizing the importance of trust and clinical validation. Dr. Atkins explains how AI can reduce administrative burdens and enhance value-based care while ensuring equity and ongoing governance. She offers practical pilot suggestions for healthcare organizations to harness AI effectively.

Join Marcy Tatsch, Executive VP and General Manager at Truven by Merative, as she dives into the complexities of rising healthcare costs. With a wealth of experience in healthcare analytics, Marcy discusses key drivers like aging and chronic diseases. She highlights innovative solutions such as GLP-1 drugs and data-centric strategies that can save employers millions. Marcy emphasizes the importance of sophisticated data use for crafting smarter benefit strategies while enhancing care quality. It's a data-driven approach to navigating today's healthcare landscape!

In this episode, Shana Hoffman, President and CEO of Lucet, shares why behavioral health is the key to transforming patient outcomes and reducing costs. She discusses how Lucet is breaking down fragmentation, scaling integrated care, and achieving measurable results for patients and health plans. This episode is sponsored by Lucet.

In this episode, Vinay Kulkarni, Chief Information Officer at SCAN Group, discusses how AI, automation, and digital tools are transforming Medicare Advantage. He explains how these technologies improve care coordination, reduce administrative burden, and personalize care for seniors while maintaining high-quality, empathetic member experiences.

In this episode of Payer Issues, Rachel French, Chief Strategy and Partnerships Officer at MD Live by Evernorth, discusses the impact of point solution fatigue on the member experience, and how MD Live is redefining access with care that's connected, personalized, and provider-guided.This episode is sponsored by MD Live by Evernorth.

This episode features Dave Raccagni, Vice President of Innovation, Market Insights, and Communications at Cigna Healthcare, Dental & Vision. He discusses Cigna Dental's partnership with Paytient to expand flexible, no-interest dental payment options for 13 million members, how the program improves preventive and critical care access, and its potential to drive long-term health and cost savings across broader areas of care.