Beyond Benefits

In this episode, we talk to Deb Ault, better known as Nurse Deb, the president of AIMM. We discuss her dedication to change, both as a nurse and as a pioneer of disruption in the health care and benefits space. We also chat about the challenges of employers' and employees' slow acceptance of change, as well as the realities of working in a broken system. One of the biggest challenges Nurse Deb shares is that many employers are not yet upset enough with the status quo to demand something different: "Until people are pissed off, they're not going to change." But, don't worry, we also get to know Nurse Deb on a personal level. We chat about how she spends her free time, her most recent vacation, and some secret treasures in Columbus, Ohio!

In this episode, we talk with Melissa Burkhart, founder and president of Futuro Solido USA. We discuss her work in the benefits translation space and discuss why creating establishing trust and creating connections with employees matters now, more than ever. She also offers lots of great tips and ideas about benefits communication as we head into open enrollment season! We also discuss her new partnership with NABIP and her work with the Coalition for Inclusion in Benefits and Insurance. And yes, as always, we go down a few rabbit trails, including the hidden connection between middle schoolers, grammar and anchovies, some liberal arts bonding, and a little rant about the vastly underrated food scene in Denver.    

Join Jason Beutler, CEO of RoboSource and AI expert, alongside Daniel Fuller, a sales leader with a background in benefits advising. They dive into the transformative power of AI in benefits and healthcare, discussing how automation can alleviate manual tasks and enhance job roles. Insights include practical advice for benefits advisors, the importance of aligning AI use with business goals, and reframing fears about job loss into opportunities for growth. Plus, a sprinkle of fun topics like running, beach volleyball, and local culinary gems!

In this episode, we dive into the exciting (you read that right!) world of compliance, with Jennifer Spiegel Berman, compliance maven and chief legal officer at Lumelight. One of Jen’s superpowers is her ability to make complex and complicated topics compelling, urgent and understandable. During our conversation, she shares some of her secrets and explains why this skillset is going to become increasingly vital for benefits advisors in the coming years, as compliance becomes an ever more important differentiator during conversations with employers.

Our latest conversation is with Clint Flanagan, a board-certified physician, direct-primary care pioneer, entrepreneur, and the founder and CMO of Nextera Healthcare. Dr. Flanagan has been around DPC since its earliest days and he has some fascinating insights about the incredible transformation that it has undergone over the years. We also delve into the more recent “localvore” movement, its relationship with DPC and current health care trends, and we also discuss why describing DPC as “innovative” isn’t entirely accurate.

Health Rosetta co-founder and CEO, Dave Chase, shares how he draws inspiration from historical social movements and revolutions, explains why a relatively small spark can create a cultural wildfire, and details his quest to find and gather a community of advisors and employers who have “cracked the code.”

Listen in for a wide-ranging discussion with Uche Enemchukwu, benefits attorney, strategy consultant, and CEO of Nelu Diversified Solutions, a global employee benefits consulting, certification, and technology provider. Uche offers her insights into the current state of the industry, the trends she’s watching around plan design and utilization, as well as how industry leaders can — and should — use their influence and spending power to push true innovation in the industry. And as always, we also dive into some fun topics, including the joys of being a PBS nerd, some killer Chicago food recommendations, and yes, plenty of book recommendations!

In this episode, we sit down with Tracy Watts, senior partner, national leader for U.S. Health Care Policy at Mercer. We chat about a number of topics, including her thoughts on all the noise coming out of Washington D.C. right now, the latest round of fiduciary lawsuits and their potential impacts, and a few of the innovative benefits design strategies and ideas she’s watching most closely right now.  Come for the benefits discussion, stay for the golf debates, killer recipes and cookbook recommendations!

In this episode, we dig into a number of topics with our newly crowned BenefitsPRO Advisor of the Year, Chris Hamilton. Chris details his journey from commercial banking into the benefits space, shares what he calls “the Achilles’ heel of many traditional brokerages” and offers practical and detailed advice for employers and benefits advisors who are looking to explore the world of self-funding. We also spend some time chatting about some killer workouts that aren’t for the faint of heart, discussing the joys of drumming, and singing the praises of two of our favorite bands: Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. We hope you enjoy listening!

In this episode, we chat with Solome Tibebu, founder and CEO of Behavioral Health Tech. The discussion touches on everything from the current state of behavioral health in the U.S., to Solome’s personal mental health journey and the key role that technology and benefits innovation can play in expanding access to mental health services and tools. We also discuss behavioral health during tough times, overcoming stage fright, strategies for reducing stigma, the impossible art of keeping houseplants alive, and much more!