Is your company overpaying for healthcare? Discover how captive insurance is changing the game for employers in this episode of Broken Healthcare . Host Ray Kober sits down with Phil Holowka , founder of Complete Captive and MedTrans Ltd. , and Rob Zwirn , CFO of Action Ambulance, to unpack the truth about employer healthcare spend—and how to take back control . 💥 Key Takeaways: What exactly is a captive insurance model—and how it works How employers can turn a healthcare expense into a strateg...
Jul 24, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 66
In this eye-opening episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Shawn Gremminger , President & CEO of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions , to expose why healthcare feels out of control — and what employers can actually do about it. Shawn brings decades of insider knowledge from Capitol Hill, lobbying firms, and national coalitions to reveal how policy, politics, and industry forces shape the $5 trillion U.S. healthcare system — and why employers have fa...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 65
In this powerful episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Jeff Bak , CEO of Imagine360, to dismantle the myths around employer-sponsored healthcare and reveal how reference-based pricing (RBP) is slashing costs, improving care access, and offering a real alternative to bloated PPO plans. 🚨 If you're an employer, broker, CFO, or HR leader sick of runaway healthcare costs — this is the episode you can't afford to miss. 🔍 Topics We Cover: How Imagine360 evolved from ELAP Servi...
Jul 08, 2025•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 64
What if your city could save millions AND give employees better healthcare? In this eye-opening episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Jolee Perez , Director of Employee Benefits for the City of McAllen, Texas. She shares how her team broke away from the broken system , embraced Direct Primary Care , and revolutionized healthcare for over 3,000 lives—saving the city $8 million in just two years . 👉 Discover how a dysfunctional system was transformed with common sense, cour...
Jun 24, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 63
What happens when two badass HR rebels crash the Broken Healthcare podcast? A hilarious, brutally honest takedown of burnout, broken systems, and the BS that’s choking workplace sanity. Join host Ray Kober as he welcomes Keri Ohlrich, PhD, and Kelly Guenther, co-authors of “Whatever the Hell You Want”, for an unfiltered convo on: 🔥 The real reason HR gets a bad rap (spoiler: it's not just The Office) 📉 How broken benefits and health plans sabotage your people and your bottom line 🧠 Psychology...
Jun 17, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 62
In this eye-opening episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Shay Forbes, Head of Employer Solutions at Turquoise Health, to expose the shocking truth about healthcare pricing. 💥 Shay shares how the same MRI can cost $4,000 at a hospital—or just $450 across the street. Together, they dig into the hidden world of machine-readable files, price transparency laws, and how employers can take control of skyrocketing healthcare costs. 👉 You’ll learn: - What the Hospital Price Trans...
Jun 10, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 61
In this powerful episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with healthcare transformation leader Keith Pinter, CEO of AristaMD, to expose the truth about America's healthcare crisis — and reveal the revolutionary solutions that are already changing the game. From jaw-dropping stories of medical inefficiency and outrageously long wait times to innovative tech that empowers primary care doctors and slashes unnecessary specialist visits, this conversation pulls no punches. 🚑 Keith sha...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 60
In this powerhouse episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Dr. Mary O’Connor — a former Olympic-level rower, nationally recognized orthopedic surgeon, and trailblazer for healthcare equity. From her protest days at Yale that reshaped Title IX enforcement to leading at Mayo Clinic and reforming care delivery at Vori Health, Dr. O'Connor's journey is anything but ordinary. We dive deep into: The emotional toll of missing the 1980 Olympics Her historic Title IX protest that mad...
May 29, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 59
📣 In this explosive episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with bestselling author and marketing strategist Steve Napolitan — a man who built a thriving business with clients like Apple and Intel… then walked away from the grind after life hit hard. 💥 After being diagnosed with Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS) — a rare neurological disorder that left him temporarily paralyzed — Steve was forced to confront the high cost of the hustle. His body shut down, but his mind woke up . Th...
May 27, 2025•2 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 58
How do you provide quality healthcare to thousands of employees—many of them hourly, spread across multiple states—with costs rising and transparency shrinking? In this eye-opening episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with seasoned HR leader Amanda White , who pulls back the curtain on what it's really like to manage benefits for a workforce where affordability isn’t a perk—it’s survival. 🎧 What you'll hear: The impossible decisions HR must make between cost and care. The tru...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 57
In this episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Mike Stancil , a reform-minded healthcare executive and former CEO of the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health. Now at the forefront of ethical PBM transformation with AffirmedRx , Mike unpacks the dysfunction of the U.S. pharmacy benefit system — from opaque rebate schemes to profit-driven care decisions — and lays out a bold new model that puts people before profit . 💊 What does a Public Benefit Corporation PBM look like? 💥 ...
May 21, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 56
In this episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Carey and Batya from The Big Plan to unpack one of the most disruptive ideas in employee healthcare benefits today — ICHRAs (Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements). ✅ What is an ICHRA and why should employers care? ✅ Can it actually lower costs and offer better employee coverage? ✅ Why more brokers and businesses are waking up to this game-changing strategy ✅ And how a tech-powered platform (with a squirrel masc...
May 15, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 55
From a small town in South Carolina to leading healthcare efforts in Abu Dhabi, Zack Cooper’s journey is anything but ordinary. In this powerful episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Zack — a nurse, global health advocate, and executive director of an addiction treatment organization — to explore the deeper issues behind America’s broken healthcare system. 🎙️ What you'll learn: Why the U.S. system is failing both patients and providers How international healthcare models ...
May 12, 2025•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 54
In this explosive episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Dae Lee—a PharmD, attorney, and certified pharmacy benefit specialist—who is on the front lines of one of healthcare’s biggest battles: taking on the 3 powerful PBMs (Pharmacy Benefit Managers) that control 80% of U.S. prescription drug claims. 💣 What you'll learn: - How PBMs manipulate drug pricing and hurt patients - Why employers are at legal risk under the Consolidated Appropriations Act - How Dae Lee helps pharma...
May 09, 2025•58 min•Season 1Ep. 53
What happens when the system meant to protect your health becomes the very thing that threatens it? In this explosive episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Dan LaBroad —activist and outspoken advocate for medical freedom. Dan shares his firsthand experience battling a healthcare system plagued by bureaucracy, political interference, and corporate greed. From confronting insurance nightmares to standing up against government mandates, Dan’s journey is a powerful call to act...
May 07, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 52
In this explosive episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober sits down with Joe Shields , Executive Director of Transparency-Rx , to reveal the truth about pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—and why most employers are unknowingly bleeding money in a rigged system. From hidden fees and offshore rebate schemes to broken fiduciary responsibilities and regulatory wake-up calls, this conversation pulls back the curtain on how the “healthcare” system works against the very people it's supposed to ser...
May 05, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 51
In this powerful episode of the Broken Healthcare podcast, host Ray Kober sits down with Robert Baird , President of the National Cancer Treatment Alliance (NCTA) , to uncover the hidden truths about cancer care in America. Discover how self-funded employers are unknowingly overspending by millions—and what you can do to take back control. We cover: The shocking cost disparities in cancer treatment How to spot and fix hidden waste, abuse, and markup in your healthcare plan Why independent oncolo...
May 02, 2025•56 min•Season 1Ep. 50
What happens when an HR leader says “enough” to the broken U.S. healthcare system? Stephanie Koch, VP of HR at Hendry Marine Industries, shares her extraordinary journey from corporate gatekeeper to pioneering healthcare reformer. In this compelling episode of Broken Healthcare , host Ray Kober dives deep with Stephanie to uncover how she saved lives, slashed costs, and transformed employee benefits—without sacrificing care. From navigating reference-based pricing to launching an on-site clinic ...
Apr 30, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Is your healthcare plan quietly bleeding your business dry? In this eye-opening episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with industry veteran Anthony Masotto from Drexi to unpack the tangled web of pharmacy benefits, high-cost drugs, and the real reason your insurance premiums keep rising. 👉 Discover: - Why your insurance carrier might not be working in your best interest - How self-funded plans can unlock massive savings (without cutting benefits) - The truth behind PBMs, rebate...
Apr 28, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 48
What happens when a CPA with a passion for following the money is handed a failing $200M state health plan? She rewrites the rules. In this explosive episode of Broken Healthcare, host Ray Kober sits down with Marilyn Bartlett, the woman who dared to fire the PBM, cut out the middlemen, and bring real transparency to Montana’s state employee health plan. From exposing hidden costs to negotiating directly with hospitals using reference-based pricing, Marilyn’s story is a masterclass in financial ...
Apr 28, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 45
In this highlight from our latest episode, Ray Kober and healthcare expert Rosalie Faris dive into the power of nurse-led medical management in transforming the healthcare experience. From saving money on high-cost procedures to improving patient outcomes, discover how a new approach is reshaping the future of healthcare. Don't miss this insightful conversation on improving patient care and cutting costs! #Healthcare #MedicalManagement #NurseLeadership #CostSavingCare #PatientOutcomes #Healthcar...
Apr 24, 2025•10 min
What happens when a nurse steps into the complex world of medical management and rewrites the rules of patient care? In this insightful and engaging episode, host Ray Kober sits down with the passionate and whip-smart Rosalie Faris , a seasoned nurse and healthcare pioneer who's been on the frontlines of both clinical care and health plan navigation. From her early days in the ER to founding medical management companies, Rosalie shares her incredible journey, hard truths about the opioid crisis,...
Apr 24, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Dr. Ken Yale has seen it all — from the inside of the White House to the top of Tricare, where he oversaw healthcare for nearly 10 million active military members and their families. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on the tangled web between Washington politics and the healthcare industrial complex. We cover everything from FDA user fees and Big Pharma influence to the ethics of covering $2M drugs — and what happens when a former dental surgeon, attorney, and health plan CEO calls BS ...
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 46
💣 From Collapse to Comeback: Meet Marilyn Bartlett, the CPA who turned a broken $200M state health plan into a national model — and didn’t blink when it meant rewriting the rules of the healthcare game. 💥 The Big Moves: Fired the PBM and exposed the hidden middlemen 💼 Brought reference-based pricing to the table 💵 Negotiated directly with hospitals using Medicare rates 🏥 Saved millions — without cutting a single employee benefit 📉✅ 👀 Why it Matters: This episode pulls back the curtain on ...
Apr 17, 2025•4 min
In this gripping and wildly entertaining episode of Broken Healthcare , Ray Kober sits down with Adam V. Russo — a streetwise legal maverick who grew up in a Polish neighborhood in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and went on to co-found The Phia Group, a powerhouse in healthcare cost containment. Adam pulls no punches as he shares his journey from working-class roots, single-mom hustle, and duct-taped shoes… to building a multimillion-dollar company that’s disrupting the bloated U.S. healthcare syste...
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr 45 min•Season 1Ep. 44
In this explosive episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast , host Ray Kober sits down with former Cigna executive turned whistleblower, Wendell Potter. Wendell reveals the life-changing moment that opened his eyes to the harsh realities of America’s healthcare system—and why he walked away from a lucrative career to tell the truth. 💥 What you’ll hear: •The heartbreaking scene that made Wendell leave Cigna •How insurance companies manipulate public opinion and policy •The shocking power of lobby...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Just A Taste of an in-depth interview with David Jones, where he opens up about his early life, the challenges he overcame, and the mindset that carried him from the projects to prosperity. Want the full story? Watch the complete episode here ➡️ https://youtu.be/nkY7Q661Ojs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 26, 2025•8 min
In this powerful episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast, Ray Kober sits down with David Jones, VP of Sales at Homestead Smart Health Plans, to discuss his incredible journey from growing up in public housing and battling addiction to becoming a county commissioner, a corporate executive, and a leader in the fight for affordable healthcare. David shares: ✅ His early struggles and how he overcame them ✅ The moment that changed his life forever ✅ His perspective on America’s broken criminal justi...
Mar 23, 2025•2 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Meet Ray’s cousin, Charlie DiMaggio! 🎙️ In this episode of the Broken Healthcare Podcast , Ray Kober sits down with Dr. Charles J. DiMaggio —a brilliant epidemiologist with a wild backstory, including time spent working in the ER of one of New York City’s busiest hospitals as a physician assistant . Charlie has seen it all—emergencies, pandemics, and more than his fair share of medical mayhem. But beyond that, he’s spent years deep in the data, studying public health, injury prevention, and the...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Healthcare should be about people, not profit—but unfortunately, that’s not the system we have today. In this episode of Broken Healthcare, I sit down with Dr. Michael Fine, a physician and author of On Medicine as Colonialism, to expose how corporate interests have hijacked healthcare. From hospitals exploiting public funds to private equity draining community resources, we break down the real cost of profit-driven healthcare—and what we can do about it. In this episode, you’ll learn: 1. How co...
Feb 11, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 40
