Twenty million Americans are employed by firms with 20 or fewer employees – many of which do not provide health care coverage for their employees. Josh Hilgers, Director of Enterprise Sales at Quotit says that despite all the usual excuses, the “21st Century Cures” Act signed two years ago is offering those employees and employees options while creating a huge opportunity for benefit advisors. Josh is one of the organizers of a free virtual conference called the “ Benefit Success Summit .” Shift...
Dec 11, 2017•21 min
In Part 2 of this 2-part episode we will ask David Contorno, President of Lake Norman Benefits and Benefit Selling’s 2015 Broker of the Year about Performance-based Compensation and his belief that it puts advisors in a much better long-term position. Forbes Magazine called our guest, David Contorno, one of America’s most innovative benefits leaders. As he works with clients and travels the country consulting with prospects and other advisors, he has come to the conclusion that if you use today’...
Dec 04, 2017•24 min
Forbes Magazine called our guest, David Contorno, “One of America’s most innovative benefits leaders.” So, what’s he up to and what tools, techniques and strategies is he bringing his clients? We discuss why the “old way” just isn’t working and how this leads employers to a dilemma. We also explore whether the advisor community is moving to a completely different delivery model. David explains why talking to the C-Suite is the way to provide 21st-century advice to clients. We chat about how rati...
Nov 27, 2017•21 min
On this episode of ShiftShapers , we are stepping out of the realm of employee benefits, insurance and financial planning to discuss the ultimate differentiator for all businesses – customer service. Peter Shankman is the author of a new book, Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans . As an international consultant, serial entrepreneur, angel investor, corporate speaker, founder of Help A Reporter Out and The Geek Factory, Peter knows how to create zombie loyalists and why the...
Nov 20, 2017•19 min
Although the concept behind Direct Primary Care (DPC) is more than 10 years old, more and more physicians are opting out of the insurance-based world for a practice model that is old-fashioned but in the best sense of the word. Our guest on this episode – Dr. Jeffrey Gold – explains the attraction from the physician side of the equation. What You’ll Learn From this Episode: Why patient experience is a key driver of DPC popularity. How some take up differentials are regional. Why DPC is like the ...
Nov 13, 2017•22 min
A shift in communication and interaction with prospects and clients is the subject of Jeremiah Desmarais’ new book ….SHIFT. If you want to compete in today’s market, it is a must read. Jeremiah is an old friend who always seems to be able to see –and oftentimes define – the cutting edge in communications strategies. In this interview, we will discuss everything from the Theory of Reciprocity to a one-line email that will deliver amazing results – if you can keep from messing with the formula. We...
Nov 05, 2017•22 min
Jesse Slome is Executive Director at the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance. We asked him whether LTC was dead or alive and his answer may surprise listeners. We explore what happened to the first wave of LTC carriers and talk a bit about the recent divestiture and acquisition some major carriers have made. Are so-called combination products, which provide both life and LTC insurance the wave of the future or are pure-play LTC products still available and appropriate for clients? ...
Oct 30, 2017•22 min
Is a PBM a gatekeeper and whose interests are they serving? Renzo Luzzatti is an expert on how and why pharmacy costs are growing at an exponential rate and driving an ever-more significant portion of claims spend. He explains that there are multiple vantage points to consider if benefit advisors and fiduciaries are to gain a good overall understanding of the problem and its possible solutions. We explore the rebates shell game and learn how advisors can arm themselves to make better recommendat...
Oct 23, 2017•21 min
The concept of patient advocacy isn’t new, but current trends are shining a spotlight on the growing need for this critical service. Forty years ago, Anne Llewellyn was a hospital-based nurse. She has seen every aspect of care up close – including a stint as a patient herself. Over that time she has developed a deep understanding and a passion for patients to have the help of an advocate who can help them navigate the incredibly complex medical landscape. In this episode, Anne discusses how the ...
Oct 16, 2017•23 min
Talking politics and benefits is like walking a tightrope in heavy winds, but our guests say it can be done without falling off. Hear more of their advice in the second part of this two-part interview. With healthcare so tied to politics these days, many advisors feel they have no way to avoid the subject when speaking with prospects and clients. Can you maximize your impact as an advisor and remain politically neutral? Jess Waltman and Dave Mordo say, “yes”. In fact, they believe that if you do...
Oct 09, 2017•19 min
Talking politics and benefits is like walking a tightrope in heavy winds, but our guests say it can be done without falling off. With healthcare so tied to politics these days, many advisors feel they have no way to avoid the subject when speaking with prospects and clients. Can you maximize your impact as an advisor and remain politically neutral? Jess Waltman and Dave Mordo say, “yes”. In fact, they believe that if you do it the right way, that conversation helps to position you as an expert. ...
Oct 02, 2017•21 min
Eric Silverman is one of the most disruptive forces in the area of “enhanced benefits”. You may have been calling them “voluntary” or “ancillary”, but Eric is passionate in his belief that neither of those words make the case for a benefit offering that is more important to clients and employees than ever before. In this fast-paced interview, Eric explains how advisors interested in enhanced benefits fall into four distinct classes and delves into which group you want to be in for maximum produc...
Sep 25, 2017•22 min
Every time talk turns to single payer, folks use the Canadian healthcare system as a reference. How does that system really work and does it provide better care for our northern neighbors? For answers, we went to our Canadian friend Ron Hansell, President of Cross Border Benefits. We start by asking Ron for an overview of their system – just to level-set the discussion. He explains how their system is paid for, what it costs and how their citizens interact with it. We discuss some of the results...
Sep 18, 2017•21 min
Last week we explored buying leads. This week, in part 2 we will discuss how to maximize the potential of those purchased leads. If you were surprised at how much has changed if you are buying leads, our guest this week, Don Runge, President of DMR and LeadGuru, believes that the established methodologies still work best for getting the most out of those leads. Don contends that advisors need to make a “mind-shift” that challenges a lot of what they may believe about working leads. He also cauti...
Sep 11, 2017•23 min
Buying leads has become more of a science than an art and the process is infused with new technology that helps you treat each lead like a $1000 bill. We asked Richard Bufkin, President of Target Leads to update us on lead purchasing, a traditional process that has been brought very much up to date. Richard is the second generation of a business that is 32 years old and that has been in his family for 25 years, so he has seen that evolution up close and personal. During our conversation, Richard...
Sep 04, 2017•23 min
Drug costs are soaring and driving more of medical spend than ever before. The good news is that there are tools coming to market to help consumers and plans alike. That is what our guest, Gary Becker, CEO of ScriptSourcing and I discuss on this episode. We begin with an exploration of why prescription drugs are so much more expensive in the United States than they are in other countries. We discuss the particular drugs that are driving the pharma cost component to all time highs. Gary explains ...
Aug 28, 2017•19 min
“Consumer” and “shopping” go together everywhere in our lives – except in healthcare. What would happen if consumers could easily shop for non-emergency surgery and get bundled pricing, all with the help of a concierge to guide them through the process? That is the question that Dr. Sanjay Prasad, Founder and CEO at SurgiPrice discusses on this episode. We begin by discussing how the current system has trapped patients and employers and forced unnatural consumer behavior. A surge on himself, Dr....
Aug 21, 2017•21 min
Should you enroll enhanced benefits yourself, or can a professional enroller help to create clear communication while maximizing enrollment and delivering better client satisfaction – and what are the financial considerations of that decision? That is the question that Allison De Paoli discusses in this episode. Her firm, De Paoli Professional Services, specializes in becoming an extension of your office, enabling a more direct and in-depth communication about employees’ enhanced benefits in an ...
Aug 14, 2017•23 min
Deb Ault and some of her fellow RNs were against managed care when they were working at patients’ bedsides – but now she thinks it could help innovate and improve care while saving money. Nurse Deb is the President of Ault International Medical Management and a pioneer in the medical management field. As an advocate of proactive and predictive case management, she helps patients and their case managers navigate the diagnosis, treatment, and financial aspects of healthcare. Deb defines and discus...
Aug 07, 2017•23 min
We spend a lot of time and effort on enrollment, but how can we use the other 364 days to gain engagement and create health care consumers? That is the question Justin Holland, CEO and Founder of Healthjoy will help us explore on this episode of Shiftshapers . HDHP designs have shifted more of the financial burden to employees, but that shifts a great deal of the knowledge burden to them as well. As always, the question is how to engage employees. We discuss the addition of artificial intelligen...
Jul 31, 2017•22 min
Last week the Senate failed to bring their reconciliation bill to a vote. Nationwide, the individual market is in trouble and advisors need to know what to tell their clients. In Jessica Waltman’s quarterly conversation with the ShiftShapers audience, she offers her unique perspective on what really happened on the Hill and where we go from here. We explore whether the 2015 clean repeal bill is still viable and whether single payer is inevitable. What will get added to the CHIP reauthorization b...
Jul 24, 2017•23 min
Group Medicare may sound paradoxical, but it can help expand your practice while freeing up significant benefit dollars for your group clients. Jason McClellan is the President & CEO of Insurance Advisors Direct-Agency, LLC, and knows exactly what you need to do to take advantage of this rapidly growing practice area. In this episode, Jason explains what Group Medicare is and how different products work and how they can expand your practice while providing a cost-effective solution that ofte...
Jul 17, 2017•22 min
Al Lewis, our guest on this episode of The ShiftShapers Podcast , is a serial entrepreneur, author, renaissance man, and the CEO of Quizzify. Quizzify is a healthcare education app that uses fun and games to teach employees how to buy and use healthcare. The service makes for smarter consumers and saves their companies a lot of money in healthcare costs. In this interview Al shares his interesting journey, beginning with his time at Harvard Law School and culminating in the creation of Quizzify....
Jul 10, 2017•20 min
The story of our industry over the last decade has been one of mergers and acquisitions. The ACA has propelled new levels of activity as benefit advisors are leaving the industry and selling their practices. This episode’s guest is in the middle of the action, and here to share his expertise and opinions on the advantages some firms have found by becoming part of a larger organization. Brett Rosen is the Executive Vice President of Mergers & Acquisitions at One Digital, formerly Digital Bene...
Jul 03, 2017•22 min
On this episode of ShiftShapers, our guest and I discuss the new and diverse tools that advisors within the insurance industry are using to market their businesses. The fastest growing method happens to be video, and Bart Camarata is an expert on the topic. Bart is the creator and host of BenefitAdvisor TV , where he leverages his Middle Tennessee State education to produce quality video content. Bart takes on some preconceptions about video – is it expensive to get started? and is it difficult ...
Jun 26, 2017•20 min
Mark Gaunya and Jennifer Borislow continue their discussion from last episode about why healthcare is so expensive and share their ideas to slow rising prices. With the release of the second edition of their book Bend the Healthcare Trend , Mark and Jennifer are advocating for consumer-driven healthcare as the solution to rising expenses. In analyzing the healthcare system, inflation greatly outpaces the general economy. Our guests explain why the industry’s prices rise so much faster than those...
Jun 19, 2017•25 min
Nine years ago, Mark Gaunya and Jennifer Borislow wrote “Bend The Healthcare Trend” to explore how healthcare consumers could counteract the damaging effect of a system with misaligned incentives, opaque pricing schemes, and unnecessary complexity. They are about to release the 2nd edition of their definitive book and ShiftShapers talks to them about how much has changed; and how little has changed! The authors believe that what has not changed is that consumerism and transparency are still the ...
Jun 12, 2017•18 min
The move from “wellness” to “wellbeing” requires a more holistic approach which includes helping employees become financially well. Understanding the need and bringing the right technology to employers can help advisors expand their offerings and differentiate themselves. Chris Whitlow of Edu(k)ate joins us to talk about the need, the approaches and how technology and unbiased financial advice are helping companies support all of their employees with these essential skills regardless of financia...
Jun 05, 2017•22 min
Dr. Keith Smith believes that healthcare pricing in the United States is “scam” — and he’s working to change that. He is the medical director and managing partner of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma. Keith’s outlook on transparent healthcare pricing is a valuable one, especially since he’s had several years putting it into practice. This is part 2 of our two-part episode series on transparency – find part one here ! Over 7 years working in big hospitals, Keith saw the price of medical care rising ...
May 29, 2017•22 min
Transparency is the single topic with the most potential to transform every aspect of health and health insurance. We’ve decided to devote two episodes to this potentially innovative topic. For part one our guest is Ralph Weber, President and CEO of MediBid. Ralph is a passionate subject matter expert and serves as a member of NAHU’s Healthcare Cost and Quality Transparency Workgroup. In this interview, we explore his belief that current healthcare pricing schemes purposefully withhold informati...
May 22, 2017•22 min
