The ShiftShapers Podcast

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The ShiftShapers Podcast

David Saltzman

542 episodes

6 days ago

We revisit how PPOs got built on discounts and show why total value beats sticker price. Scott Smith joins us to explain nationally curated high-performance networks that rank providers on effectiveness, appropriateness, and cost, and how that changes renewals, member experience, and fiduciary risk. • why traditional PPO discounts miss total cost of care • how consolidation and narrow networks increase abrasion • claims-based scoring at the provider NPI level • quality metrics that matter: e...

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We revisit how PPOs got built on discounts and show why total value beats sticker price. Scott Smith joins us to explain nationally curated high-performance networks that rank providers on effectiveness, appropriateness, and cost, and how that changes renewals, member experience, and fiduciary risk. • why traditional PPO discounts miss total cost of care • how consolidation and narrow networks increase abrasion • claims-based scoring at the provider NPI level • quality metrics that matter: e...

Show more...

Episodes (20/542)

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 516 ENCORE: Rethinking Provider Networks - with Scott Smith

We revisit how PPOs got built on discounts and show why total value beats sticker price. Scott Smith joins us to explain nationally curated high-performance networks that rank providers on effectiveness, appropriateness, and cost, and how that changes renewals, member experience, and fiduciary risk. • why traditional PPO discounts miss total cost of care • how consolidation and narrow networks increase abrasion • claims-based scoring at the provider NPI level • quality metrics that matter: e...

6 days ago

25 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 518 ENCORE: Quality Without Guesswork - with Kate Grohall

We explore how reducing variation in cost, outcomes, and experience creates real value, and why deep provider metrics and real-time member support outperform box-checking credentialing. Kate Grohal shares a playbook for aligning incentives without repeating the mistakes that soured HMOs. • defining quality as reducing variation across cost, outcomes, experience • Kate’s path from patient escort to quality leader • why NCQA alone falls short for measuring provider performance • additional met...

1 week ago

26 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 531 ENCORE: Solving The Health Payment Puzzle - with Tom Policelli

We revisit the rising problem of the “functionally uninsured” and ask how to restore real access for employees who delay care because of confusion and cost. Paymedix CEO Tom Policelli shares how a super EOB, upfront provider payment, and 0% financing change behavior and bend trend. • confusion outranking cost as the top barrier to care • hospitals pushing prepayment and the access wall it creates • income-tier patterns driving ER and inpatient overuse • super EOB mechanics and single monthly...

2 weeks ago

24 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 505 ENCORE: Fixing PBM Conflicts - With Susan Thomas

Pharmacy benefits shouldn’t feel like a black box. We sit down with Susan Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer at Lucy Rx, to unpack why drug costs keep rising and what it takes to build a benefit that serves patients and plans—not middlemen. Susan started as an oncology nurse and moved into PBM leadership, and that dual lens shows up in everything we cover: from the real-world stress of waiting days for an oral chemo to the hidden economics of rebate chains and vertically integrated networks. W...

3 weeks ago

24 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 538 From Buggy Whips To AI - with Julian Lago, Benepower

What if benefits work leaped from horse‑and‑buggy speed to highway pace? We sit down with Julian Lago, co‑founder and CEO of BenePower, to explore how AI is already compressing days of quoting, enrollment, and service into minutes—and what that means for brokers, HR leaders, and members who need clear answers right now. We dig into the practical side of agentic AI and retrieval‑augmented generation: how specialized models fetch plan rules, accumulators, and pending claims to answer real‑worl...

1 month ago

25 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 537 Enhanced Benefits Evolution - With Eric Silverman, Voluntary Disruption

Change can energize or paralyze—so we chose energize. We sat down with Eric Silverman, founder of Voluntary Disruption and a four-time guest, to unpack what’s actually moving the needle in enhanced benefits today. The surprise? Products haven’t radically shifted, but execution has. Simple, high-interest options like pet insurance, ID protection, legal plans, and life paired with long-term care continue to win attention. The real breakthroughs are how teams communicate, guide choices, and run ...

1 month ago

28 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 536 On-Site Wins - With Chris Yarn, Walk On Clinic, Inc.

What if the clinic your team actually uses is the one parked outside the office? We sit down with Chris Yarn, CEO of Walk On Clinic, to unpack why on-site and mobile primary care crush near-site options on utilization, trust, and measurable savings—often with fewer clinic days. The story begins with a simple truth: convenience wins. When clinicians are visible and familiar, employees engage more, follow through on care, and keep the relationship going virtually with the same people they see i...

1 month ago

25 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 535 Coaching For Leaders, Clarity For Advisors - with Jenna Dillon

We explore what executive coaching really is, how it helps leaders make better decisions and show up with presence, and why advisors can use it to grow their practice and help clients cut costs and claims. We share signals that coaching is needed, how to introduce it without awkwardness, and how to build strong referral partnerships. • Clear definition of executive coaching and who benefits • Common leadership traps and the “business affair” pattern • Executive presence as a practical skill ...

2 months ago

24 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

EP 534 ICHRAs = Choice And Control - With Chad Schneider, Thatch

Healthcare costs keep climbing while employees want plans that actually fit their doctors, budgets, and lives. We tackle that tension head-on with Chad Schneider, head of broker channel at Thatch, and unpack how ICHRAs—individual coverage HRAs—let employers lock in predictable budgets while giving every employee real choice on the individual market. We start by demystifying ICHRAs and why 2024 became the breakout year: broader carrier participation, stronger individual risk pools, and better...

2 months ago

24 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#533 Independent Imaging Update - With Cristin Dickerson MD, Green Imaging

Costs are spiking, access is shrinking, and members are stuck on hold while scans get delayed—yet the fix might be hiding in plain sight. We sit down with Dr. Cristin Dickerson, CEO of Green Imaging, to unpack how independent imaging, transparent bundles, and human-led AI can lower trend, reduce friction, and actually make benefits plans feel usable. From private equity acquisitions that quietly triple rates to the national radiologist shortage sparked by years of “AI will replace you” hype, ...

2 months ago

22 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#532 Leading Without Bottlenecks - with Charlie Rhea

Leadership bottlenecks can silently strangle even the most promising companies. When decisions, initiatives, and progress all funnel through one person—typically the founder or CEO—growth becomes impossible. Charlie Rhea knows this pattern all too well. As an implementer of the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), Charlie has witnessed the remarkable transformation that occurs when leadership teams embrace a different way of operating. The framework he teaches provides three critical bene...

2 months ago

26 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

# 531 Eliminating Financial Barriers - with Tom Policelli of PayMedix

High-deductible health plans have created "functionally uninsured" people who have insurance cards but can't access care due to high out-of-pocket costs, creating barriers to necessary healthcare and driving up long-term expenses. We discuss a solution with Tom Policelli of Paymedix. • Consumer confusion about benefits is the #1 issue, with affordability a close second • 45% of insured people avoided necessary care last year due to cost concerns • Nearly 30% of hospitals now require payment...

3 months ago

23 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

# 530 From Jungle Survival to Business Innovation: Conner Insurance

A 75-year legacy built on survival, relationships and faith continues to drive innovation at Conner Insurance, where CEO Ben Conner and his team focus on providing sound counsel during life's most significant moments. • Founded in 1949 by WWII veteran Henry Clay Conner Jr., whose 30 months surviving in Philippine jungles shaped core values of seriousness, relationships, and entrepreneurial spirit • Second-generation leadership of four Conner brothers emphasized shepherding the next generatio...

3 months ago

23 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#529 How Nature Walks Transform Business Thinking

Jessica DeAngelo, Chief Hiking Officer at Hike to Become, shares how unplugging in nature revolutionizes business thinking and helps executives rediscover clarity and creativity away from digital distractions. • Former global sales director who transformed her life by committing to daily hiking after feeling overwhelmed by corporate demands and new motherhood • Created the Hike 31 Challenge based on four principles: Hike or walk, In nature, Keep tech off, Every day • Takes executive teams on...

3 months ago

23 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#528 Paid Leave: From Expense to Engagement Strategy

Paid leave has transformed from a nice-to-have into a powerful retention and engagement tool for employers seeking to attract and keep top talent. Seth Turner of AbsintheSoft shares insights on how properly structured leave programs can create positive employee experiences that drive loyalty and productivity. • 86% of employees look for paid leave when job hunting, and 42% won't apply without it • Well-designed leave programs should address diverse workforce needs across life stages • Employ...

3 months ago

18 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#527 Taming the Time Thief - with Andrew Hartman

We explore the concept of time as our most precious resource with Andrew Hartman, founder of TimeBoss, who shares a framework for achieving results without overwhelm and burnout. • Andrew's journey began when work stress caused him to lose his sense of smell for six months • 77% of knowledge workers experienced burnout in the past year, up from 75% pre-COVID • The "always on" work culture has eliminated boundaries between professional and personal life • Most people treat time like credit in...

4 months ago

22 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#526 Parenting On-Demand with Hans Kullberg | ShiftShapers

Recorded live at the Ascend Conference in Salt Lake City, David A. Saltzman sits down with Hans Kullberg, CEO and Founder of Avocado Health. Together, they explore how Avocado Health is solving one of the biggest challenges facing employers and employees alike: helping working parents get the right answers, right when they need them. Hans shares how his own journey as a father of five inspired him to build a text-first platform that provides parents with evidence-based guidance on everything ...

4 months ago

16 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#525 Beyond Urgent Care with Lorenzo Amaya | ShiftShapers

Recorded at the Ascend Conference in Salt Lake City, David A. Saltzman talks with Lorenzo Amaya, Vice President of Business Development at Integrated Source One. They explore the nationwide physician shortage, the challenges of quality care and timely access, and how innovative solutions like on-site, near-site, and mobile clinics are changing healthcare delivery for employers and employees alike. Lorenzo shares his journey from banking to telemedicine, and how Integrated Source One works to ...

4 months ago

21 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#524 Breaking the Mental Health Bottleneck with John Troutman | ShiftShapers

Recorded live at the Ascend Conference in Salt Lake City, this episode of ShiftShapers features John Troutman, Vice President of Business Development at Mind Club America. Host David A. Saltzman and John discuss the “mutual mystification” surrounding mental health solutions—and how employers and advisors can start cutting through the noise with real access, real engagement, and real outcomes. From personal burnout to a professional mission, John shares how his experience as a former pastor he...

4 months ago

18 minutes

The ShiftShapers Podcast

#523 Getting Unstuck with Reuven Shelef | ShiftShapers

In this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman sits down with Reuven Shelef, CEO of Out of the Box Consulting and creator of the Untangling Complex Challenges methodology. Reuven shares why our brains default to negativity when faced with uncertainty—and how to move from emotional reactivity to clarity and action. With a blend of logic and emotional insight, Reuven helps leaders and teams understand how to recognize internal blockers, reframe stress, and break through stuck patterns—...

5 months ago

23 minutes