{"podcast":{"title":"The Benefits Playbook","slug":"the-benefits-playbook-6571110","podcast_index_feed_id":6571110,"rss_url":"https://feeds.simplecast.com/4tIcUH9M","website_url":"https://the-benefits-playbook.simplecast.com","image_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/ef1272bf-7ccc-4164-b4d1-fb42b20b1437/60ce252e-490c-4925-829d-dd0f89881757/3000x3000/the-benefits-playbook-coverart.jpg?aid=rss_feed","author":"Collective Health","episode_count":33,"summary":"Employee healthcare represents the second-largest investment for most U.S. businesses, behind payroll. It's a highly complex system with excessive costs, frustrating member experiences, and administrative burdens. So, how can employers take control? On The Benefits Playbook: Strategies for Self-Funded Health Plans, you'll hear expert guidance from some of the best minds in the business. Learn how employers are getting more from their healthcare investments and making it easier for their employees to understand and access healthcare. Get off the sidelines and join us for The Benefits Playbook, brought to you by the team at Collective Health.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-23T18:17:31.988572+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-benefits-playbook-6571110"},"episode":{"title":"Breaking Open the Black Box: How Transparent PBMs Are Reshaping Pharmacy Benefits with Jake Frenz, Founder & CEO of SmithRx","slug":"breaking-open-the-black-box-how-transparent-pbms-are-reshaping-pharmacy-benefits-with-jake-frenz-founder-ceo-of-smithrx","published_at":"2026-07-23T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-benefits-playbook-6571110/breaking-open-the-black-box-how-transparent-pbms-are-reshaping-pharmacy-benefits-with-jake-frenz-founder-ceo-of-smithrx","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-benefits-playbook-6571110","url":"https://the-benefits-playbook.simplecast.com/episodes/breaking-open-the-black-box-how-transparent-pbms-are-reshaping-pharmacy-benefits-with-jake-frenz-founder-ceo-of-smithrx-IgJG7G1v","audio_url":"https://afp-922686-injected.calisto.simplecastaudio.com/17e1f0f6-c8fb-47b8-890b-336a6f1719e1/episodes/80442606-54a2-4d22-80b7-3c4712733b8d/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=17e1f0f6-c8fb-47b8-890b-336a6f1719e1&awEpisodeId=80442606-54a2-4d22-80b7-3c4712733b8d&feed=4tIcUH9M","summary":"Pharmacy costs now represent 35 to 50% of total healthcare spend for many employers. Yet, most plan sponsors are still operating inside a black box they can't see into, let alone control. In this episode, Jake Frenz, Founder and CEO of SmithRx, breaks down how the traditional pharmacy benefit manager model became one of the most opaque and conflicted structures in all of healthcare, and what employers can actually do about it. A Marine Corps veteran turned serial healthcare entrepreneur, Jake helped build Collective Health from the ground up before launching SmithRx a decade ago, now serving 1.5 million members across 5,000 self-insured companies.","meta_description":"Pharmacy costs now represent 35 to 50% of total healthcare spend for many employers. Yet, most plan sponsors are still operating inside a black box they c…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3182,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-benefits-playbook-6571110/episodes/breaking-open-the-black-box-how-transparent-pbms-are-reshaping-pharmacy-benefits-with-jake-frenz-founder-ceo-of-smithrx/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-benefits-playbook-6571110/breaking-open-the-black-box-how-transparent-pbms-are-reshaping-pharmacy-benefits-with-jake-frenz-founder-ceo-of-smithrx.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}