{"podcast":{"title":"The Business of Benefits Podcast","slug":"the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252","podcast_index_feed_id":6744252,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/6053731/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast--6053731","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/3f4968159bb4676248d8c564cea163f6.jpg","author":"Hi Hello Labs Network","episode_count":84,"summary":"For decades, employers have been fed a lie: “There’s nothing you can do to control healthcare costs.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. The system is doing exactly what it was designed to do—profit off of HR, CFOs, and CEOs who believe that lie year after year.With 180 million Americans relying on employer-sponsored healthcare, it’s time to challenge the status quo. The Business of Benefits is your No BS, No Sales guide to the real solutions. No gimmicks—just the truth about how to take control, transform your benefits, and care for your most valuable asset: your people.Each episode dives deep into the data, exposing industry misalignments and inefficiencies that inflate costs while offering actionable strategies for designing financially sustainable, high-value benefits.Through eye-opening interviews with industry insiders, expert analysis, and real-world success stories, hosts Donovan and Chelsea pull back the curtain on the hidden flaws in the healthcare system. The result? An empowering roadmap for employers ready to break free from outdated models and unlock smarter, more sustainable benefits.If you’re tired of the same old sales pitch and ready to rethink benefits, re…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T22:18:04.175830+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252"},"episode":{"title":"73. From Peo to Independent Excellence: The GQR Wynden Stark Healthcare Story","slug":"73-from-peo-to-independent-excellence-the-gqr-wynden-stark-healthcare-story","published_at":"2026-03-13T16:48:08+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252/73-from-peo-to-independent-excellence-the-gqr-wynden-stark-healthcare-story","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/73-from-peo-to-independent-excellence-the-gqr-wynden-stark-healthcare-story--70625953","audio_url":"https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/70625953/73_audio_cut.mp3","summary":"In this special episode of The Business of Benefits, we pull back the curtain on a real-life, multi-year healthcare strategy transformation. Join our hosts as they sit down with Connie Alvarez, Director of HR at Wynden Stark, to dissect the five-year journey of their self-funded health plan. This is a masterclass for any employer feeling trapped by rising premiums and lack of control. We explore the highs, the lows, and the unexpected curveballs—from navigating mergers and acquisitions to tackling the complexities of a fluctuating workforce in the healthcare staffing industry. Discover how Wynden Stark, with the guidance of Ethos Benefits, moved from a fully insured model to a custom, unbundled, self-funded plan, achieving over $3.7 million in savings in just two years. This case study reveals the power of a fiduciary approach, the critical role of data in negotiations, and how to build a plan that delivers both financial results and a superior member experience. If you want to learn how to take back control of your healthcare spend and become a true steward of your company’s benefits, this episode is a must-listen. What You’ll Learn The 5-year roadmap from a fully insured plan to a high-performing, self-funded model. How to navigate a 42% renewal increase and turn it into a -1.3% decrease. The power of carving out your Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) and the massive savings potential in Rx. Strategies for implementing an unbundled plan with an independent TPA and fiduciary PBM. How to use data and analytics to negotiate with carriers and stop-loss providers. The importance of member communication and advocacy in a self-funded environment. Innovative solutions like international pharmacy sourcing and spousal HRAs that drive down costs. How to maintain an excellent membe…","meta_description":"In this special episode of The Business of Benefits, we pull back the curtain on a real-life, multi-year healthcare strategy transformation. Join our host…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2960,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252/episodes/73-from-peo-to-independent-excellence-the-gqr-wynden-stark-healthcare-story/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-business-of-benefits-podcast-6744252/73-from-peo-to-independent-excellence-the-gqr-wynden-stark-healthcare-story.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}