Healthcare on the Rocks - Employee Benefits with a Twist

In this episode of Healthcare on the Rocks: Employee Benefits with a Twist, Rob Lehane, co-founder and CEO of LeapHealth, explores the financial and logistical challenges of specialty infusion therapies—a critical yet often misunderstood aspect of employee healthcare. Drawing on his extensive experience in healthcare and benefits innovation, Rob highlights how LeapHealth is transforming the landscape with a focus on cost-saving and patient-centered solutions.

Rob explains that specialty infusion drugs account for a small percentage of employee use but drive disproportionately high healthcare costs. He shares, "Over half of the specialty drug spend comes from just 2% of employees using infusion therapies." LeapHealth addresses this imbalance by moving care from expensive hospital settings to patient homes, making treatments not only more cost-effective but also far more convenient.

The episode unpacks LeapHealth’s transparent pricing model, which eliminates drug markups and aligns care delivery with the needs of both employers and employees.

Key Takeaways From the Episode Include:

• Specialty infusion drugs are a major cost driver, often due to inefficient care settings.
• LeapHealth’s in-home infusion model provides a safer, more convenient alternative to hospital-based care.
• Transparent pricing eliminates unnecessary markups, saving employers significant costs.
• Employers can take actionable steps, like exploring site-of-care strategies and direct provider contracts, to better control infusion therapy expenses.
• Supporting employees with chronic conditions enhances productivity, satisfaction, and overall health outcomes.

Stay in Touch!
Connect with Rob Lehane on LinkedIn or Visit LeapHealth

Have feedback, questions, or suggestions for show ideas? Send them to us at [email protected].

Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, and share it with your friends and colleagues. We appreciate you and thank you for listening!

Theme music: "Overboard" by Stay Outside

In this episode of Healthcare on the Rocks: Employee Benefits with a Twist, hosts Brittany Hardaway and Rachael Baumgartner sit down with Dr. Janet Young, Clinical Analytics Advisor at Springbuk, to unpack a growing challenge for employers: the rising costs of diabetes care.

‍Dr. Young shares that diabetes-related spending has surged by 38% over the past three years—far outpacing other chronic conditions. A major driver? The skyrocketing use of GLP-1 agonists, medications originally developed for diabetes but now widely used for weight loss.

"More than 40% of members with type 2 diabetes filled a prescription for GLP-1s last year—double the rate from four years ago," she notes.

While these medications offer powerful benefits, including improved glucose control and cardiovascular protection, their costs continue to climb, creating tough decisions for employer-sponsored health plans.

As employers strategize for the future, Dr. Young emphasizes three key priorities: tracking diabetes trends, proactively addressing prediabetes, and ensuring equitable access to care.

The conversation also explores the expanding role of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) beyond type 1 diabetes patients. These devices, which eliminate the need for fingersticks, are gaining traction among insulin-dependent type 2 diabetics and could have broader applications—potentially even helping prediabetic individuals prevent disease progression.

Dr. Young also highlights the stark disparities in diabetes treatment based on social determinants of health (SDOH), with more vulnerable populations less likely to access newer medications and monitoring tools.

Key Takeaways

• Diabetes costs are rising fast – Diabetes spending jumped 38% over three years, driven largely by the rising use of GLP-1 agonists.
• GLP-1 medications are in high demand – More effective than older treatments and linked to weight loss, GLP-1s are now used by over 40% of type 2 diabetics.
• CGMs are expanding beyond insulin users – Real-time glucose tracking is gaining popularity and could play a role in prediabetes prevention.
• Social determinants of health matter – Diabetes rates double in high-vulnerability populations, yet these groups have less access to newer treatments.
• Employers should focus on three things – Monitor diabetes trends, tackle prediabetes early, and reduce treatment disparities.

Stay in Touch!

• Connect with Janet Young on LinkedIn
• Get the complete 2025 Employee Health Trends report and other related resources
• Connect with our co-hosts Brittany Hardaway and Rachael Baumgartner

Have feedback, questions, or suggestions for show ideas? Send them to us at [email protected].

Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, and share it with your friends and colleagues. We appreciate you and thank you for listening!

Theme music: "Overboard" by Stay Outside

In this light-hearted yet informative episode, Chrissy Krampert, Chief Strategy Officer at Jellyvision, shares the fascinating journey of Jellyvision, from its quirky beginnings in educational content and gaming to becoming a leader in healthcare benefits education with ALEX, their flagship product.

She explains how ALEX leverages behavioral science and technology to simplify complex healthcare decisions for employees, turning confusion into clarity. Chrissy highlights how Jellyvision’s tools help employees make smarter healthcare choices, ultimately saving employers significant costs. "We want to go to where there is furrowed brow and bring it to peace of mind," she says, encapsulating their mission.

The discussion delves into the practical impacts of ALEX, from employees proposing to it during open enrollment to Jellyvision’s strategic use of claims data to offer personalized healthcare advice. Chrissy emphasizes the importance of building trust and engaging employees with humor and simplicity.

The episode also covers Jellyvision’s future plans, including their partnership with Springbuk to enhance data-driven decision-making and the integration of AI for more precise recommendations. "We're able to establish that trust and guide an employee throughout the year to making better decisions," Chrissy notes, showcasing the influence of their innovative solution.

Key Takeaways:

• Behavioral Science: ALEX uses behavioral science to engage employees, helping them understand and utilize their benefits effectively.
• Cost Savings: ALEX helps employers save on healthcare costs by guiding employees to choose and use the best-fit plans.
• Personalization: The integration of claims data and AI allows for tailored healthcare guidance, enhancing the employee experience.
• Engagement and Trust: Jellyvision builds trust through humor, simplicity, and personalized interactions, making healthcare decisions less daunting.

Quotes:
"We want to go to where there is furrowed brow and bring it to peace of mind." - Chrissy Krampert
"People would rather do their taxes while cleaning their bathroom before they'd want to pick a benefits plan."

Stay in Touch!

• Connect with Chrissy Krampert on LinkedIn
• Visit Jellyvision
• Learn more about the Springbuk Activate Partner Marketplace and get other related resources
• Get the complete 2024 Employee Health Trends report and other related resources
• Connect with our co-hosts Nicole Belles and David Pittman

Have feedback, questions, or suggestions for show ideas? Send them to us at [email protected].

Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, and share it with your friends and colleagues. We appreciate you and thank you for listening!

Theme music: "Overboard" by Stay Outside

In this engaging episode of "Healthcare on the Rocks: Employee Benefits with a Twist," hosts Jennifer and David invite two guests from PHM, Natalya Gertsik and Tommy Axford, to discuss innovative strategies for managing employee benefits, with a particular focus on cancer care.

Natalya, specializing in population health risk management and biopharmaceuticals, sheds light on the actionable guidance PHM provides for optimizing cancer care. Tommy, with his actuarial background, emphasizes the importance of focusing on the small subset of cases that drive a significant portion of healthcare spending.

The conversation delves into the complexities of cancer treatment, including the challenges of adopting precision medicine and the necessity of personalized care plans that consider the unique needs and preferences of each patient.

Key takeaways from this discussion include:

• The importance of striving for precision medicine in targeting cancer treatment.
• The vital role of personalized medicine, considering the patient's personal preferences, cultural background, and socioeconomic factors, highlighting the need for a more holistic treatment plan.
• Innovative solutions like PHM's Clear Cancer Care Management Solution, part of the Springbuk Activate Marketplace, which offers employers and their advisors data-driven ways to connect with partners who can address specific healthcare needs, particularly in managing high-cost cancer treatments.
• Real-life success stories that illustrate the life-changing impact of creative and personalized cancer treatment strategies, emphasizing the potential for significant improvements in patient outcomes.

Stay in Touch!

• Connect with Natalya Gertsik and Tommy Axford on LinkedIn
• Visit PHM
• Learn more about the Springbuk Activate Partner Marketplace and get other related resources
• Get the complete 2024 Employee Health Trends report and other related resources

Connect with our co-hosts Jennifer Jones and David Pittman

Have feedback, questions, or suggestions for show ideas? Send them to us at [email protected].

Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, and share it with your friends and colleagues. We appreciate you and thank you for listening!

Theme music: "Overboard" by Stay Outside

In this episode, Justin Holland, CEO and co-founder of HealthJoy, shares his international upbringing, entrepreneurial ventures, and the personal healthcare challenge that led to the creation of HealthJoy, a platform designed to simplify healthcare choices for employees and employers alike.

With a focus on enhancing healthcare navigation and reducing costs, HealthJoy emerges as a critical partner for employers seeking to offer better healthcare solutions to their employees. Holland's journey from a skiing accident to the inception of HealthJoy highlights the universal struggle with navigating healthcare options, underscoring the platform's mission to make quality care more accessible and understandable.

Key takeaways from the episode include:

• The inspiration behind HealthJoy rooted in personal experience, emphasizing the need for simplified healthcare navigation.
• HealthJoy's approach to cost containment and personalized healthcare guidance, aiming to deliver savings to employers and improve employee health outcomes.
• The significant impact of virtual care and telemedicine, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and HealthJoy's adaptation to offer a comprehensive range of virtual healthcare services.
• Holland's perspective on current and emerging challenges within the healthcare industry, including pharmacy costs, high-cost claimants, and the obesity epidemic, and HealthJoy's commitment to addressing these issues through innovative solutions.
• The importance of a seamless user experience in healthcare platforms, combining digital efficiency with human support to meet the diverse needs of users.
• The need for a platform to deliver a healthcare cost containment strategy on the back of a challenging macroeconomic environment.

Stay in Touch!

• Connect with Justin Holland on LinkedIn
• Visit HealthJoy
• Learn more about Springbuk Activate
• Get the complete 2024 Employee Health Trends report and other related resources

Connect with our co-hosts Jennifer Jones and David Pittman

Have feedback, questions, or suggestions for show ideas? Send them to us at [email protected].

Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, and share it with your friends and colleagues. We appreciate you and thank you for listening!

Theme music: "Overboard" by Stay Outside