

Self-Funded
Spencer Smith
Self-Funded, hosted by Spencer Smith, is the definitive resource for benefits consultants and employers who are ready to challenge the broken healthcare status quo. Each week, you'll get an insider's playbook of actionable strategies from industry leaders that help make healthcare better, together.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 23, 2022 • 57min
High Performance Networks - Blake Allison - CEO of EHN
What is a High Performance Healthcare Network, and how does it improve the quality of care, while delivering lower costs?
Blake is a native Texan, with a history of working on the "supply-side" of healthcare within hospital systems.
This gives him a unique perspective on the problem of controlling the costs of healthcare delivery. Blake spent time in the Navy, with his inspiration to enlist coming as a result of 9/11.
EHN's purpose is to "Provide quality health benefits for your employees while controlling costs, for them and for your business. With a thoughtful and well executed strategy, these are very achievable goals."
https://www.employershealthnetwork.com/

Aug 16, 2022 • 48min
Emergency Transport Solutions - Will Winters - MASA MTS
Emergency Medical Transport 101.
Everything you need to know about Emergency Medical Transportation, and how MASA MTS is helping control the insanely high cost of ground, and air transportation.
Will Winters is Vice President, Broker and Strategic Partnership Sales, and is also an ex-Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). He learned a lot on the job as an EMT, was exposed to some very traumatic events, and ultimately decided he was better suited outside of the system selling a solution to employers to help control their employees high out of pocket costs.
Also, we kick off the podcast talking about Will bowling a 300 more than once!
"MASA Global provides its members with two distinct benefits -- a membership program that includes the most comprehensive ground, helicopter and fixed-wing ambulance transportation solutions whether at home or abroad and protection from the financial catastrophes that unexpected medical transportation costs will cause. Without rival in the industry, MASA Global prides itself on solving its members' medical transportation needs by "Any Ground. Any Air. Anywhere."
https://www.masamts.com/

Aug 9, 2022 • 52min
Clinical CBD - Chad Collins, CEO of CORGANICS
How CBD Works with the CEO of CORGANICS, Chad Collins.
Have you ever wondered about CBD? What is it? How does it work? Is it actually real, or placebo? Then this is the episode for you!
I sat down with Chad for Episode 57 to discuss his Company called CORGANICS, and how they are "bridging the gap between healthcare professionals and their patients when it comes to understanding and treating the endocannabinoid system."
Chad referenced a 2019 Gallup poll, that showed 1 in 5 Americans was taking some form of CBD. In the same survey, 3 in 5 adults said they felt like it was valid medical therapy. The main reason, he suggests, that a person would cross over from one of those 3 in 5 Americans, to the 1 in 5 taking it, would be recommendation from a medical professional.
CORGANICS "provides health care professionals with safe, high-quality CBD products that are developed with the patient in mind. They utilize the latest science-backed methods to create broad spectrum, THC-free CBD formulations and invest in ongoing research into the potential benefits of clinical CBD."
https://corganics.com/

Aug 2, 2022 • 59min
The Modern TPA - Healthsmart - Craig Julien - CEO
The Modern TPA - Tech when you need it, people when you don't.
In episode 56 of Self-Funded with Spencer, I sit down with the CEO of HealthSmart, Craig Julien. Craig is a fascinating person, being an avid Triathlete, Mountain Climber, and a World Record Skydiver, while also running a very successful Third Party Administrator.
Throughout his career, Craig has always been willing to raise his hand to take on more responsibility, or a new opportunity, even moving to India for a few years to run a company.
I have sat down with numerous Founders and CEO's, and Craig's story is right up there with the best of them.
0:00 Intro Clip
0:33 Opening Credits
0:41 Craig's Backstory & Career
8:45 Sponsors
9:35 Triathlons, Mountain Climbing & Skydiving
18:30 What is a TPA
24:16 Applying Tech to the TPA world
28:02 Tech + People = Enablement
31:55 Direct Primary Care/Virtual Primary Care
36:52 The HealthSmart Solution
43:55 TPA Trends
47:00 Behavioral Economics
52:04 Big Picture Healthcare Trends
58:00 Closing Thoughts from Craig

Jul 26, 2022 • 54min
Entrepreneurship & Media - Seth Denson - Head of Benefits - Acrisure
Seth Denson, Head of Benefits for Acrisure, shares his journey as an entrepreneur and business analyst for news outlets. Topics include personal branding, overcoming challenges in entrepreneurship, transitioning from radio to TV, and future visions in AI within the insurance sector.

Jul 20, 2022 • 46min
Resolving Workplace Misconduct - Jared Pope - CEO - Work Shield - Episode 54
Jared Pope, Founder of Work Shield, discusses the origins of his company and their mission to change the way organizations handle misconduct. They aim to provide a faster and unbiased dispute resolution service. The podcast explores the importance of resolving workplace misconduct quickly, the potential consequences of unresolved issues, and the impact of cancel culture.

Jul 18, 2022 • 55min
The Power of SimplePay - Wally Gomaa - Co-Founder - Episode 53
The Power of SimplePay Health, a discussion with Wally Gomaa, Co-Founder.
Wally has an extensive track record of success in the healthcare and employee benefits industries, and his latest venture - SimplePay - is an exciting new solution to help bring "Price Certainty" to the health insurance world.
SimplePay Health - Where happy and health plan live together.
https://www.simplepayhealth.com/

Jul 12, 2022 • 51min
Mental Health, Burnout, & EAP - A Conversation with John Troutman - Episode 52
John shares his own experience with Burnout at 41, which nearly cost him his life, and we discuss the challenges that men have in discussing their mental health with others, even with the typical EAP offerings most employers provide their employees today. It is even harder for people like John, who had been a pastor at a church for his whole career up that point, and who was perceived as a community leader, to express feelings of fear, weakness, emotional pain, etc. because of concerns of how his peers would perceive his vulnerability. This is one of the most important conversations I have ever had on the podcast, and I hope it helps foster meaningful discussions about mental health in men.

Jun 28, 2022 • 55min
1% Better Every Day - Jake Thompson - CEO of Compete Every Day - Episode 51
Jake Thompson started Compete Every Day as an inspirational apparel company, and over the course of a decade, has grown it into a vehicle for performance coaching, business consulting, and traveling the country to do public speaking.
The mindset of getting 1% better every day, while viewed on a micro scale may not seem much, but the aggregate effect over time on your life will have a massive impact. Whether it is your health, your job, your relationships, focusing on the little things you can do every day, adds up.
Jake is highly sought after for his ability to effectively communicate this message through the lens of athletics, and apply that mindset to any business to help their personnel leverage their competitive spirit to become happier, and more productive employees.
https://www.competeeveryday.com/

Jun 21, 2022 • 50min
Human Capital Management 101 - Chas Fields - UKG - Episode 50
Chas Fields is Senior Partner at UKG - Ultimate Kronos Group - and is also a fellow podcaster, a public speaker, a change management expert, a volunteer, and a baseball coach. Oh yeah, he's also a really cool dude!
This episode covers what Human Capital Management is, how it works, and how technology is enabling companies to better manager their Human Capital.
We cover topics like the merger of two giant organizations into an even bigger one, managing people through the pandemic, fatherhood, how to be a good person in general, and the future of HCM.
Enjoy!


