The Benefits Playbook

Many employers treat high-cost healthcare claims as bad luck — something to absorb and move on from. But ignoring the details buried in those claims is costing companies millions, and the data to fight back already exists. In this episode, Dr. Christine Hale, Chief Medical Officer, US Benefits at Gallagher, brings a rare perspective to employee benefits: she's been a physician, a McKinsey strategy...

Doctors aren't "resistant to AI" because they're technophobes. They're navigating a fundamental shift in what it means to practice medicine when patients arrive having already diagnosed themselves via ChatGPT. The path forward isn't "adopt more AI tools." It's building a new operating model for clinical practice that balances ambient documentation, patient empowerment, and the irreplaceable human...

Employers are not “stuck” with a broken healthcare system because it’s too complicated. They are choosing to hand over control of something that hurts their workers and wastes money. The answer isn’t more wellness programs or better deals with insurance companies. The real answer is to treat employee healthcare like what it is: a broken business system that needs to be fixed, just like any other s...

It’s 2026, but the healthcare system still feels like it’s stuck in the past. Costs are soaring, benefits are confusing, and employees are left navigating a system built on pieces that don’t fit together. Employers are exhausted trying to manage it all, while employees struggle to get the care they need. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Smart employers and their consultants are flipping the scr...

This episode features an interview with Christian Moreno, Executive Vice President of Lockton. With more than 20 years of experience, Christian specializes in designing health plans that are fully integrated with wellness solutions, helping employers manage the demand side of healthcare. In this episode, Kirk and Christian discuss strategies to manage healthcare cost volatility, the efficacy of we...

This episode features an interview with Siobhan Nolan Mangini and Bob Kocher from Venrock. Siobhan is a Partner at Venrock, where she focuses on investments in healthcare technology and services. Prior to joining Venrock, Siobhan was an operator passionate about transforming healthcare through building and scaling innovative companies at the intersection of healthcare and technology. Also a Partne...

This episode features an interview with Scott Burton, Commercial Market President at Providence Health Plan. Since joining the organization in 2022, Scott has been influential in the growth of central PHP business and engagement with channel partners. In his current role, Scott is responsible for state and regional commercial sales and growth strategies. In this episode, Kirk and Scott explore the...

This episode features an interview with Suzanne Usaj, Senior Director of Total Rewards at The Wonderful Company. Suzanne leads strategy and execution for the company’s compensation, benefits and wellness suite of programs, delivering value to over 10,000 employees globally.  In this episode, Kirk and Suzanne discuss The Wonderful Company’s unique approach to health benefits, including their focus...

This episode features an interview with Sara Richards, Director of Benefits at Red Bull. With experience spanning the consulting, TPA, and in-house side of benefits, Sara’s experience gives her a unique perspective around what’s possible when it comes to developing and administering customized health and welfare solutions.  In this episode, Kirk and Sara explore strategies for simplifying and effe...

This episode features an interview with Robert E. Andrews, CEO of Health Transformation Alliance (HTA), where he oversees the strategic direction of 60+ corporations that aim to fix our broken healthcare system. Prior to HTA, Robert served as a Member of the United States House of Representatives for nearly 24 years and was an original author of the Affordable Care Act. In this episode, Kirk and R...

This episode features an interview with Jen Jones and Cody Fair from Noom Health. Jen is the Director of Clinical Solutions and supports teams with alignment on client needs and clinical programs. Cody serves as the Chief Commercial Officer leading the company’s commercial division and drives growth initiatives across all segments. In this episode, Kirk, Jen, and Cody explore the importance of int...

The healthcare system feels broken. Costs are skyrocketing, transparency is nonexistent, and too many people are left wondering, ‘Why is this so complicated?’ Welcome to The Benefits Playbook—where we fight the good fight for a better healthcare system. This season, we are joined by new host Kirk McConnell, Commercial Leader at Collective Health. This year, Kirk sits down with the boldest minds le...

This episode features an interview with Ali Diab and Halle Tecco. Ali is the CEO and Co-founder of Collective Health, the world’s leading employer health benefit plan administration platform. Prior to co-founding Collective Health, he held executive and management positions at AdMob by Google, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and Yahoo!. Halle is an entrepreneur and Adjunct Professor at Columbia Business...

This episode features an interview with Michael Menerey, Senior Vice President of Alliant Insurance Services. He currently oversees and manages the Los Angeles employee benefits team and is focused on new business development and recruiting and developing talented team members. Michael has been with Alliant for over 20 years in various roles such as Vice President and Benefits Consultant. In 2021,...

This episode features an interview with Brian Olsen, Partner of Employee Benefits at Sterling Seacrest Pritchard. Brian is an experienced Client Advisor specializing in creative employee benefits strategies to mitigate risks of health plans for companies ranging from 50 to 5,000 employees. His expertise resides in data management solutions and analysis, pharmacy cost containment, and complex contr...

This episode features an interview with Kristen Jordan, Benefits and Wellness Manager at Chime. She is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of various programs that enhance employee well-being and satisfaction. Kristen has a proven track record for designing and managing benefit plans, wellness initiatives, and vendor relationships that align with the company's vision a...

This episode features an interview with Doug Ramsthel and Jaclyn Rielly of Burnham Benefits. Doug serves as the Executive Vice President and Partner of Employee Benefits, and Jaclyn is the Vice President of the Irvine Office.  In this episode, Sasha, Doug, and Jaclyn discuss how the shift in pharmacy is affecting employers and members, the rising trend of GLP-1s, and why covering gene therapy drug...

This episode features an interview with Dr. Smita Das, Vice President of Psychiatry and Complex Care at Lyra Health. Smita is board certified in psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and addiction medicine and has over 20 years of research experience. Previously, she served as President of an American Psychiatric Association District Branch and chair of the APA's Council on Addiction Psychiatry. Smita...

This episode features an interview with Dr. Matt Resnick, Chief Medical Officer at Embold Health. He is a member of the founding executive team and led the development of measurement and analytic stacks. Today, he is responsible for growth and all go-to-market functions, leading a team in developing strategy and building products that align with market demands and deliver exceptional value. In thi...

This episode features an interview with Dan Hodges, Senior Vice President of Employee Benefits at Woodruff Sawyer, where he provides strategic consultation and counseling to clients on their employee benefits programs. Dan has over 25 years of experience consulting a large cross section of employers including those in healthcare, not-for-profit, high-tech, service, and hospitality. He is also an e...

This episode features an interview with Jessica Lea, founder and CEO of Tria Health. Jessica is passionate about pharmacists providing patient-centered care to improve the health outcomes of patients. She has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, maintains board certification in psychiatric pharmacy, and has an Executive Masters in Business from Rockhurst Univers...

This episode features an interview with Michael Caussin, former NFL tight end and New York Times bestselling author. Mike became a licensed health advisor in 2023 and helps individuals and families find the health coverage they need. In this episode, Sasha and Mike get back to the basics of healthcare. They discuss why healthcare education is so important, how to navigate life events, and what peo...

Welcome to The Benefits Playbook podcast! We have a really exciting announcement: a new season is on its way! Last season, we had the privilege of sitting down with some of the best minds in employee healthcare including benefits leaders, brokers, and consultants. They shared expert advice on creating a winning benefits strategy. Everything from how to build an inclusive benefits program, to makin...

This episode features an interview with Ben Greene. Ben is an international public speaker and LGBTQ+ inclusion consultant, as well as an author and an advocate for transgender youth. In 2019, he gave a successful TEDx Talk called “Where are you sitting?” and has since traveled the world speaking in different domains like HR conferences, DEI summits, and government agencies like NASA. In this epis...

This episode features an interview with Emily Munroe, Global Head of Benefits and Wellness at Live Nation. Emily began her career in banking and finance before making a career change to HR. She began in HR serving growth-and-expansion stage biotech and pharmaceutical companies in Compensation and Benefits. She has also worked in global Benefits roles for a consulting firm, tech and retail, and now...