Welcome to "Relocalizing Health"! In today’s episode, host Dave Chase sits down with Russell DuBose, Vice President of Human Resources at Phifer Incorporated, for a powerful conversation on how one manufacturer reimagined healthcare costs as a supply chain problem, and solved it using Lean Six Sigma methodologies.

Rather than accepting healthcare as an uncontrollable expense, Phifer Inc. applied continuous improvement principles to overhaul their benefits, delivering results that have stunned the industry: five years of flat healthcare costs, scholarships for employees’ dependents, zero pharmacy copays for over 2,500 individuals, and childcare bonuses for hundreds of families. But it goes beyond cost containment, Russell DuBose built the foundation so other local employers could access these benefits and help create healthier, more resilient communities.

This episode dives deep into Phifer’s journey, including how they broke away from legacy broker models, embraced Health Rosetta principles, leveraged data-driven decision-making, and established onsite primary care and pharmacy access that drastically improved outcomes, especially during the COVID pandemic. You’ll also learn how this story is inspiring other manufacturers and local employers to rethink their approach to healthcare, and what’s coming next as advanced, individualized medicine becomes a reality.

Whether you’re a business leader, HR professional, or simply passionate about transforming healthcare, this episode will change how you think about what’s possible for your company and your community.

Timestamps:

00:00 "Reclaiming Healthcare: Community Solutions"

05:51 "Solving Healthcare with Lean Six Sigma"

10:04 "Transition to Transparent PBM Model"

12:07 "Advancing Precision Healthcare Systems"

15:11 "Building a Unified Healthcare Paradigm"

18:20 "Health Rosetta's Impact Initiative"

21:07 "Primary Care: The Key Engine"

24:37 "Eliminating Barriers to Care"

30:57 Healthcare Costs and System Failure

33:59 "Advancing Employer-Focused Healthcare Solutions"

36:51 Primary Care Investment Revolution

42:22 Precision Medicine Pathway Development

45:00 "Advocating Transparency in Healthcare"

47:31 "Modernizing Manufacturing: First Steps"

51:11 Empower Teams for Transformation

Learn More:

RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/

Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/

Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/

Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/

Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/

Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/

Welcome back to Relocalizing Health, the podcast where we delve into how communities across America are taking back control of their healthcare from corporate interests and transforming it into a force for genuine wellbeing and economic vitality. I’m your host, Dave Chase.

In today’s episode, we bring you a truly inspiring story of healthcare transformation, not spearheaded by a hospital exec, a government official, or a tech disruptor, but by an independent benefits advisor from Ohio who decided enough was enough. Bryce Heinbaugh joins us to share his journey, which began with a professional crisis of conscience after realizing how much money was being siphoned out of his community by a broken healthcare system.

Bryce opens up about his pivotal moment at a Health Rosetta conference, the challenges of being a change agent, and how he helped move Ashtabula City Schools from the brink of financial crisis to building a $7 million healthcare reserve. We’ll explore the practical steps he took to rebuild the local healthcare ecosystem, from partnering with direct primary care physicians and community pharmacists, to negotiating direct contracts with high-quality providers, even in a so-called “medical desert.”

Alongside Bryce, we’ll dig into the blueprint that empowered not just schools, but also local governments and private employers, to save millions while improving care for their people. We’ll discuss the national implications of this approach, the predictable pushback from entrenched interests, and why fostering local collaboration among advisors, clinicians, and civic leaders is crucial for lasting change.

If you’ve ever wondered how healthcare could become an economic engine rather than a drain, or what it takes to shift from Wall Street-driven models to community-owned health plans, this is the episode for you. Stick around for actionable insights, hard-earned wisdom, and a hopeful look at what’s possible when communities work together to reclaim their healthcare destiny.

Timestamps:

00:00 "Revolutionizing U.S. Healthcare Costs"

04:52 Epiphany of a Benefits Broker

07:07 Healthcare Innovation Journey

12:24 Community-Focused Healthcare Solution

17:02 "Leveraging Major Employers for Community Initiatives"

18:07 Analyzing Healthcare Spending Data

22:59 Orthopedic and Imaging Expansion Success

25:59 Healthcare Reform Sparks Local Controversy

29:52 "Decentralizing Healthcare from Wall Street"

31:49 Cut Out Middleman, Save on Prescriptions

37:16 "Zero-Cost Healthcare Impact on Communities"

38:44 Economic Impact of Healthcare Savings

43:35 "COHP Scorecard Assessment"

48:33 Space Collaboration Insights

49:44 Revolutionizing Healthcare Access

Learn More:

RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/

Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/

Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/

Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/

Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/

Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/

Welcome to another episode of Relocalizing Health, the show where we explore inspiring stories of communities reclaiming healthcare and reshaping the system to serve people, not profit. In today’s episode, host Dave Chase takes us to Ashtabula County, Ohio, a region that transformed itself from a “medical desert” into a beacon of hope for what healthcare can look like when it’s community-powered and people-centered.

You’ll hear from three courageous local healthcare leaders: Dr. Brad Schneider, a primary care physician who broke out of the hospital “hamster wheel” to offer direct primary care; Maria Fowler, owner of one of the last independent pharmacies in town, standing strong against corporate chains and unfair pharmacy benefit managers; and Casey Billington, a nurse who helped co-found a revolutionary nurse navigation service that ensures every call is met with a real human; no AI, no runaround.

Together, they reveal the staggering ways in which their community-owned health plan is not only saving millions of dollars for local schools and governments, but also restoring compassion and genuine relationships in care. Through their candid stories, you’ll get a front-row seat to the “mafia-like” challenges of the current system, the heartbreak of patients forced to fundraise for life-saving treatments, and the joy of finally making the system work for the people it’s supposed to serve.

If you’re a civic leader, clinician, or anyone hungry for proof that healthcare can be both better and more affordable, this episode is packed with hope, practical strategies, and a vision of a future where community truly comes first. Let’s dive in!

Timestamps:

00:00 Relocalizing Health: Community Care Revolution

05:45 Rising Patient Load Challenges Doctor

08:01 Burnout as a Family Doctor

11:34 Challenges in Primary Care Access

14:04 Pharmacy System Challenges and Closures

20:10 Barriers to Healthcare Access

23:22 Transition to Direct Primary Care

26:39 Rapid Orthopedic Access Service

30:35 Delayed Doctor Appointment Crisis

34:10 Revolutionizing Healthcare Access & Savings

36:31 Advocating Self-Insurance for All Employers

40:48 Healthcare's Role in Retention & Recruitment

43:26 Direct Primary Care Revolution

46:37 Rethink Healthcare Deserts

51:26 Community-Oriented Business Models Discussed

54:08 Flexible Healthcare Model Success

57:12 Gratitude for Healthcare Professionals

Learn More:

RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/

Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/

Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/

Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/

Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/

Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/