Episodios

  • 64. Breaking Free from the Broker Trap with Lori Kleiman

    64. Breaking Free from the Broker Trap with Lori Kleiman
    Nov 13 2025
    In this HR Special, host Chelsea Ryckis sits down with friend and industry leader Lori Kleiman to talk about what it takes to level up from HR department-of-one to strategic business partner, without losing sight of day-to-day realities.


    We cover how small to mid-size employers can decide when to hire fractional or in-house HR, why headcount matters more than revenue, and the rising complexity of multi-state compliance. We also unpack the hidden opportunity for HR to lead on healthcare and benefits strategy.

    Chelsea explains renewal “stall” tactics, fiduciary responsibility on health plans, and practical steps HR can take to earn a seat at the table with data and action.

    What you’ll learn:
    • When a company truly needs fractional HR vs its first in-house generalist
    • Why certifications like PHR and SHRM-CP help smaller employers hire confidently
    • How tech can increase HR workload and employee questions, not reduce them
    • A simple path to move from tactical HR to strategic HR that drives ROI
    • The fiduciary duty HR has on health plans, what to ask from brokers, and how to escape the 60-day renewal crunch
    • Practical ideas HR can implement now: communications, data access, compliance checklists, and off-cycle planning
    Time Stamps
    00:00 – Welcome to The Business of Benefits
    01:08 – Meet Lori Kleiman
    04:45 – Building an HR Business from the Basement
    07:15 – When Small Businesses Really Need HR
    10:02 – Technology’s Impact on HR Workloads
    12:18 – Tactical vs. Strategic HR
    15:26 – What to Look For When Hiring HR
    18:41 – How Much HR Certifications Cost
    21:10 – Using ExamEdge and Affordable Prep Options
    23:20 – Moving from Tactical to Strategic HR
    27:00 – Understanding Fiduciary Duty in Health Plans
    30:36 – How HR Can Drive Benefits Strategy
    33:22 – Why Benefit Renewals Feel Impossible
    36:10 – Taking Back Control of Your Renewal
    38:28 – Shaking Up Your Broker Relationship
    40:12 – Giving Back to the HR Community
    41:25 – Final Thoughts and Where to Find Lori

    Get more on our Guest at:
    Website: https://www.hrtopics.com
    YouTube: @lorikleimanhrtopics7385

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    42 m
  • 63. The New Health System: Inside Employer Health with Dr. Zeev Neuwirth

    63. The New Health System: Inside Employer Health with Dr. Zeev Neuwirth
    Oct 30 2025
    In this episode of The Business of Benefits Podcast, Chelsea Ryckis sits down with Dr. Zeev Neuwirth — physician, author of Reframing Healthcare and Beyond the Walls, and host of the Creating a New Healthcare podcast — for an unfiltered conversation about what’s really broken in America’s healthcare system and what employers can actually do to fix it.

    From the hidden “healthcare tax” driving wage stagnation to how misaligned incentives have created a medical industrial complex, this episode dives deep into the uncomfortable truth: only 20 cents of every healthcare dollar reaches doctors, nurses, and clinicians. The rest? Lost in layers of middlemen, bureaucracy, and profit-driven waste.

    Chelsea and Zeev explore how employer-sponsored healthcare became the backbone of American coverage, why primary care has been stripped of its purpose, and how direct primary care (DPC) and CEO engagement can completely change the game for employees and organizations alike. If you’re an executive, benefits advisor, or HR leader who knows there has to be a better way, this conversation will challenge everything you think you know about healthcare financing, delivery, and reform.

    Listen to this episode if you want to:
    • Understand how healthcare financing and delivery actually intersect
    • Learn how direct primary care can lower costs and improve outcomes
    • Hear real examples of CEOs transforming employee health and culture
    • Be inspired to rethink your benefits strategy without the sales fluff
    Time Stamps:
    00:00 — Welcome to The Business of Benefits
    02:15 — Dr. Zeev Neuwirth’s journey from clinician to system reformer
    06:40 — The truth about the “medical industrial complex”
    12:10 — Where your healthcare dollars really go
    18:45 — The failure of traditional primary care
    24:10 — Why CEOs are the missing link in healthcare transformation
    30:40 — Lessons from the Rosen Hotels model
    37:20 — Following the money: the employer’s power to change healthcare
    43:30 — The caregiving crisis and what leaders often overlook
    47:00 — Final thoughts and resources

    Get more on our Guest at: Dr. Zeev Neuwirth
    Author of Reframing Healthcare and Beyond the Walls
    Podcast: Host of Creating a New Healthcare Podcast
    Learn more: zevnewworthhealth.com

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    59 m
  • 62. You Don’t Need More Vendors — You Need Accountability

    62. You Don’t Need More Vendors — You Need Accountability
    Oct 16 2025
    Tired of shiny pitches and vague promises? In this solo episode, we break down a practical, repeatable system for holding your benefits vendors accountable so your plan actually performs. From rock-solid RFPs to airtight contracts and respectful escalation, you’ll learn how to set clear expectations, track outcomes, and course-correct fast.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • How to design an RFP that prevents surprises later
    • What to demand in contracts: performance guarantees, termination language, fees, BAAs, data sharing, and fiduciary status
    • The must-ask questions about integrations, cybersecurity, conflicts of interest, and compensation
    • A simple cadence for accountability meetings that gets results, not excuses
    • Real examples of catching hidden fees and fixing slow vendor response times
    • How to build team culture so your staff holds vendors accountable the right way
    Who this is for:
    Employers, HR leaders, CFOs, and anyone ready to transform a “set it and forget it” benefits program into a high-performing plan.If the truth is out there, are you ready to hear it?

    Like, share, and subscribe for more no-BS guidance on benefits that serve your people and your P&L.

    TimeStamps:
    • 00:00 Intro and why accountability matters
    • 02:10 Build a better RFP
    • 07:35 Contract must-haves and red flags
    • 13:25 Demo everything and verify claims
    • 17:40 Meeting cadence and escalation that works
    • 23:10 Real-world examples and fixes
    • 28:30 Culture of accountability inside your team
    • 32:10 Final takeaways and next steps
    If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a leader who needs to hear it. Tell us in the comments: What is the first change you will make to your benefits strategy?

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    36 m
  • 61. Inside IFEBP: Fiduciary Duty, CEBS & Future Benefits Trends with Justin Held

    61. Inside IFEBP: Fiduciary Duty, CEBS & Future Benefits Trends with Justin Held
    Oct 2 2025
    Welcome back to the No BS. No sales pitch. Just real solutions podcast. This week our host Chelsea Ryckis sits down with Justin Held, CEBS of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) to unpack what HR, CFOs, and CEOs need now: neutral education, fiduciary guardrails, and a practical path to future-proof employee benefits.


    In this episode:
    • What IFEBP is and how it helps plan sponsors with objective, non-lobbying education
    • CEBS breakdown: curriculum, timelines, and why employers fund it
    • Fiduciary duty basics after ERISA and why CAA 2021 put health plans under the spotlight
    • The 2025–2026 benefits agenda: PBM contracts, data analysis, chronic conditions, GLP-1 coverage, mental and behavioral health, peer support models, and AI in plan administration
    • How to run a strategic review of your plan: surveys, focus groups, utilization data, KPIs
    Simple, high-impact changes most members won’t even notice, but your budget will.

    Timestamps:
    • 0:00 Intro
    • 1:08 What IFEBP does and why it’s neutral
    • 6:35 Conferences, toolkits, and daily benefits headlines
    • 10:12 CEBS overview and chapter network
    • 14:45 ERISA fiduciary duty in health and retirement
    • 19:18 Trends: PBM contracts, GLP-1, mental health, AI, fraud prevention
    • 28:40 Peer support models for mental health
    • 33:10 How to future-proof benefits with data and KPIs
    If you are an employer, CFO, or CEO who is tired of trend increases and status quo advice, this conversation will give you a path to real savings and better outcomes.

    If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a leader who needs to hear it. Tell us in the comments: What is the first change you will make to your benefits strategy?

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with our guest today at:
    Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-held-cebs/
    Website: https://www.ifebp.org/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IFEBP
    Listen to their podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-benefits/id1183535454

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    35 m
  • 60. Benefits Red Flags Every Employer Needs to Catch

    60. Benefits Red Flags Every Employer Needs to Catch
    Sep 18 2025
    If you have ever been told “you can’t access your own portal” or “don’t worry, we’ve got great PPO discounts,” this episode is for you. Today host Chelsea unpacks real stories employers have shared with me and the costly myths behind them. Names and details are changed, the situations are real. Use this as a checklist to protect your plan, your data, and your people.


    In this episode
    • The red flag no one should ignore: being blocked from your own carrier portal
    • No access to your ben-admin system and why that traps you from shopping the market
    • Asking for compensation disclosures under CAA 2021 and getting a flat “no”
    • Fear tactics about big carriers and how to verify before you trust
    • Sticker shock: $125 PEPM broker fees and how to benchmark what is reasonable
    • Perks over performance: NHL boxes, steak dinners, and fiduciary duty
    • “Broker severance” and the myth of 250 years of benefits experience
    • “Local” vs. “large” broker labels and what actually matters
    • Being told you are a “small client” and why that is never an excuse
    • Shiny value-adds vs. real cost and quality outcomes
    Key takeaways
    • It is your plan and your data. Own the logins, the reports, the invoices.
    • Verify before you trust. Ask for proof, not talking points.
    • Benchmark compensation and services against outcomes, not perks.
    • Hold every vendor accountable to frequency and severity of claims, not swag.

    If you are an employer, CFO, or CEO who is tired of trend increases and status quo advice, this conversation will give you a path to real savings and better outcomes.

    If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a leader who needs to hear it. Tell us in the comments: What is the first change you will make to your benefits strategy?

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with our guest today at:

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    27 m
  • 59. The Big Lie in Healthcare: Nelson Griswold on How Employers Can Cut Costs & Improve Care

    59. The Big Lie in Healthcare: Nelson Griswold on How Employers Can Cut Costs & Improve Care
    Sep 4 2025
    Welcome back to The Business of Benefits Podcast, your no BS, no sales guide to real solutions in employee benefits.

    Today, host Chelsea Ryckis sits down with Nelson Griswold of Next Gen Benefits to unpack the so-called “big lie” in healthcare and show employers how to take control of cost and quality. Nelson Griswold is a leading voice in employer-sponsored healthcare reform and author of Healthcare’s C-Suite Solution, Fixing American Healthcare, and Life and Death Decisions in the C-Suite. He helps CEOs and CFOs manage healthcare like a supply chain and turn overspend into free cash flow. Nelson explains why claims are not all the same, how incentives in the current system work against employers, and what it looks like to build a plan that puts your people first.

    In this episode you will learn:
    • Why the 80/20 ACA rule can push premiums up, and what that means for your plan
    • How to move from reactive renewals to a strategic, employer-controlled model
    • The difference between fully insured and self funded, and why risk is often misunderstood
    • How nurse navigation and quality data reduce complications and total spend
    • Practical first steps to align incentives with an advisor who works for you
    • When to use bundled, direct contracting, international pharmacy, and reference based pricing
    • Why better quality often equals lower cost, and how to steer members to it
    If you are an employer, CFO, or CEO who is tired of trend increases and status quo advice, this conversation will give you a path to real savings and better outcomes.

    If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a leader who needs to hear it. Tell us in the comments: What is the first change you will make to your benefits strategy?

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with our guest today at: https://www.nextgenbenefits.com/

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:
    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    43 m
  • 58. Stop Playing the Renewal Game: A Real Roadmap for Employer Healthcare Plans

    58. Stop Playing the Renewal Game: A Real Roadmap for Employer Healthcare Plans
    Aug 28 2025
    Welcome back to The Business of Benefits Podcast – your no-BS, no-sales guide to real solutions in employee benefits.

    In this solo episode, host Chelsea breaks down what it really means to have a multi-year healthcare strategy for your company. Instead of reacting to renewals at the last minute and hearing the same excuses year after year, Chelsea shows you how to treat your benefits program like a true business plan—with long-term goals, measurable KPIs, and strategies that actually deliver results.

    You’ll hear a real client case study that has achieved five straight years of decreases by following a step-by-step benefits roadmap.

    Chelsea also shares:
    ✅ What isn’t a multi-year healthcare strategy (the reactive renewal game)
    ✅ How to build a business plan for your benefits, just like any other department
    ✅ Why data access and employee trust are the foundation for long-term success
    ✅ The difference between a slow, steady approach and a “shock-and-awe” strategy
    ✅ Real savings examples—millions of dollars saved while improving employee experience

    If you’re an employer tired of rising costs, empty promises, and lack of control, this episode will show you a better way to run your healthcare plan.

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan:

    Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/
    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    28 m
  • 57. Exposing the Flaws in Employer Healthcare: What Brokers Won’t Tell You with Jay Gepfert

    57. Exposing the Flaws in Employer Healthcare: What Brokers Won’t Tell You with Jay Gepfert
    Aug 7 2025
    In this powerful episode, Donovan Ryckis sits down with Jay Gepfert, President of The Culpepper Group, to unpack what employers don't know—and what it’s costing them. With decades of experience on both the retirement and healthcare side of the fiduciary table, Jay brings the receipts on how hidden broker compensation, lack of transparency, and outdated fee structures are draining company resources and exposing employers to serious risk.

    You’ll hear:
    • Why healthcare benefits need the same due diligence as retirement plans
    • How compensation models drive broker behavior—and what to demand instead
    • A real case study showing 46% savings in broker fees
    • Why the current healthcare system is broken—and how litigation and legislation are forcing change
    • What you need to start doing now to protect your plan, your budget, and your people
    If you're an HR leader, CFO, or CEO who’s ready to ask the tough questions and rethink your benefits strategy—this episode is your playbook.

    Subscribe now and hit the bell so you never miss an episode. Because if the truth is out there... are you ready to hear it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments & don’t forget to subscribe for more no-BS insights.

    Whether you're an HR professional, CFO, CEO, or just tired of rising healthcare costs, this is your call to rethink benefits strategy and finally take control.

    Learn more about Jay's work: https://www.culpepperrfp.com/

    Connect with Jay Gepfert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-gepfert-rfps-for-retirement-health-and-welfare-plans-a418027/

    Connect with Chelsea and Donovan: Website: www.businessofbenefitspodcast.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ethoseffectpodcast/

    Chelsea: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-ryckis-8508a192/
    Donovan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donovanryckis/
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    49 m