Bending The Trend
Bending The Trend, hosted by Norm Volsky of MVP Growth Partners, is a show built for benefits leaders who want to learn directly from their peers how to manage rising healthcare costs without sacrificing employee well-being.
Each episode features candid conversations with forward-thinking benefits executives who share how they’ve successfully leveraged point solutions like advanced imaging, musculoskeletal care, behavioral health, and more to reduce spend, improve outcomes, and put money back into their employees’ pockets.
Bending The Trend delivers practical case studies, proven strategies, and peer-to-peer insights designed to help benefits leaders make smarter decisions about innovation and spend.
At its core, the show is about empowering benefits leaders to learn from each other’s real-world experiences, spotlighting the solutions and strategies that truly move the needle in bending healthcare’s cost curve.
Bending The Trend
Episode 3: Mid Market Dynamics, Payment Integrity & Innovative Vendors with Jake Frankel
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Summary
In this episode of Bending The Trend, Norman Volsky interviews Jake Frankel, founder of ASF Strategies, discussing innovative strategies to combat rising healthcare costs. They explore effective vendor strategies for mid-market companies, the importance of payment integrity, and the role of reimbursement-focused strategies in controlling costs. Jake emphasizes the need for better marketing to employees about available healthcare solutions and shares insights on the challenges faced by benefits leaders.
Takeaways
🔍 The best vendor strategies are often unnoticed by employees
🛑 Efficient stop-loss purchasing is crucial for cost savings
💰 Payment integrity solutions can drive meaningful savings
📊 Reference-based pricing remains a powerful cost-control lever
🤝 Direct contracting vendors help employers better manage healthcare spend
🩻 Radiology services can unlock substantial system-wide savings
🏥 Advanced primary care is essential—but still often overlooked
📣 Strong employee marketing boosts engagement with healthcare plans
🧠 Understanding the technical details behind solutions is critical to success
😊 Building positive regard for healthcare plans directly impacts employee satisfaction
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Healthcare Cost Strategies
03:01 Effective Vendor Strategies for Mid-Market Companies
06:03 Innovative Approaches to Cost Control
08:59 Challenges in Employee Engagement and Marketing
12:01 Final Insights and Advice for Benefits Leaders