Making Healthcare Sustainable

Substance Use Treatment Today Isn’t What You Think with Suzette Glasner, PhD

Substance use disorder is a growing issue in workplace healthcare, but it often remains hidden.  Dr. Suzette Glasner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzette-glasner-ph-d-5846804/], Clinical Psychologist and Chief Scientific Officer at Pelago [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pelago-health/], discusses the hidden impact of addiction in your claims data, how employers are taking action,  and what might surprise you about the latest research on effective addiction treatment.  In this episode, you'll learn: * The physical impact of addiction on employees and how this trickles down to healthcare costs  * Misconceptions about addiction treatment and Dr. Glasner’s thoughts on the headlines around psychedelics as addiction treatment * Surprising research Pelago led on the right “dose” of human support for recovery Highlights: (00:00) Meet Dr. Suzette Glasner (02:07) The hype vs reality of psychedelic treatments for addiction (03:20) Why effective treatments are underutilized (07:13) The barriers of stigma, access, and insight (10:37) Why employers play a crucial role in addressing SUD (20:14) How harm reduction can engage people in treatment (28:49) Balancing human touch and AI in treatment approaches (32:10) What makes a recovery-ready workplace (39:44) Closing the gap with evidence-based solutions  Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] Dr. Suzette Glasner’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzette-glasner-ph-d-5846804/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzette-glasner-ph-d-5846804/]  Pelago’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pelago-health/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/pelago-health/]

Fixing Healthcare Costs Without Cutting Benefits With Carl Pecoraro & Lindsay Leeder

Healthcare costs keep rising, and most employers feel stuck. Carl Pecoraro [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-pecoraro-93ab4142/], Chairman of the Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Health and Welfare Fund [https://www.cbtfunds.com/], and Lindsay Leeder [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-leeder-msn-arnp-6a3740146/], SVP of Labor Union and Trust at Lantern [https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/], share how one fund changed that. Carl walks through building a plan with 21-point solutions and holding inflation to 1%. Lindsay brings the provider's view on what better care looks like. In this episode, you'll learn: * How to build point solutions that lower long-term healthcare costs * Why primary care access changes outcomes and spend * How better provider experience leads to better patient results Highlights: (00:00) How one fund beat healthcare inflation (00:28) Meet Carl Pecoraro and Lindsay Leeder (01:38) Think, feel, do on today's healthcare reality (04:11) Lindsay on primary care and better outcomes (07:05) Building a point solution strategy that works (11:25) Finding Lantern and moving to direct contracting (17:53) Driving utilization through better navigation (21:48) Who the members are and why benefits matter (24:43) Plan design: wellness incentives that actually work (28:59) Fund leaders have more power than they think (33:08) What happens when you get all your vendors in a room (34:46) What the future of healthcare could look like Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] Carl Pecoraro’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-pecoraro-93ab4142/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-pecoraro-93ab4142/]  Lindsay Leeder’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-leeder-msn-arnp-6a3740146/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-leeder-msn-arnp-6a3740146/]  Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Health & Welfare Fund: https://www.cbtfunds.com/ [https://www.cbtfunds.com/]

Choosing The Right Surgeon Changes Everything with Grant Zarzour, MD

Healthcare feels impossible to navigate when it matters most. Even doctors struggle to find the right care.  In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, Nancy Ryerson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] speaks with Grant Zarzour [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantzarzour/], MD, orthopedic surgeon and Lantern Medical Advisory Board member, on what actually drives better surgical outcomes. He shares how volume shapes results, why appropriateness comes first, and what faster recovery really looks like.  In this episode, you'll learn: * Why high surgical volume leads to better outcomes and faster recovery * How to guide members to the right procedure and avoid unnecessary surgery * What quality really means beyond reputation and referrals  Highlights: (00:00) Meet Dr. Grant Zarzour (02:18) Navigating healthcare during a family crisis (05:01) Partial vs total knee replacement decision (08:41) Why appropriateness matters before surgery (13:13) How to define quality in surgery (14:30) What patient-reported outcomes reveal (15:22) Coaching patients through recovery (16:26) What great post-op care looks like (20:17) What is driving faster surgical recovery (23:35) GLP one drugs and the real tradeoffs (26:45) Breaking sugar habits and spikes (31:59) Why prevention still gets overlooked (36:43) Why personalized care plans matter (37:33) What the future of healthcare looks like Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] Dr. Grant Zarzour’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantzarzour/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/grantzarzour/]

What Really Drives Up (And Lowers) Cancer Costs with Troy Brennan

Healthcare costs are rising, especially for cancer, but there’s a better way to provide care that’s both affordable and effective. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, host Nancy Ryerson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] talks with Dr. Troyen Brennan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyen-brennan-494bb533/], a healthcare expert, about the high costs of cancer care and specialty treatments. Dr. Brennan explains how a shift to value-based care can help reduce costs while improving patient outcomes. He also shares simple ways that employers and healthcare leaders can make care more affordable and effective for everyone. In this episode, you'll learn: * How high costs in cancer and specialty care are impacting healthcare * Why switching to value-based care can lower costs and improve care * Easy steps for employers to make healthcare more affordable and efficient Highlights: (00:00) Meet Dr. Troyen Brennan (01:58) The impact of Medicare prior authorization on costs (03:40) Understanding provider-induced demand in healthcare (05:14) The evolution of healthcare costs (06:47) Why Dr. Brennan is focusing on cancer care (09:08) The players in pharmacy commerce and their impact (10:28) Biosimilars: Lowering costs and maintaining margins (12:02) Changing incentives in healthcare to drive value (13:06) How employers can influence healthcare costs (15:28) Community-based care vs. cancer centers (16:32) The challenge of keeping up with new therapies (19:14) The future of cancer trends and screening (20:40) Reality check: The effectiveness of wellness programs (22:44) One key move for benefits leaders to improve care (23:34) A look ahead: The future of healthcare costs Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] Dr. Troyen Brennan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyen-brennan-494bb533/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyen-brennan-494bb533/]  Dr. Troyen Brennan’s Email: troyenbrennan@gmail.com [troyenbrennan@gmail.com]

How to Influence People to Actually Use Their Benefits with Tammy Fennessy

Data and AI are transforming how we deliver healthcare, making it smarter, more affordable, and personalized for every employee. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, host Nancy Ryerson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] chats with Tammy Fennessy [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-fennessy-healthequity4all/], Senior Director of Benefits at DICK'S Sporting Goods [https://www.linkedin.com/company/dick's-sporting-goods/]. They talked about how data, behavioral economics, and a sharper focus on specialty care are changing healthcare benefits and how people access them and ultimately use them. Tammy shares how DICK'S has successfully reduced costs while improving employee health outcomes, focusing on the power of personalized, data-driven communication strategies.  In this episode, you'll learn: * How data and behavioral economics shape benefits strategy * How preventive care and better specialty care can both lower costs  * How AI and personalization drive employee engagement with benefits Highlights: (00:00) Meet Tammy Fennessy (02:48) Applying behavioral economics to drive meaningful change in benefits (04:43) From the restaurant industry to benefits management (Tammy’s career path) (09:55) Challenges at DICK'S Sporting Goods and the importance of analyzing data (12:46) Utilizing data analytics and AI to improve health outcomes (22:13) Using personal employee stories to drive benefits awareness (26:05) Why preventive care is a top priority for DICK'S Sporting Goods (29:12) Integrating AI into benefits communication to enhance personalization (35:52) Interoperability and collaboration with vendors in the healthcare system (38:19) Tammy’s prediction for the future of universal healthcare Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/] Tammy Fennessy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-fennessy-healthequity4all/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tammy-fennessy-healthequity4all/]  DICK’S Sporting Goods LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dick's-sporting-goods/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/dick's-sporting-goods/]