CLEARly Beneficial Podcast
CLEARly Beneficial Podcast: Where We Rip Off the Band-aid and Explore What's Next
Welcome to the CLEARly Beneficial podcast - the show where we rip off the band-aid on healthcare and explore the future of benefits with the people driving innovation in our industry.
Host Vincent Catalano brings over 20 years of health insurance brokerage expertise to conversations that get to the real story. You'll discover what actually works, what doesn't, and what's coming next from the innovators brave enough to challenge how we've always done things.
Whether you're an insurance broker navigating carrier politics, an HR professional trying to make sense of complex plan designs, or an employer seeking practical solutions for your people, this podcast delivers the straight talk and actionable insights you need.
We rip off the bandage and give you the inside perspective that only comes from decades in the trenches. Ready to see what's really happening in healthcare? Let's explore the future together.
Episodes
29 episodes
[S2E16] Dr. Ralph Snyderman: Fixing Healthcare While the Plane Is Flying - What Comes Next
American healthcare is broken in a way everyone can see but almost no one has been able to fix. The system was built around treating disease episodes and it has created an epidemic of preventable chronic conditions, costs that are eating employ...
[S2E15] Chris Fisher: What 500+ Benefits Pitches Taught Me
Brokers are drowning in meeting requests. Vendors think they have the next great solution. And somewhere in the middle, the best ideas in employee benefits never get a fair shot because nobody has time to figure out who's actually worth listeni...
[S2E14] Vincent Catalano: Medicare Advantage Pitfalls
The Trump administration is considering auto-enrolling Medicare-eligible Americans into Medicare Advantage plans. But is defaulting into Medicare Advantage actually in your best interest?In this solo episode, Vincent Catalano draws on 23...
[S2E13] Ali Payne: When HR and Finance Can't Agree, Employees Lose
HR professionals are being asked to do more with less — manage benefits they don't fully understand financially, align with a finance team that speaks a different language, and make high-stakes decisions for their organizations without the stra...
[S2E12] Vincent Catalano: Five Years Later, He's Still Saying the Same Thing. Who’s Listening?
In July 2021, Vincent Catalano sat down as a guest on the Healthy Dose of Dialogue Podcast with host Don Antonucci, Senior Vice President of Growth at Blue Shield of California. Vincent was then Senior Vice President of Employee Benefits at Loc...
[S2E11] Joey Dizenhouse: Follow the Money: Inside the Pharmacy Supply Chain
How PBMs, Rebates, and Drug Pricing Are Draining Your Benefits BudgetPharmacy costs have ballooned from 12% of the healthcare dollar in 2000 to 30–50% today—and most employers have no idea why or what to do about it. Joey Dizenhou...
[S2E10] Vincent Catalano: GLP-1 Forever? Why Taking a Drug for Life Might Not Be the Problem
The headlines will tell you that stopping a GLP-1 means gaining the weight back. And they're right. A study of 77,000 patients confirms it: stop the drug, and the weight returns within a year to a year and a half. But Vincent Catalano isn't sur...
[S2E9] Dr. Lisa Larkin: Why the Healthcare System Is Failing Women and Who's Fighting to Fix It
The healthcare system was not built for women. Dr. Lisa Larkin has spent over 35 years proving it and building something better.In this episode, Vincent Catalano sits down with Dr. Lisa Larkin, MD, FACP, MSCP, IF, a nationally recognized...
%201080x1350%20-%201c.png)
[S2E8] Vincent Catalano: Hot Health Take - The Diagnosis Is In
What do interior designers, CEOs, and conference-goers have in common? Strong opinions about healthcare.Vincent Catalano was in Orlando two weeks ago at KBIS, the National Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, alongside his wife, Kerrie Kelly,...
[S2E7] Mark Flores: The Healthcare Black Hole
Recovering Millions in Mismanaged Employee BenefitsWhen employers sign healthcare contracts, they assume they're getting what they pay for. Mark Flores, Vice President and Co-Founder of AVYM Corporation, reveals a disturbing rea...
[S2E6] Dr. Khuram Arif: The Future of Healthcare Delivery
A CEO's Case for Foundational Excellence in HealthcareVincent Catalano sits down with Dr. Khuram Arif, CEO of Western Health Advantage (WHA), for an in-depth conversation about the future of regional healthcare delivery. ...
.png)
[S2E5] Vincent Catalano: What HR & Brokers Really Need to Know About Switching Benefits Partners (Part 2)
Skip the RFP Theater: What HR & Brokers Really Need to Know About Switching Benefits PartnersIn this candid episode, Vincent Catalano pulls back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood processes in employee benef...
[S2E4] Nathan Baar: From Emergency Room to Healthcare Revolution
From ER Nurse to Healthcare Entrepreneur: Transforming Primary CareWhat happens when a bedside ER nurse discovers the healthcare system is designed to keep people sick rather than make them well?In this revealing episode ...
[S2E3] Vincent Catalano: Not All Benefits Brokers are Created Equal (Part 1)
Not all benefits brokers are created equal. In this first episode of a two-part series, Vincent Catalano pulls back the curtain on the employee benefits brokerage industry, sharing insights from his 22 years in the business.Drawing from ...
[S2E2] Vincent Catalano: The Great American Healthcare Plan Breakdown
The president just dropped details on the "Great American Healthcare Plan" – and Vincent's breaking down why the math doesn't add up. While everyone wants lower drug costs and transparent pricing, there's a fundamental flaw in thinking a govern...
[S2E1] Matthew Robinson: The Fight to Save Independent Physicians in California
The Fight to Save Independent Physicians in CaliforniaMatthew Robinson, CEO of the Physician Association of California, reveals why independent physicians have dropped from approximately 50% to 33% in just 12 years—and the criti...
[S1E13] Larry Thompson: Healthcare Reform Starts with Understanding Systemic Accountability
Why Healthcare's Dysfunction Is a Feature, Not a Bug—And Who Benefits From Keeping It That WayLawrence Thompson has spent 35+ years in healthcare leadership roles at some of the industry's most prominent organizations. As CEO of...
.png)
[S1E12] Vincent Catalano: Why is an HSA the most efficient tax advantage?
Saving for your health is actually a tax advantage!An HSA (or Health Savings Account) is a savings account that is used purely for medical services. Unlike other accounts, you get a deduction on your taxes when you put money int...
[S1E11] Vincent Catalano: Deductibles Demystified
Listen to Vincent's Hot Health Takes as he demystifies your health plan deductibles in about three minutes!Depending on how your insurance plan is structured, your deductible could play an important role alongside your out of pocket maxi...
[S1E10] Vincent Catalano: Your Health Plan's Magic Numbers
The most important thing in picking out an insurance plan is...Your maximum out of pocket! All of your costs related to your health will be stacked up against that maximum out of pocket before your insurance covers i...
[S1E9] Vincent Catalano: Navigating Rising Premiums, Subsidy Loss, and Smart Strategies for 2026
What to Do When Your Health Insurance Costs Are SkyrocketingVincent Catalano tackles the anxiety-inducing reality of rising health insurance premiums as ACA subsidies face elimination, explaining what individuals and fami...
[S1E8] Chris Moyer: Why Self-Funding Is Just the Beginning
Why Health Insurance Costs Keep Rising—And What's Really Broken in the SystemChris Moyer, President & CEO of ASR Health Benefits, reveals why healthcare costs continue their unsustainable climb and why most employers still d...
.png)
[S1E7] Ferrin Williams: Empowering Choice to Help You Save on Prescriptions
Why Your Employees Are Overpaying for Prescriptions—And How Pharmacy Navigation Tools Can Fix ItFerrin Williams, PharmD, MBA, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Scripta Insights, reveals how pharmacy care navigation tools can help employees save ...
.png)
[S1E6] Mike Trent: Beyond Self-Insured, Energizing Your Health Plan Funding with RBP
Beyond Self-Funding: Why Reference-Based Pricing Is the Solution Hiding in Plain SightMike Trent, VP of Business Development at ClaimDOC, reveals why self-funding alone doesn't solve healthcare costs—and how RBP can save employers $150,0...
.png)
[S1E5] Dr. Raymond Fabius: Building a Culture of Health to Flatten Healthcare Costs
Building a Culture of Health: The Competitive Advantage Employers MissDr. Raymond Fabius, co-founder, president and chief medical officer of HealthNEXT and co-author of "Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness," reveal...
.png)