Making Healthcare Sustainable

About Making Healthcare Sustainable

Employee healthcare is at a tipping point. The costs are unsustainable. The system is overwhelming. And benefits leaders are being asked to do more — with less — for the people who count on them most. Making Healthcare Sustainable is a media experience from Lantern, spotlighting the bold thinkers, advisors, and changemakers transforming high-cost problems into life-changing outcomes. Through interviews, insights, and storytelling, we explore what it takes to deliver better care while optimizing the system and budget. This is where benefit design meets business impact. Because when healthcare works better, everyone wins.

Publisher

Lantern

Category

business · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

17 Feb 2026

Latest episode

30 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Sept 2026

   How to Turn an Underused Benefit Into Real Value, with Scott Kirschner

   The most expensive healthcare problem might not be the one getting the most attention. The solution may be in place, the savings may be possible, and the care may be better, but none of that matters if employees aren’t engaging with it. Unlocking that value takes more than administration. Scott Kirschner (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkirschner/), former Senior Director of Global Benefits at Greystar (https://www.greystar.com/), shares how he increased engagement with Lantern, identified cancer care as a major cost and care opportunity, and shifted from traditional benefits administration to a more proactive strategy. He discusses data-driven decision-making, persistent employee communication, centers of excellence, and why better care and lower costs do not have to be competing goals. In this episode, you'll learn: How better communication and stronger incentives can turn an underused healthcare benefit into a program employees actually understand and use Why healthcare data can reveal high-cost opportunities, like cancer care, that traditional benefits reporting may fail to surface clearly What benefits leaders can do to move beyond traditional plan administration by using centers of excellence, targeted solutions, and persistent employee outreach Highlights: (00:00) How Greystar unlocked more value from an underused benefit (03:00) The changes that drove a 250% to 300% utilization increase (06:00) Why the benefits leader role has moved beyond administration (09:50) The data that made cancer care impossible to ignore (13:02) Why traditional health plans fall short on cancer navigation (16:23) The overlooked role of behavioral health in cancer care (21:33) Why benefits communication needs to shift from pull to push (27:02) When making centers of excellence mandatory makes sense (30:21) How Greystar saved about $15,400 per procedure (35:02) Why modern benefits strategy starts with better data (37:36) How to prioritize benefits based on impact, not anecdotes Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Scott Kirschner’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkirschner/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkirschner/)

2. 

   16 Sept 2026

   What It Takes To Really Get Ahead of Healthcare Costs, with Jim Winkler

   For three years running, employers have forecast their healthcare costs and been wrong. In 2025 the median forecast was 6.8% and actual costs came in at 8.8%, the widest miss in a decade. Jim Winkler (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimwinkler/), Chief Strategy Officer at Business Group on Health (https://www.linkedin.com/company/businessgrouponhealth/), joins Nancy Ryerson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) to unpack what's behind the miss and what it should change about how benefits leaders plan. He talks through hospital and outpatient pricing, the pharmacy spend hiding inside the medical plan, why employers keep considering changes instead of making them, and why he believes protecting the current system is more disruptive than changing it. In this episode, you'll learn: Why a widening forecast miss is pulling CFOs and CEOs into benefits decisions How to find the pharmacy and infusion spend sitting inside your medical claims What to look at now so a cell and gene therapy claim isn't a 2028 problem Highlights: (00:00) Meet Jim Winkler (03:25) The colored sticker on his brother's folder (04:59) Where electronic health records still fall short for patients (06:51) Three straight years of missed cost forecasts (09:24) What's pushing hospital and outpatient costs up (10:47) Why cell and gene therapy spend is so hard to predict (12:58) The gap between what employers consider and what they implement (15:33) How framing changes employer appetite for limiting choice (18:07) Why navigation reaches people too late (28:42) The pharmacy spend hiding inside the medical plan (31:51) The No Surprises Act and AI-driven upcoding (35:16) What a benefits leader should do Monday morning (39:13) Why maternity could be the next cost surprise Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Jim Winkler’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimwinkler/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimwinkler/) Lantern’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/)

3. 

   2 Sept 2026

   What Works and What’s Worth It In Digital Health, with Meg Barron

   A healthcare solution can look successful on paper and still fail the people it was built to help. So how can employers separate real impact from impressive numbers? Meg Barron (https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbarron), Managing Director of Engagement & Outreach at the Peterson Health Technology Institute (https://phti.org/), shares how organizations can evaluate healthcare technologies through evidence-based research, meaningful outcomes, and stronger partnerships with vendors. She discusses why engagement metrics alone fall short, how performance-based contracts drive accountability, and what leaders should look for when choosing solutions that deliver results. In this episode, you'll learn: How evidence-based evaluations can help employers identify healthcare solutions that deliver measurable clinical and financial outcomes Why traditional engagement metrics fall short and what meaningful engagement should look like for different healthcare programs Strategies for aligning with vendors upfront through performance-based contracts, clear expectations, and outcome-driven partnerships Highlights: (00:00) Meet Meg Barron (01:32) How PHTI evaluates digital health solutions objectively (03:36) Why employers need evidence beyond vendor claims (05:07) The three questions that define a successful solution (08:11) Why meaningful outcomes matter more than app usage (11:09) How centers of excellence create predictable healthcare experiences (12:55) Building contracts around outcomes instead of promises (15:55) The seven elements of effective performance-based contracts (23:52) Why communication strategy impacts healthcare engagement (24:05) How AI and new channels could transform benefits access (26:11) Connecting fragmented benefits into one employee experience (30:48) The future of smarter healthcare purchasing decisions Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Meg Barron’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbarron (https://www.linkedin.com/in/megbarron) Lantern’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/)

4. 

   19 Aug 2026

   Why More Healthcare Choices Don’t Always Lead to Better Care, with Kristin Bacon

   What if the biggest barrier to better healthcare outcomes isn’t access but awareness? Even the most valuable benefits can fall short when employees don’t know how to use them at the moment they need them most. Kristin Bacon (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-bacon-290a3053/), Senior Director of Benefits at Brookdale Senior Living (https://www.brookdale.com/en.html), shares how her team moved from voluntary engagement to a guided care approach for high-cost procedures. She discusses the challenges of reaching a distributed workforce, communicating benefit changes, and creating pathways that connect employees with high-quality care while managing costs. Listeners will learn how thoughtful design, communication, and guidance can transform healthcare engagement. In this episode, you'll learn: How guided healthcare pathways can increase engagement with valuable benefits and improve care decisions Strategies for communicating benefit changes to distributed workforces and building employee trust Why mandatory care pathways can help employees access high-quality providers and better outcomes Highlights: (00:00) Why valuable benefits still struggle with engagement (01:04) How Brookdale supports a frontline workforce across 41 states (01:51) The healthcare cost challenge behind finding a solution (03:40) Why voluntary programs were not driving enough engagement (04:19) How guided care pathways changed employee access (05:52) Addressing concerns around mandatory healthcare programs (07:22) How communication helped employees embrace the change (08:46) Why early health plan coordination matters for success (10:19) Explaining the value of high-quality lower-cost care (12:08) How Brookdale increased specialty care engagement (13:02) Why benefits leaders should rethink voluntary adoption (13:34) What retirement auto-enrollment teaches healthcare leaders (14:52) How guided pathways can improve healthcare outcomes Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Kristin Bacon’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-bacon-290a3053/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-bacon-290a3053/)

5. 

   5 Aug 2026

   Why the Best Benefits Education Happens in Person, with Jenae Hernandez and Christina Taylor

   What does it take to get employees genuinely interested in a benefit they may not understand or even believe is real? At a crowded benefits fair, a flyer is rarely enough. Jenae Hernandez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hernandez-relationshipmgmt/), Senior Client Executive at Lantern (https://lanterncare.com/), and Christina Taylor (https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-christina/), Client Success Manager at Lantern (https://lanterncare.com/), share what they have learned from attending benefits fairs across the country. They discuss common employee questions, creative ways to increase engagement, and why real member stories build trust. In this episode, you'll learn: How face-to-face conversations can overcome employee skepticism and make unfamiliar healthcare benefits easier to understand and trust Strategies for using games, giveaways, and proactive outreach to turn a benefits fair booth into a meaningful employee interaction Why tailoring the conversation to each employee’s health plan, personal needs, and stage of care can increase benefits awareness and utilization Highlights: (00:00) Meet Jenae Hernandez and Christina Taylor (01:47) Why employees overlook benefits that sound too good (02:22) The member stories that instantly build trust (03:38) How direct conversations outperform repeated communications (04:48) Explaining how free surgery actually works (07:33) Why high-quality providers create long-term savings (07:53) Candy, games, and the secret to booth engagement (08:54) Why stepping out from behind the table matters (11:01) How proactive outreach reached one family in need (12:43) Making overlooked benefits feel relevant to employees (15:40) How employers gamify the benefits fair experience (21:29) Extending the benefits conversation beyond the booth Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Jenae Hernandez’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hernandez-relationshipmgmt/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hernandez-relationshipmgmt/) Christina Taylor’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-christina/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-christina/) Lantern’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/)

6. 

   22 Jul 2026

   How to Advertise Your Benefits Like a Retailer, with Kaitlin Quinn

   Is promoting a healthcare benefit the same as advertising jeans? Not really—and at the same time,  yes. It all comes down to reaching people at the exact moment they need something. And not once they’ve already gotten a procedure done or finished up their shopping for the season. Kaitlin Quinn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-quinn-22514213/), Head of Enterprise Data and Analytics at Lantern (https://lanterncare.com/), shares how her team uses marketing testing, targeted outreach, and data-driven experimentation to improve benefits engagement, build trust, and connect members with care when it matters most. In this episode, you'll learn: How targeted benefits communications can significantly increase employee engagement by reaching people when they are most likely to need care Strategies for using simple marketing experiments to improve benefits awareness without requiring a large analytics team Why balancing broad awareness campaigns with personalized outreach builds trust and encourages greater benefits utilization Highlights: (00:00) Why "just send another benefits email" doesn't work anymore (00:46) The test Lantern ran to prove targeted marketing works (02:03) What it costs to build a real marketing test (03:56) Lantern's targeted marketing test drove a 20% lift in engagement (05:55) The jeans example that explains healthcare marketing (06:49) Why word of mouth beats every other marketing channel (07:46) The exclusion logic behind every message Lantern sends (10:08) How sacrificing revenue for one test won over skeptical clients (10:51) Envelope colors, subject lines, and other tests any team can run (11:27) Awareness marketing vs conversion marketing, explained (13:21) Why one coworker's story outperforms a company-wide email (14:20) Testing subject lines to see what actually gets opened (15:56) How to tell if your test worked or you just got lucky timing (16:55) A one click poll that tells you if people are engaged (18:05) How Lantern tracks whether word of mouth is actually working (18:30) Why Kaitlin says marketing Lantern is "good for good" (19:46) The halo effect: why even non-users benefit from awareness (20:20) What years in retail marketing taught Kaitlin about healthcare (21:26) Timing outreach around ID cards, deductibles, and open enrollment (22:19) Why you need both awareness marketing and conversion marketing Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Kaitlin Quinn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-quinn-22514213/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-quinn-22514213/) Lantern’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/lantern-specialty-care/about/)

7. 

   8 Jul 2026

   Why Employees Ignore Great Benefits, with Adrienne Lee-Jones

   Navigating healthcare benefits can be confusing, especially when employees need specialized care. Adrienne Lee-Jones (http://linkedin.com/in/adrienne-lee-jones/), Director of Payroll and Benefits at Loomis (https://www.loomis.com/en/), shares her personal experience using Lantern, how concierge-style healthcare support can improve outcomes, and the communication strategies she uses to help employees understand and engage with complex benefits year-round. In this episode, you'll learn: How personal experience and concierge-style healthcare navigation can help employees feel more confident when making complex care decisions Strategies for explaining specialized benefits in simple, relatable terms that drive employee understanding and engagement Creative ways to build year-round benefits awareness through testimonials, wellness initiatives, and open enrollment communications Highlights: (0:00) Meet Adrienne Lee-Jones (1:23) Adrienne's Lantern surgery experience (3:38) The value of compassionate care (6:16) Why dedicated support matters (7:07) Building a year-round benefits strategy (8:49) Communicating cost savings and quality (9:10) Turning employees into benefit champions (10:00) Using testimonials to drive engagement (16:56) Helping employees understand complex benefits (19:05) Real examples that make benefits click (24:49) Reaching employees beyond email (26:26) The rewards and challenges of open enrollment Resources:Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Adrienne Lee-Jones’s LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/adrienne-lee-jones/ (http://linkedin.com/in/adrienne-lee-jones/) Loomis’s LinkedIn: https://www.loomis.com/en/ (https://www.loomis.com/en/)

8. 

   1 Jul 2026

   Coming This Summer: Your Open Enrollment Gameplan

   Open enrollment season is coming, and we're spending the summer getting ready for it. All season long, we're bringing in guests who've been in the trenches of OE to share what's actually working, what's flopped, and the creative ideas worth stealing. By the time October hits, you'll have a fresh playbook and a lot less dread. Making Healthcare Sustainable will drop new episodes all summer. Follow the show so you don't miss a single guest!

9. 

   24 Jun 2026

   Are Your Benefits Solving the Right Problems? With Omair Ahmed

   Most healthcare innovations fail for the same reason: they don't address the underlying incentive misalignment baked into a fee-for-service system. Omair Ahmed (https://www.linkedin.com/in/omair-ahmed/), Principal at Echo Health Ventures (https://www.linkedin.com/company/echo-health-ventures/), explains why solving that problem first is what separates the solutions that actually move the needle from the ones that just add to the vendor stack. In this episode, you'll learn: Why incentive misalignment and data opacity are the root causes behind most of healthcare's thorniest challenges How pairing quality analytics with benefit design nudges members toward better decisions and not just better information Why local networks of high-quality providers outperform traditional center-of-excellence models What benefits leaders who are early adopters are doing differently to evaluate solutions before they scale Highlights: (00:00) Meet Omair Ahmed (02:07) Centering the patient experience (04:14) Key challenges in healthcare incentives and data transparency (07:00) Distribution and integration matter more than product innovation (09:36) Lessons from public-private partnerships and Medicare innovations (11:07) Why cost, quality, and access don’t have to compete (13:00) Understanding how patients interpret cost signals (15:43) The power of surgical volume and appropriateness in decision-making (16:44) Evaluating ROI for high-cost, high-variability solutions (20:04) Learning from churn and variation across clients (22:38) Network of Excellence vs. legacy Center of Excellence models (25:53) How local care improves adherence and outcomes (27:07) Prioritizing high-impact solutions for employers (30:29) AI, analytics, and culture driving optimism for healthcare innovation Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Omair Ahmed’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/omair-ahmed/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/omair-ahmed/) Echo Health Ventures’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/echo-health-ventures/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/echo-health-ventures/)

10. 

    10 Jun 2026

    Design Dictates Disruption with Lee Lewis

    Healthcare costs keep rising, but many employers are still approaching benefits the same way they did 20 years ago. And those who are taking a more radical approach might want to consider these three words: design dictates disruption. Lee Lewis (https://www.linkedin.com/in/leewlewis/), Chief Strategy Officer and GM of Medical Solutions at the Health Transformation Alliance (https://www.linkedin.com/company/health-transformation-alliance/), shares a blueprint for getting the lower costs you need while rocking the boat (or pirate ship—tune in to learn more) just the right amount. In this episode, you'll learn: How to reduce healthcare disruption through smarter benefit design Why simplicity helps employees make better healthcare decisions The ABC framework employers use to strengthen healthcare benefits Highlights: (00:00) Meet Lee Lewis (01:41) Why employers are embracing healthcare innovation (02:23) How alternative health plans simplify care (05:20) Does innovation always create disruption? (07:09) What makes a modern Center of Excellence work (12:00) Why employees just want "the good doctor" (17:10) The biggest barriers preventing change (19:55) Lee's playbook for improving benefits plans (26:27) Why behavioral health access matters (33:03) Why trust changes healthcare outcomes (35:07) Predictions for the future of employer healthcare Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Lee Lewis’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leewlewis/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/leewlewis/) Health Transformation Alliance’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/health-transformation-alliance/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/health-transformation-alliance/)

11. 

    27 May 2026

    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/)

12. 

    13 May 2026

    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/)

13. 

    29 Apr 2026

    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/)

14. 

    15 Apr 2026

    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 (mailto:troyenbrennan@gmail.com)

15. 

    1 Apr 2026

    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). 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)

16. 

    18 Mar 2026

    Specialty Care Redefined with Erin Tatar

    Specialty care serves a small group but drives 50% of employer healthcare spend, yet many benefits leaders still overlook its value. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, Nancy Ryerson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) chats with Erin Tatar (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erintatar), SVP Consultant Relations at Lantern, about the complexities of specialty care. Erin breaks down the key components of specialty care (including plannable surgeries, cancer care, and specialty infusions), how it’s different from traditional healthcare models, and how it can be packaged to provide customers with a higher quality experience. In this episode, you'll learn: Why specialty care programs are cost-efficient The importance of evaluating the appropriateness of care for any treatment How benefits leaders or employers can benefit from offering specialty care programs Highlights: (00:00) Meet Erin Tatar (01:55) What happens when the healthcare system isn’t working (05:05) Defining specialty care (07:35) Specialty care as a cost-efficient approach to health programs (08:46) Advantages of specialty care over the centers of excellence (COE) model (11:53) Why patients need specialty care programs (16:28) The challenges of transitioning from a pharmacy-first healthcare model (19:49) The importance of receiving appropriate care (24:38) Opportunities and risks in navigating specialty care (28:29) The future of specialty care programs Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Erin Tatar’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erintatar (https://www.linkedin.com/in/erintatar) Lantern website: https://www.lanterncare.com (https://www.lanterncare.com)

17. 

    4 Mar 2026

    Rethinking Healthcare Quality Beyond Star Ratings with Will Bruhn

    Choosing a surgeon shouldn’t feel like guessing on Google. Yet most patients make high-stakes decisions about surgery with little visibility into what actually drives better outcomes. Star ratings and hospital billboards don’t tell you whether a procedure is appropriate, how often a surgeon performs it, or what their real complication rates look like. In this episode of Making Healthcare Sustainable, Nancy Ryerson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) sits down with Will Bruhn, MD (https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-bruhn-md/), Co-Founder and CEO of Global Appropriateness Measures (http://www.gameasures.com) or GAM, to unpack what quality in healthcare really means. Will shares how misaligned incentives can lead to unnecessary procedures, why appropriateness should be the first question patients ask, and how transparent data can help employers steer members toward better care. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why appropriateness of care matters as much as outcomes How to evaluate surgeons beyond online reviews and hospital rankings Why there is no consistent link between higher cost and higher quality Highlights: (00:00) Meet Will Bruhn (01:52) Innovations in network design for specialty care (03:00) Why a metric for appropriateness of care matters (05:17) The biggest misconception about healthcare quality (07:28) What finding quality care looks like today (13:20) Why some procedures happen even when they’re not appropriate (17:06) Real-world factors that affect appropriateness scores 20:52) The myth that higher cost equals higher quality (22:04) The complexities of billing specialty care (24:15) Centers of excellence vs. networks of excellence (27:14) The quality transparency revolution Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/)Will Bruhn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-bruhn-md/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/willbruhn/)GAM website: http://www.gameasures.com (http://www.gameasures.com)

18. 

    18 Feb 2026

    Why Many Cancer Patients Miss Better Care Options With Yousuf Zafar, AccessHope

    Cancer care is one of the most complex and expensive parts of employee healthcare. Decisions are made quickly, often before patients understand their options. In this episode, Nancy Ryerson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) speaks with Yousuf Zafar, MD, MHS (https://www.linkedin.com/in/yousufzafar/), Chief Medical Officer at AccessHope (https://www.myaccesshope.org/), about where cancer care breaks down and what actually changes outcomes. They explore why even experienced oncologists struggle to stay current, why patients rarely seek out second opinions, and how access to subspecialty expertise can improve care without forcing employees to travel. In this episode, you'll learn: Why many patients never receive subspecialty input The role expert review plays without disrupting local care The connection between better care decisions and long-term cost control Highlights: (00:00) Meet Yousuf Zafar (01:19) What happens when expert review changes the course of cancer treatment (03:42) Why even experienced oncologists can’t keep up (05:27) Community oncology vs. academic cancer centers (07:39) How patients choose care right after diagnosis (08:05) Bringing subspecialty expertise to local cancer care (10:27) Why second opinions rarely happen (12:15) What’s really driving rising cancer costs (18:05) How better care can lower long-term costs (34:40) Advice for benefits leaders navigating cancer care Resources: Nancy Ryerson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyryerson/) Yousuf Zafar’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yousufzafar/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/yousufzafar/) AccessHope’s website: https://www.myaccesshope.org/ (https://www.myaccesshope.org/)

19. 

    17 Feb 2026

    Introducing Making Healthcare Sustainable

    Rising medical costs and mounting pressure on benefits leaders to do more with less have made employee healthcare more complex than ever before. Lantern presents Making Healthcare Sustainable, a show and media experience that puts the spotlight on high-cost problems and life-changing solutions in specialty care. In each episode, host Nancy Ryerson speaks to medical experts and changemakers who are witnessing the impact of better, more accessible healthcare on a small part of the population that represents a significant portion of employee healthcare spending. Through real-life stories and expert insight, this podcast explores an ideal system that delivers better care sustainably. Because when healthcare works better, everyone wins. Join the movement on Making Healthcare Sustainable.

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