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 Vinny 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
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 into the HSA and you don’t get taxed when you take money out of the HSA. It’s also not a use it or lose it system, it keeps “rolling over” forever. However, because of its tax advantages, there is...
Listen to Vinny'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 maximum.
Your deductible is the amount of money you would pay for your (covered) health care before your insurance starts to pay ("you pay first").
Usually t...
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 it. In other words, all the other things under your insurance plan: the deductible, the coinsurance, the copay, etc, all apply to that out-of-pocket maximum. Once you hit that maximum, it caps the amount of...
What to Do When Your Health Insurance Costs Are Skyrocketing
Vinny Catalano tackles the anxiety-inducing reality of rising health insurance premiums as ACA subsidies face elimination, explaining what individuals and families need to know to make smart coverage decisions for 2026.
Vinny addresses the widespread panic as people receiving plans from ACA exchanges worry about losing subsidies that kept their premiums afford...
Why Health Insurance Costs Keep Rising—And What's Really Broken in the System
Chris Moyer, President & CEO of ASR Health Benefits, reveals why healthcare costs continue their unsustainable climb and why most employers still don't understand their options for controlling them.
Vinny and Chris discuss the role of third-party administrators (TPAs) in self-funded health plans, explaining how TPAs handle claims...
Why Your Employees Are Overpaying for Prescriptions—And How Pharmacy Navigation Tools Can Fix It
Ferrin Williams, PharmD, MBA, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Scripta Insights, reveals how pharmacy care navigation tools can help employees save thousands on prescriptions while working within existing PBM systems.
Vinny and Ferrin discuss pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), comparison shopping tools for prescription medications, ...
Beyond Self-Funding: Why Reference-Based Pricing Is the Solution Hiding in Plain Sight
Mike Trent, VP of Business Development at ClaimDOC, reveals why self-funding alone doesn't solve healthcare costs—and how RBP can save employers $150,000 per 100 employees annually.
Vinny and Mike discuss reference-based pricing (RBP) as an alternative to traditional PPO networks for self-funded employers. Mike shares how his wif...
Building a Culture of Health: The Competitive Advantage Employers Miss
Dr. Raymond Fabius, co-founder, president and chief medical officer of HealthNEXT and co-author of "Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness," reveals why mid-market companies lack the healthcare expertise to tackle rising costs—and what C-suite leaders need to do about it.
Vinny welcomed Dr. Raymond Fabius, physician executive and...
Vinny welcomed executive advisor Nell Goodarzi to discuss her transition from investment banking to guiding leaders through career pivots and organizational transformation. Nell shared her personal journey through burnout and a health crisis that led to self-discovery via world travel, where she gained clarity about her path beyond corporate life.
Nell explained her strategic approach to building her personal brand, st...
Understanding How Healthcare Works from an Industry Insider
Vinny welcomed author Judith Kunisch to discuss her book "The Center of the Star," which offers insights into the healthcare industry. Drawing from her extensive career, Judith explained how healthcare, the world's second-largest industry, operates through five interconnected sectors that often work independently, creating confusion for consumer...
Your host of the CLEARly Beneficial podcast, Vinny Catalano, explores the critical decisions employees face during open enrollment for 2026 health coverage. He highlights that most employees spend only 9 minutes reviewing complex insurance materials, despite significant cost implications. The episode breaks down essential concepts including payer mix, out-of-pocket maximums, and the differences between HMO and PPO pla...
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 Vinny Catalano brings over 20 years of health insurance brokerage expertise to conversations that get to the real story. You'll discover what ...
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