Heart-Surgery Survivor to Benefits Fixer: Nate Bunty on Direct Primary Care, Fitness & Cost-Smart Insurance

Send us a text

From having last rites read over him before third-grade open-heart surgery to advising CEOs on future-proof health plans, Nate Bunty has lived both sides of America’s medical maze. In this candid sit-down with host Brandon Stanchock, the Univest Benefits Advisor explains how childhood “zipper-scar” resilience, protein-packed fitness habits and a passion for simple, transparent coverage fuel his mission to make insurance actually work.

Inside the episode:

• Life with a “zipper chest.” Nate recalls the moment he realized his childhood wasn’t “normal”—an anointing-of-the-sick ritual before yet another heart procedure.
• Mindset > mortality. Hearing “you could die” at age 9 rewired his approach to risk, leadership and fatherhood.
• Direct Primary Care decoded. Why a $75/month, no-copay subscription can slash employer costs and give employees 45-minute doctor visits.
• The Surest/UHC “Amazon of plans.” A data-driven app that shows knee-replacement costs before you book—and why Nate calls it “elegant insurance UX”.
• Macros, weights & energy. How swapping carbs for protein in his 40s beat burnout better than fad diets.
• What owners miss about benefits. Hidden barriers like a $50 specialist copay—and the culture shift needed to teach teams where to go first.

Whether you’re an HR pro drowning in deductibles or a leader who hasn’t seen a doctor in years, Nate’s mix of heart-level stories and sharp benefit hacks will change how you think about preventive care, fitness and employee wellbeing.

📣 Episode Spotlight — Univest Insurance & Employee Benefits

Stop fielding every “Why did I get this bill?” email yourself. Univest gives your team a dedicated benefits advocate, data-smart plan design and cost-control tools that actually get people to the right care first. Book a consult at UnivestInsurance.com (link in show notes).

🎙️ Like what you heard?
This podcast is just one part of the Just Some BS universe.

Follow host Brandon Stanchock for weekly BS-free takes on leadership, personal growth, company culture, AI, gaming, and more.

👊 Subscribe to the podcast
🧠 Level up with Growth-ish Mentorship
🎮 Check out the book: Gamers: The Unexpected Overachievers
🧢 Grab some weird merch that actually means something

📱 Connect on LinkedIn: Brandon Stanchock
🔗 All links: linktr.ee/BrandonStanchock