Another year, another round-up. With only a few days left of 2020 (thank goodness!), Jeff and Ron banter back and forth about what we've learned from this year, what we'd like to leave behind and what employers should be looking out for in the new year.

Friends with Employee Benefits & HR

What We've Learned from 2020 & What to Expect in 2021

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy joined the podcast to discuss the future of healthcare given the election outcomes and what impact that may have on employers in 2021 and beyond. Jeff plays devils advocate to have a candid, open discussion with the Senator on various topics including the status of the ACA, a public option for healthcare, direct-to-consumer advertising and cost of care.

A Conversation with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy on Healthcare

Holidays were already a stressful time of the year for many, now add in a pandemic and post-election talk and we find ourselves more exhausted, stressed and burnt out than ever before. Sara Tarca, Wellbeing Strategy Consultant, joins the podcast to discuss what employers can be doing to help employees adapt and thrive in uncertainty.

Navigate, Pivot or Stay the Course? Helping Employee's Thrive in Uncertain Times

From a train saved by a whale tail to a see-through public restroom, join us as we cover the latest funny, heartwarming and just plain odd news stories that you most likely have missed as your newsfeeds, timelines and conversations have been flooded with election-talk. An episode unlike any others, take these next 30-minutes to escape the noise, laugh a little and learn something new.

Green Puppy, Hidden Chocolate & An Incredible Discovery: Some Good News You Might Have Missed

Jeff Post, Chief Clinical Officer of OneDigital's Pharmacy Consulting Division (RxConnections), jumps on the podcast to talk about the impact the election may have on prescription drugs and pharmacy plans, discussing what employers can be doing to keep the skyrocketing costs down, and how we can help employees maximize their drug benefit. They cover rebates, direct to consumer marketing, "pharmacy vacations," how to assess your Pharmacy Benefit Manager's (PBM's) performance and much more.

A Discussion Around The Election, Prescription Drugs & Lowering Costs

Jason Lauritsen, employee engagement expert and keynote speaker, joins the podcast to discuss why employee engagement is crucial to a company's success and what it means in our current environment, what he finds is the biggest issue employers face with engagement, how to leverage feedback the right way to empower employees and much more. If you're in a management position - you must give this a listen.

Empowering & Engaging Employees with Jason Lauristen

We invited Rich Lombard and Jeffrey Wasco back to the podcast to discuss the latest updates with CT Paid Family & Medical Leave. Tune in to get your most pressing questions answered - including if there will be a private plan option, key differences between CT and MA paid leaves, and why employers should be acting now to get ahead of the curve.

Connecticut Paid Family Leave Update

Back from our quick hiatus, we are continuing the conversation on Move to Value (see episode 24 for part 1). Francois de Brantes, SVP Episodes of Care at Signify Health, joins the podcast to dig into what Episodic Bundles are, how it relates to the Move to Value initiative and what employers can do to be a part of this movement.

Move to Value: Episodic Bundles (Part 2)

Lots of golden nuggets of information coming out of this episode with Ari Santiago, CEO at IT Direct. We chat about the secret behind their relatively low turnover rate, the power behind an intentional culture, thoughts on doing business in Connecticut and how HR may need to evolve down the line. Learn great tips and best practices from Ari, as he tells personal and business stories, shining a light on how he has crafted a successful business in CT. [This episode was originally recorded back in March 2020]

Achieving Low Turnover, Creating Intentional Culture & Doing Business in CT

What does Move to Value mean and why is it important for employers to understand? In Part 1 of this conversation, Jeff Hogan, over at Rogers Benefit Group, jumps on the podcast to discuss the shift that is happening in healthcare as we move from fee-based care towards value-based care.

Move to Value: What Is It & Why Should Employers Care (Part 1)

To hear the latest of what ConnectiCare is doing to support employers and members throughout Connecticut, tune into this episode. Eric Galvin, President of Connecticare, joins us to discuss their unique response to the pandemic, their focus on mental health and wellbeing with WellSpark, what they are doing with alternative networks, and how they are engaging members.

CarrierChat: ConnectiCare's Focus on Mental Health, Customer Support and Market Trends

Simone Morris, CEO of Simone Morris Enterprises, LLC and Career/Inclusion Strategist, joins us on the podcast to discuss diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace. We originally recorded this episode a few months back but had the opportunity to sit down again with Simone to address the recent events that have brought stark racial inequalities to the forefront of the conversation. The first half of this episode we cover questions such as - what types of conversations need to be had in the workplace? who should be facilitating these necessary but uncomfortable conversations? what can organizations do to best support their black and brown employees? And stick around for the second half of the episode to better understand why a D&I policy is so essential and what strategies HR can leverage to be more effective when it comes to inclusion.

Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace

Duncan Stuart, President of the New England Market at Aetna, joins us to discuss Aetna's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, how they are leveraging their relationship with CVS, what they are doing to control pharmacy costs, and how they are utilizing their Aetna One® Advocate (AIA) to enhance how they support members.

CarrierChat: Aetna's Focus on Member Experience & Controlling Pharmacy Costs

As a follow-up to last week's episode, Jeff connects with 4 different businesses across Connecticut making a huge impact on our community - Family Centers, Community Renewal Team, StayWell Health Centers and Foodshare. Hear from their leadership teams to find out how they've pivoted and adapted their programs to meet the new needs of their stakeholders, what silver linings have come out of this pandemic from their efforts, and how they are keeping volunteers engaged virtually.

Some Good News (Part 2)

Ready for some good news? We are too. In part 1 of this podcast episode, we talked to 3 Connecticut-based non-profits that are making a huge impact on our community - Wheeler Clinic, Healing Meals Community Project & CT Junior Republic. Hear from their leadership teams to find out how they've pivoted and adapted their programs to meet the new needs of their stakeholders, what silver linings have come out of this pandemic from their efforts, and how they are keeping volunteers engaged virtually.

Some Good News: Highlighting CT Non-Profits (Part 1)

The podcast that tackles trending topics in the employee benefits and HR world… and hopefully entertains along the way. Tune in biweekly to stay informed of the latest trends and industry insights to help you develop an exceptional workplace.

hubhopper

Friends with Employee Benefits & HR

hubhopper