Shows
Office Hours with David MeltzerDylan Smith, Jason Saltzman, Stephen Scoggins | IG LiveDylan Smith
Dylan Smith, a 23-year-old CEO, is passionately committed to serving and supporting individuals who face challenges similar to those he encountered in his childhood. Adopted twice and misdiagnosed with ADHD when he actually had dyslexia, Dylan's journey has been marked by resilience and determination. Despite not attending college, he has built a successful business and now travels across the country, speaking at business conferences, schools, and events for education professionals, parents, and children. His story inspires many, showcasing the power of perseverance and the importance of understanding and support for those with learning differences.
Jason...
2025-10-0938 min
The ShiftShapers Podcast#526 Parenting On-Demand with Hans Kullberg | ShiftShapersRecorded live at the Ascend Conference in Salt Lake City, David A. Saltzman sits down with Hans Kullberg, CEO and Founder of Avocado Health. Together, they explore how Avocado Health is solving one of the biggest challenges facing employers and employees alike: helping working parents get the right answers, right when they need them.Hans shares how his own journey as a father of five inspired him to build a text-first platform that provides parents with evidence-based guidance on everything from toddler sleep issues to adolescent anxiety—without the endless rabbit holes of Dr. Google.Th...
2025-08-1916 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#525 Beyond Urgent Care with Lorenzo Amaya | ShiftShapersRecorded at the Ascend Conference in Salt Lake City, David A. Saltzman talks with Lorenzo Amaya, Vice President of Business Development at Integrated Source One. They explore the nationwide physician shortage, the challenges of quality care and timely access, and how innovative solutions like on-site, near-site, and mobile clinics are changing healthcare delivery for employers and employees alike.Lorenzo shares his journey from banking to telemedicine, and how Integrated Source One works to remove friction from care — making it more affordable, proactive, and accessible no matter where employees are. The conversation dives into proactive healthcare strategies, the ro...
2025-08-1221 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#524 Breaking the Mental Health Bottleneck with John Troutman | ShiftShapersRecorded live at the Ascend Conference in Salt Lake City, this episode of ShiftShapers features John Troutman, Vice President of Business Development at Mind Club America. Host David A. Saltzman and John discuss the “mutual mystification” surrounding mental health solutions—and how employers and advisors can start cutting through the noise with real access, real engagement, and real outcomes.From personal burnout to a professional mission, John shares how his experience as a former pastor helped shape his drive to help a million people get the mental health support they need. The conversation unpacks access issues, poor utiliz...
2025-08-0518 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#523 Getting Unstuck with Reuven Shelef | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman sits down with Reuven Shelef, CEO of Out of the Box Consulting and creator of the Untangling Complex Challenges methodology. Reuven shares why our brains default to negativity when faced with uncertainty—and how to move from emotional reactivity to clarity and action.With a blend of logic and emotional insight, Reuven helps leaders and teams understand how to recognize internal blockers, reframe stress, and break through stuck patterns—professionally and personally.More from Reuven Shelef: https://ReuvenShelef.com/🤖 Sponsored by Bene...
2025-07-2923 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#522 Actionable Insights: From Claims Data to Member Experience with Ramesh Kumar | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman talks with Ramesh Kumar, CEO and co-founder of zakipoint health. Ramesh shares how a personal mission to help his father navigate healthcare led to a professional pursuit: transforming overwhelming claims data into actionable insights for employers, advisors, and members.The conversation explores the evolution of predictive modeling, the growing importance of fiduciary responsibility in plan design, and how AI-powered platforms are helping advisors simplify benefit decisions and improve outcomes. Ramesh offers real-world examples of how data can shape plan strategy, change behavior, and improve care—before costs spiral ou...
2025-07-2223 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#521 Education and Communication For Advisors with Sally Pace | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman welcomes Sally Pace, CEO of Connect Healthcare Collaboration and co-founder of The Granite List—a platform built to help benefits advisors compare point solutions with clarity and confidence.Sally shares how her background in storytelling and communication led to the creation of employee engagement strategies that bridge the gap between tech and human connection. From clinical and benefits advocacy to empowering advisors with transparency tools, Sally emphasizes how trust, education, and personalization are reshaping the future of benefits.👉 Learn more or create a free profile at: www.t...
2025-07-1522 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#520 Democratizing High Performance Health Plans with Dave Chase | ShiftShapers In this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman welcomes Dave Chase, co-founder of Health Rosetta, a movement that has become a national force in transforming employer-sponsored healthcare.Dave shares the deeply personal story that drove him to create Health Rosetta and the powerful framework that emerged—one focused on transparency, outcomes, and economic sustainability.The conversation explores how Health Rosetta empowers benefit advisors and employers to break free from the traditional health plan model, the crucial role of data access, and the open-source tools now available through Nautilus Health Institute. Dave also unveils the evo...
2025-07-0828 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#519 Addiction, Outcomes, and Accountability with Joanna Conti | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman speaks with Joanna Conti, founder and chairman of the nonprofit Conquer Addiction. Joanna’s journey began when her own daughter faced life-threatening alcoholism, prompting a years-long search for effective treatment—and an urgent realization: no one was measuring long-term success.Joanna shares the results of her groundbreaking research following over 100,000 addiction patients, and exposes the massive gaps in transparency, accountability, and outcomes in today’s treatment centers. She also unveils how employers and families can now access verified recovery data to choose truly effective care—and how a new bund...
2025-07-0123 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#518 Quality-Based Healthcare with Kate Grohall | ShiftShapersWhy Reducing Variation = Better Outcomes In this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman welcomes Kate Grohall, co-founder and Vice President of Value-Based Solutions at Holista. Kate shares her powerful journey from working with patients in a teaching hospital to building a transformative platform focused on reducing variation in care, cost, and outcomes.She unpacks how Holista restores trust in the provider-patient relationship, leverages real-time communication tools to improve outcomes, and helps employers drive change by demanding value—not volume.🤖 Sponsored by BenePowerBenePower is an AI-powered platfo...
2025-06-2425 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#517 Patient No More: Medical Harm, Misdiagnosis, and Taking Control with Helene M. EpsteinWhy Are We Paying More for Worse Health? | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman welcomes Helene M. Epstein—writer, speaker, and patient advocate behind the Substack series Patient No More. Helene dives deep into America’s epidemic of medical errors, misdiagnoses, and system failures. She breaks down why even the most advanced technology and training haven’t improved patient safety, how profit-driven healthcare puts patients at risk, and—most importantly—what individuals can do to protect themselves and their families. From shocking statistics about misdiagnosis to the hidden realities of rural hosp...
2025-06-1728 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#516 Smart Network = Better Results with Scott SmithRethinking PPOs: How High-Performance Networks Deliver Value | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman sits down with Scott Smith, founder and CEO of Logro Network, to discuss a revolution in health plan design: the nationally curated high-performance network. Scott unpacks the origins of PPOs, why the old “discount everything” approach is broken, and how a focus on total value—cost, quality, and outcomes—can transform employer health plans. You’ll learn how Logro Network uses massive data sets and provider scoring to give members more choice and better information, all while helping pla...
2025-06-1024 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#515 Health Plan Design - Struggles Shape Smarter Structures with David ContornoIn Part 2 of our powerful conversation with David Contorno, president and founder of ePowered Benefits, we go beyond the strategies and structures of health plan design—diving into the real-life struggles that are shaping smarter, more compassionate solutions.Host David A. Saltzman and David Contorno discuss the realities of scaling direct primary care, creative ways to bridge care gaps, and the challenges of educating employers and advisors about fiduciary responsibility. But the heart of this episode is personal: David shares how his own battles with chronic pain and mental health have transformed his perspective—and the way he b...
2025-06-0328 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#514 Health Plan Design – Smart Solutions, Shifting Structures with David Contorno (Part 1)What does “smart” health plan design look like in an industry packed with legacy thinking and rising costs? In Part 1 of a special two-part ShiftShapers interview, host David A. Saltzman welcomes back David Contorno, president and founder of ePower Benefits—and one of the industry’s most well-known disruptors.David pulls back the curtain on his journey from traditional insurance to innovative plan design, explaining why “business as usual” can’t fix the healthcare system. He discusses creative strategies like reference-based pricing, direct provider contracting, and the evolution of self-funded health plans. Through stories, data, and first-hand...
2025-05-2732 min
DTP FSD_conversations WITH each otherDTP FSD conversations WITH Ben Saltzman: Breakfast Burritos, Hollywood, AI and Creator IP_S01EP24DTP FSD conversations WITH Ben Saltzman: Breakfast Burritos, Hollywood, AI and Creator IP_S01EP24
Breakfast Burritos & AI Conversations
Join David T Phung and Ben Saltzman on a rainy day in Atwater as they embark on a journey to Taco Villa Corona for delicious breakfast burritos. During their ride, they delve into various topics including AI technology, the future of filmmaking, practical vs. visual effects, nuclear power, and the importance of community involvement in urban projects. They discuss the potential of AI in the film industry, the benefits of practical effects, an...
2025-05-2635 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#513 Medication Mandate Madness with Tiffany RyderUnderstanding Trump's Executive Order on Drug Pricing | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman welcomes Tiffany Ryder, emergency medicine PA, host of Healthcare Liberty Lab, and writer at Red Flag Hero on Substack. Tiffany breaks down President Trump’s executive order on drug pricing and what it could mean for patients, providers, and pharmaceutical companies.She explores key issues like most favored nation pricing, transparency in drug costs, and the role of PBMs and middlemen. Drawing from her frontline experience and policy knowledge, Tiffany explains how these changes may impact ev...
2025-05-2030 minThe ShiftShapers PodcastREPLAY #445 Is Buying Health Insurance Like Renting an Apartment? with Paula Muto, MDIn this REPLAY episode of ShiftShapers, host David interviews Paula Muto, a practicing surgeon and founder of Uber Docs. Paula shares her perspective on the inefficiencies in the current healthcare system, comparing buying health insurance to renting an apartment, and advocates for a direct pay model to improve the situation. She explains how Uber Docs facilitates transparent, direct transactions between patients and physicians, ultimately aiming to lower overall healthcare costs by empowering consumers. Key topics include the significant portion of healthcare costs dedicated to management rather than medical care, and how technology and consumer behaviors can drive positive changes...
2025-04-2921 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#512: Fixing the Pharmacy Desert with David Blair | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman sits down with David Blair, founder and CEO of LucyRx, to explore a growing crisis in American healthcare: pharmacy deserts. As rural and underserved communities lose access to local pharmacies, millions are left without a vital link in the healthcare chain. David unpacks the economic and systemic challenges driving pharmacy closures and shares how LucyRx is stepping in to reshape the future of pharmacy care.From the SPARC (Sustaining Pharmacy Access & Rural Care) program to the push for federal regulation, David outlines what it takes to restore pharmacy...
2025-04-2223 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#511: The Compliance Circus Continues – Carol Taylor | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman welcomes compliance expert Carol Taylor, JM, of BenefitMall, for a deep dive into the rapidly evolving world of employer compliance. From court rulings and legislative penalties to HIPAA security updates and AI-driven benefit denials, Carol offers critical insights for anyone navigating today’s tangled regulatory landscape.She unpacks the latest on ERISA preemption battles, mental health parity lawsuits, and the real-world impact of complex compliance rules on small agencies and employers. With rising penalties and tech-driven claim denials making headlines, Carol arms listeners with strategies to stay compliant—and...
2025-04-1530 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#510 - AI Declares War on Denials with Neal Shah | ShiftShapersIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman sits down with Neal Shah, co-founder of Counterforce Health, to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the fight against denied health insurance claims.Shah shares his personal journey from finance into healthcare advocacy, shaped by firsthand experiences navigating the broken healthcare system for his family. That path ultimately led to the creation of Counterforce Health—a free AI-powered platform that’s helping patients and small clinics appeal insurance claim denials with unprecedented efficiency.With millions of claims denied each year—and most never appealed—Shah explains why auto...
2025-04-0828 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#509 Is Prescription Pricing Transparency and Oxymoron? with Vinay PatelIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David A. Saltzman sits down with Vinay Patel, PharmD, founder of MakoRX, to expose why prescription pricing remains so confusing—and what can be done to fix it.Patel breaks down how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), vertical integration, and opaque pricing structures are driving up costs for patients—while limiting access and undermining local pharmacies. From subscription pharmacy programs to cash-pay and compounding models, Patel shares bold, practical solutions for bringing real transparency back into the healthcare system.🤖 Sponsored by BenePowerBenePower is an A...
2025-04-0128 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#508 Is DI The Unicorn Product You Need? Part 2 with Don SchamayPart 2 of our deep dive into Disability Insurance (DI) on the ShiftShapers Podcast goes beyond the basics—diving into strategic implementation, evolving underwriting standards, and revenue-generating opportunities for advisors.In this episode, host David Saltzman continues the conversation with Don Schamay, Regional Director of Executive Benefits at The Principal, to explore how disability insurance can be a transformative tool for both clients and advisors. Don shares his insights on how DI is becoming more accessible and relevant across demographics—from young professionals starting their financial journey to high-income executives looking to pro...
2025-03-2521 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#507 Is DI The Unicorn Product You Need? Part 1 with Don SchamayWelcome to Part One of our deep dive into Disability Insurance (DI) on the ShiftShapers Podcast! In this two-part series. In this episode, host David Saltzman converses with Don Schamay, Regional Director of Executive Benefits at The Principal, about the often-overlooked importance of disability insurance in a comprehensive health insurance strategy. Don shares his journey from military service to a seasoned expert in disability insurance, emphasizing the critical need for both individual and group disability insurance to protect one's income. The discussion covers the prevalence of disability, how group and individual disability insurances differ, and the significance of educating...
2025-03-1822 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#506 Scaling Smarter by Diversifying Your Practice with Dave ToebenIn this episode of ShiftShapers, Host David Saltzman interviews Dave Toeben, president of Insight Insurance Services, about how insurance professionals can enhance their business through business continuation planning. Dave shares his journey from focusing on group health insurance to specializing in buy-sell agreements, key person, and deferred compensation plans. They discuss the importance of reviewing buy-sell agreements, including recent legal changes such as the Conley case, and explore collaborative opportunities for health insurance advisors to expand their services and solidify client relationships.This Episode is Sponsored by BenepowerBenePower
2025-03-1121 min
Parasha with dAvId SaltzmanHome Invasion, Robbery, and Self-Defense Laws - פרשת משפטיםSee source hereThe provided texts analyze the biblical passage concerning a thief entering a home (Exodus 22:1-2), focusing on interpretations of key phrases like "במחתרת" (breaking in), "אין לו דמים" (no blood is on him), and "אם זרחה השמש עליו" (if the sun has risen on him). Various commentators, including Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Rashbam, Shadal, and R. David Zvi Hoffmann, offer differing perspectives on whether the homeowner is justified in killing the thief, particularly at night. They debate to whom the phrase "אין לו דמים" refers—the homeowner or the thief—and under what circumstances deadly force is permissible. These interpretations grapple with balancing the protection of property and the sanctity of human life. ...
2025-02-2009 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#504 Carrots are Better Than Sticks - with Ross Bjella | ShiftShapersIn this episode of Shift Shapers, David interviews Ross Bjella, founder and CEO of Alithias, Inc., to discuss the challenges of changing health care behavior and the inaccuracies in measuring those changes. They explore the complexities of helping patients understand their health care options and costs, and advocate for transparent, actionable data to aid in more informed decisions. This Episode is Sponsored by BenepowerBenePower is an AI-powered platform that helps advisors build high-impact, self-insured health plans quickly and seamlessly by integrating the best point solutions, eliminating i...
2025-02-1828 minThe ShiftShapers Podcast#501 An ACA Author Looks ForwardJoin us on this episode of ShiftShapers as host David Saltzman sits down with former New Jersey Congressman Rob Andrews, one of the key authors of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Fifteen years after the ACA's passage and ten years since its implementation, Rob shares his journey from aspiring sports writer to influential lawmaker, his role in drafting the ACA, and thoughtful reflections on its successes, shortcomings, and future prospects. We delve into topics such as healthcare coverage expansion, consumer protections, cost control, value-based healthcare, mental health parity, and the ongoing provider shortage. Currently serving as the CEO of...
2025-01-2120 minThe ShiftShapers PodcastREPLAY 339: Paying the Claim After Paying the Claim with Jordan HershUnlocking Post Claim Adjudication: Insights with Jordan HershIn this episode of ShiftShapers, host David explores the complex world of post claim adjudication with Jordan Hersh, Vice President of Enterprise Solutions at Vālenz. They discuss the intricacies of self-funded plans, reference-based pricing, and the potential savings associated with renegotiating out-of-network claims. The conversation delves into high performance networks, the inverse relationship between cost and quality in healthcare, and methods for improving transparency and cost containment. Learn about the strategies that can lead to significant cost savings while maintaining high-quality care.
2024-10-0920 min