Shows
Captivating Health InsightsFixing What’s Broken in MSK CareIn this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek sits down with Dr. Mary O’Connor, Founder and Chief Medical Officer at Vori Health, to unpack the challenges and opportunities in musculoskeletal care. Drawing on decades of experience in academic medicine and healthcare innovation, Dr. O’Connor explains how traditional healthcare incentives often drive overutilization of imaging and surgery — especially in spine and orthopedic care — without always improving patient outcomes. The conversation explores why a digital-first, physician-led, multidisciplinary model can help patients get better without surgery, while still ensuring timely access to advanced care when it’s truly needed. Fr...
2026-02-0341 min
The Health Literacy 2.0 PodcastEpisode 61 - Tackling Workforce Health Literacy and Rising Healthcare Costs - with Maddison BezdicekIn the latest episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, host Seth Serxner welcomes Maddison Bezdicek, VP of Strategic Vendor Services at Captive Resources, for a deep dive into the evolving challenges - and opportunities - employers face in workforce health literacy, cost control, and benefit strategy.Maddison brings a decade-plus of experience in health strategy leadership across insurance brokerage, carrier consulting, and now the captive space, where groups of employers join forces to manage healthcare risk and costs together. With a foundation in exercise science and hands-on knowledge from both the vendor and employer sides, Maddison specializes...
2026-02-0225 min
Captivating Health InsightsLeading for Well-Being: Why Healthy Leaders Build Healthy WorkplacesIn this Season 2 kickoff episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek welcomes behavioral scientist and workplace health expert Dr. Claire Muselman for a focused conversation on leadership, wellbeing, and workplace culture. As organizations enter 2026 and navigate burnout, hybrid work realities, and rising mental health needs, the discussion reframes well-being not as a program but as a leadership responsibility. From the energy leaders bring into the workplace to boundaries around email, meetings, and PTO, Dr. Claire explains how everyday behaviors shape employee health, engagement, and trust. The episode explores why modeling healthy habits matters more than policies, how movement...
2026-01-0624 min
Captivating Health Insights2025 Trends Review - What’s In, What’s Out, and What’s NextIn this year-end episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek breaks down the most significant trends shaping self-funded employer strategies in 2025 — and what’s ahead for 2026. From the surge in high-cost claims to the evolution of virtual primary care, fiduciary risk, GLP-1 sustainability, PBM transparency, and the growing strength of captives, Maddison highlights what’s officially “in,” what’s outdated, and how employers are shifting from reactive oversight to proactive protection. She also recaps expert insights from the year’s top episodes and reveals the topics listeners want to hear next, including cost containment, captives, compliance, and employee well-being. A...
2025-12-0223 min
Captivating Health InsightsAdam Russo on Fiduciary Responsibility (Part 2)In Part 2 of their conversation, Captivating Health Insights host Maddison Bezdicek welcomes back Adam Russo, Co-Founder and CEO of The Phia Group, to discuss fiduciary responsibility—one of the most overlooked and misunderstood obligations for self-funded employers. Russo explains why employers, not TPAs or brokers, ultimately bear the legal responsibility for final-level claim decisions—and how failing to understand this can lead to lawsuits, reputational damage, and regulatory exposure. He shares real-world stories that reveal just how complex claim decisions have become in an era of AI-driven reviews, million-dollar claims, and mounting audit pressure. Russo also explains how Phia’s fidu...
2025-11-0619 min
Captivating Health InsightsAdam Russo on Mental Health Parity (Part 1)In this first installment of a two-part conversation, Captivating Health Insights host Maddison Bezdicek sits down with Adam Russo, Co-Founder and CEO of The Phia Group, to unpack one of the most misunderstood—and increasingly risky—compliance issues for self-funded employers: mental health parity. Russo explains that while parity laws aim to ensure equal access to care, the reality is far more complex. He likens today’s boom in out-of-network mental health facilities to the 1990s prison expansion—driven by profit rather than patient outcomes—leaving employers exposed to excessive claims, DOL audits, and rising costs. Russo urges employers to take a...
2025-11-0444 min
Captivating Health InsightsThe Future of Captives – Stop-Loss Leadership RoundtableIn this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek leads a live roundtable with four industry leaders on the future of Medical Stop Loss (MSL) captives:
Steve Gransbury, President, Health Solutions at Captive Resources
Tara Krauss, President of A&H at QBE North America
Brad Nieland, President and CEO at Berkley Accident and Health
Jay Ritchie, President and CEO at Tokio Marine HCC – A&H Group
Together, they explore how captives are helping employers navigate rising healthcare costs, manage high-severity claims, and build healthier workforces through collaboration, data sharing, and innovation.
The dis...
2025-10-071h 04
Captivating Health InsightsTransplant Truths: Coverage, Costs & CareLearn how connecting benefits, claims data, and culture can build a healthier, more resilient workforce.
In this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek sits down with Jennifer Lee—Vice President, Business Development Leader at QBE North America—to discuss organ transplant coverage and why it’s an essential protection strategy for self-funded employers.
Jennifer explains how QBE’s fully insured, first-dollar organ transplant carve-out policy works—transferring risk away from the plan, smoothing volatility, and protecting both the captive and excess layers. The conversation highlights the rising costs of transplants, from kidneys to complex he...
2025-09-0222 min
Captivating Health InsightsThe Science of Employee Health and the WorkplaceIn this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek dives into the science of employee health with Dr. Claire Muselman, a behavioral scientist and professor at Drake University, and the founder and president of DCM. Dr. Claire shares research-backed insights on how workplace wellness is no longer a “nice to have,” but a business-critical strategy.
From the impact of hydration on cognitive performance to the role of movement, nutrition, and sleep in productivity and claims mitigation, Dr. Claire breaks down the “Life Force Pyramid” and how simple behavioral cues can drive large-scale change. The conversation covers practica...
2025-08-0538 min
Captivating Health InsightsAn Introduction to Self-Funding & CaptivesIn this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek sits down with Dave Gillis, Head of Business Development for Health Solutions at Captive Resources, for a crash course in self-funding and group captives. They unpack how shifting from fully insured to stop-loss arrangements can allow employers to reclaim transparency and control over their second-largest P&L cost.
Dave debunks worries about catastrophic risk and administrative complexity, shows how analytics platforms turn raw claims data into action, and shares proven cost-containment plays—from pharmacy-rebate recapture and international drug sourcing to reference-based pricing, direct provider contracts, and expanded vi...
2025-07-0126 min
Captivating Health InsightsThe Evolution of Telemedicine to Digital Medical PracticeIn this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek talks with Dr. Jason Chirichigno, an internal medicine physician and clinical leader at Galileo, to explore the transformation of telemedicine into comprehensive digital medical care. Together, they unpack how virtual primary care is redefining access, quality, and cost in today’s healthcare ecosystem, especially for self-funded employers.
Chirichigno explains how digital care platforms can replicate and enhance traditional primary care through longitudinal relationships, specialist collaboration, and behavioral health integration. He also discusses data-driven employer engagement, culturally competent care models, and the role of digital medicine in addressing so...
2025-06-0339 min
Captivating Health InsightsChoosing a PBM Partner: What Self-Funded Employers Need to Know (Part 2)In this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek continues her conversation with Kevin Kobielski, President and Founder of Navion, diving deeper into the contract mechanics and procurement strategies that shape pharmacy benefit management (PBM) outcomes for self-funded employers.
Kobielski explains how audit rights, market checks, and contract language affect plan savings and accountability. The episode also explores alternative drug sourcing strategies—including Cost Plus Drugs, 340B programs, and manufacturer assistance plans—and what employers need to know about their adoption challenges. This is Part 2 of a two-part discussion.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Audit rights in P...
2025-05-2227 min
Captivating Health InsightsChoosing a PBM Partner: What Self-Funded Employers Need to Know (Part 1)In this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek speaks with Kevin Kobielski, President and Founder of Navion, to explore the complexities of pharmacy benefit management (PBM) for self-funded employers.
The conversation unpacks how pharmacy spend has evolved to represent more than half of total healthcare costs and why choosing the right PBM partner is critical. Kobielski explains the differences between transparent and traditional PBM models, how specialty drugs and rebates influence costs, and why employers must consider clinical oversight, contract flexibility, and utilization trends when selecting a PBM. This is Part 1 of a two-part...
2025-05-2039 min
Captivating Health InsightsNavigating the GLP-1 BoomIn this episode of Captivating Health Insights, host Madison Bezdicek discusses the growing role of GLP-1 medications in treating obesity with experts Brenda Navin of Launch My Health and Kelly Rawlings of Vida Health.
The conversation explores how GLP-1s work, their potential benefits for weight loss and metabolic health, and the challenges surrounding their cost and accessibility. Emphasizing the importance of lifestyle interventions, the experts share how integrating proper nutrition, exercise, and behavioral support is crucial for achieving sustainable health outcomes. They also discuss the role of employers in providing access to these treatments and the...
2025-05-0645 min
Captivating Health InsightsCaptivating Health Insights-TrailerWelcome to Captivating Health Insights, where we talk about strategies for a healthier workforce and bottom line.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Captivating Health Insights
2025-04-2301 min