Building A Cohesive Healthcare Ecosystem | with Garrett Jerue

“Just because someone hasn't gone to the doctor in four years does not mean they're not a walking time bomb." - Garrett Jerue My guest this week, Garrett Jerue, argues that the key to solving our healthcare crisis is to think differently and build a truly cohesive healthcare ecosystem. Driven by his personal experience battling cancer and navigating a fragmented system, Garrett has dedicated his career to designing benefits strategies that actually work for people. In this episode, Garrett shares his playbook for building this ecosystem. We discuss the "Ticket Health" model he developed, which integrates direct primary care, transparent PBM partnerships, and robust care navigation into a seamless experience. He explains why treating members with dignity and choice, focusing on proactive care, and challenging the status quo are essential ingredients for success. We also dive into the critical importance of mental health support and why employers need to view their health plan not just as an expense, but as a living, breathing organism that requires constant care and innovation. Tune in to get Garrett and I’s insight on building a healthcare ecosystem that truly serves people. Chapters: (00:00:00) Building A Cohesive Healthcare Ecosystem (00:10:24) How a $600k Cancer Bill Changed Garrett’s Life (00:17:22) Why Healthcare Financing Needs a Rethink (00:25:28) Treating Members with Dignity & Choice (00:38:11) The Keys to a Transparent PBM Partnership (00:43:45) Direct Primary Care: The Foundation of the Ecosystem (00:50:26) Care Navigation: The Glue That Holds It Together (00:59:07) Making Mental Health a Priority in the Ecosystem (01:12:32) The "Think Different" Mindset for Healthcare Innovation Key Links for Social: @SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded Listen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02 Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286 Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/ Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/