Data-Driven Funding Strategies: Insights from Jordan Paulus and Leigh Stenby

If rising healthcare costs and uncertain funding decisions are impacting your renewals, this episode equips you with data strategies to gain control and achieve meaningful savings without shifting burdens to employees. Resources Mentioned: 2026 On the Pulse Report: Insights on Employee Benefits Trends – Download this free report for forward-looking trends in employee benefits, including data-driven funding shifts, healthcare costs, and mid-market strategies. Visit imacorp.com to connect with the IMA team and learn more about building smarter employee benefits. Listen and Subscribe: Share this episode with a fellow HR leader and subscribe to On the Pulse with IMA on your favorite podcast platform for more practical insights. Have questions or topics you'd like covered? Reach out via imacorp.com. Episode Description: Kelly Bowman sits down with Jordan Paulus, EB Data & Insights expert, and Leigh Stenby, Director of National Accounts at IMA Financial Group, to explore how data transforms benefits funding in the mid-market. They discuss the shift toward self-funded and alternative models amid 10% medical and 18% pharmacy trends, sharing strategies for using analytics to lower renewals, model transitions, and activate savings levers. From auditing limited-data plans to partnering on smooth implementations, this conversation offers actionable insights for HR leaders in industries like healthcare and manufacturing. Whether you're evaluating captives, consortiums, or hybrid options, Jordan and Leigh provide a roadmap to financial control and strategic decision-making. Guest Bio: Jordan Paulus is an EB Data & Insights expert at IMA Financial Group, focusing on helping mid-sized employers use claims data for smarter funding decisions and cost control. He guides organizations through modeling, benchmarking, and transitions to alternative models like level-funding and captives. Leigh Stenby serves as Director of National Accounts at IMA Financial Group, with 27 years in benefits. She specializes in evaluating, designing, implementing, and managing group health and welfare programs for self-funded and fully insured clients, thriving on creative solutions for complex challenges. Host: Kelly Bowman Key Timestamps: 00:00: Introduction to healthcare cost trends and funding pressures 01:20: Show intro and welcome 02:05: Jordan and Leigh introduce themselves, their roles at IMA, and fun facts 03:15: Personal chit-chat on data in benefits evolution 04:10: Defining data-driven funding shifts and mid-market trends 06:00: Shift to alternative models like captives and level-funding 07:00: Impact on renewals, industries, and company sizes 08:30: Common pitfalls: Limited data access, with examples 10:50: Client story on successful funding transition using analytics 13:15: Measuring success: Savings metrics, ROI, and benchmarks 15:55: Designing strategies for diverse populations and operations 19:25: Communication trends and tools for funding education 21:25: Misconceptions about alternative funding complexity 22:30: Bridging HR insights with finance data needs, plus consortium examples 24:00: Evaluating options and preparation steps 26:00: Mindsets holding employers back: Sticking to traditional models 28:30: Upcoming trends: Hybrid funding and advanced analytics 29:45: Rethinking data use for high-cost claimants and preventative care 31:55: Building a data culture from leadership to teams 33:30: Role of dashboards, modeling, and customization in funding 34:40: Branding data strategies for buy-in 34:55: Must-have strategy for 2026: Proactive data activation 35:40: Advice for organizations: Expose cost drivers, model confidently, and transition smoothly 37:55: Closing thanks and show outro