Healthcare Forward: Inside the Self-Funding Revolution

In this episode, Roundstone Founder and President Mike Schroeder sits down with advisor Frank Miotke to unpack the real issues driving poor outcomes in employee benefits. From short-term decision-making and price shopping to misaligned broker incentives and misunderstood transparency, they explore why the system keeps failing—and what it takes to break out of it.

Exploring how Steven Chavez, Vice President of Navigation Service Delivery at Rightway Healthcare, and his team are redefining care navigation through technology and human guidance—and why Roundstone partners with them to deliver real value for employers and employees.      

A conversation with David Sylvan, Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at University Hospitals, on how University Hospitals is redefining what it means to be a “smart” healthcare system—leveraging AI, partnerships, and innovation to deliver better outcomes, streamline operations, and create values across the care continuum. The conversation highlights lessons learned from pilots, the importance of payer-provider collaboration, and a future focused on efficiency, virtual care, and improving the patient experience.

In this episode, Mike Schroeder sits down with Brandon Cornuke, Senior Director of Innovation at University Hospitals, to explore how AI is transforming patient care, hospital operations, and cost management. From fall prevention and virtual nursing to AI-powered patient follow-up and a system-wide “problem engine” that elevates frontline insights, Brandon shares how University Hospitals is building smarter, safer, and more efficient care environments while addressing workforce shortages and rising healthcare costs.

In this episode of Healthcare Forward, Mike Schroeder sits down with Dr. Berry from Maple Health for a conversation on how Direct Primary Care reimagines the patient-provider relationship. They explore how the DPC model delivers more personalized, accessible care, real-world examples, and how this innovative approach fits into emerging healthcare strategies for employers.

In this episode, we sit down with Lisa Grobmyer, a current Roundstone Claims Review Nurse, to explore how her frontline experience in crowded operating rooms abroad and her current role intersect. Lisa shares how a sharp clinical eye can uncover unnecessary costs, spot missed opportunities, and ensure members receive better, more affordable care. From identifying red flags in claims to drawing lessons from resource-limited mission work, Lisa offers practical, human insights for employers and brokers who want to understand what really drives healthcare costs.

What separates a PBM that adds value from one that just adds costs? Host Mike Schroeder and guest Daniel Demyan dig into the traits of an effective PBM—transparent contracts, real-time data, clinical programs, and alignment with employer goals. Along the way, they unpack the impact of high-cost drugs like GLP-1s, share real-world examples of savings, and show how the right PBM strategy can lower costs without cutting care.

In this episode, our host, Mike Schroeder, sits down with Dr. Ted Barnett of the Rochester Lifestyle Medicine Institute to explore how lifestyle changes can transform health outcomes and lower costs for employers. Together, they challenge the status quo of “sick care” by highlighting the power of prevention. Discover why traditional wellness programs often fall short and how embracing true healthcare can save lives and money. 

For many employers, the biggest barrier to self-funding is fear of the unknown, especially when it comes to catastrophic claims and financial risk. In this episode, Mike sits down with Lauren Gliha, Partner Solutions Manager at Roundstone, to unpack the truth behind those fears.

Rising healthcare costs are putting immense pressure on employers, and CFOs are taking a more active role in shaping benefits decisions. In this episode, Mike Schroeder sits down with Roundstone’s COO, Beth Snyder, to unpack one of the most powerful tools for measuring health plan performance: the Per Employee Per Year (PEPY) metric. Together, they explore why PEPY matters and how businesses can leverage it to achieve meaningful savings and long-term growth. 

In the premiere of Healthcare Forward, host Mike Schroeder sits down with Jay Booth, President of Capital Group Benefits, to tackle a critical question for employers: Is your benefits advisor truly working in your best interest? From spotting red flags to recognizing the qualities of a true strategic partner, this conversation offers practical insights for making one of the most important decisions in your benefits strategy.