In this episode, Emma and David dive into the gut punch of losing a long-time client right before Thanksgiving. After saving them a jaw-dropping $85 million, the client still jumped ship, swayed by a new exec chasing the clout of a big-name broker. The conversation cuts into the disconnect between what employers think their employees want and what they actually need in healthcare.

Emma and David don’t hold back their frustration with the industry’s obsession with flashy brands and so-called "free" services—distractions that mask skyrocketing costs and subpar care. Now stepping into a consulting role with the client, they hammer home the critical need for transparency and bold leadership from employer groups.
The episode wraps with a direct challenge to employers: it’s time to rethink your health insurance strategy and the brokers you're trusting with it.

TIMESTAMPS:

[01:15] Losing a major client and reevaluating their decision-making process.

[04:08] Concerns about the client transitioning to a traditional broker.

[12:00] The compensation structure for traditional brokers.

[20:04] The potential resistance from large brokerage firms toward greater transparency.

[27:20] Growing public dissatisfaction with large health insurance companies and the increasing shift away from traditional insurance models.

QUOTES:

• "What’s of the greater value, the $85 million or the couple hundred thousand dollars worth of free stuff you get every year?" -David Contorno
• "We have convinced employers that our value is not on what we can do to control healthcare costs; our value is on all the things that we put around that." -David Contorno
• "The perception of having a brand name really is more important than the value of not, and truly, if you are paying attention to the American public's reaction... they do not want big health insurance."- Emma Fox

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

David Contorno

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcontorno/

Emma Fox

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmamariefox/

WEBSITE

E-Powered Benefits: https://www.epoweredbenefits.com/

Emma Fox: https://emmamariefox.com/

Mixed & Edited by Next Day Podcast

info@nextdaypodcast.com