In this 15-minute episode, we’re joined by Roger McMichael, Associate Superintendent at Carmel Clay Schools, for a practical conversation on how objective, data driven strategy can create meaningful and sustainable change in a school system’s health plan.

Roger shares how his team focused on improving employee health and experience while also achieving significant savings for the plan—without sacrificing value or access. His insights offer a real-world example of what’s possible when strategy, transparency, and long-term thinking come together.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Carmel Clay Schools leveraged plan savings to reinvest in and expand service offerings
• How their members’ experience differs from others in the local community
• What success looks like for their organization—and the outcomes they’ve realized so far

This episode is a must listen for HR leaders, benefits professionals, and executives looking for sustainable healthcare strategies that work for both their people and their bottom line.

In this mini episode of The Pulse, Mary speaks with an employee communications expert about why benefits messages so often get lost and how employers can move from noise to real impact. The conversation highlights what effective benefits communication looks like today, common mistakes employers make, and how to measure whether messages are actually driving understanding and action. The episode wraps with practical advice on one high impact improvement employers can focus on this year, along with a brief look at how AI can strengthen benefits communication in realistic, meaningful ways.

4 Key Takeaways:

1. Cutting through noise requires strategy, not more messaging.
   Effective benefits communication isn’t about sending more emails—it’s about delivering the right message, at the right time, in a way employees can actually absorb and act on.
2. Impact matters more than activity.
   Open rates and clicks don’t tell the full story. Employers need to measure whether communication improves understanding, confidence, and decision making—not just whether messages were delivered.
3. Complexity is the enemy of engagement.
   Overly technical language, inconsistent messaging, and one size fits all approaches are some of the biggest reasons benefits communication fails. Simplicity and relevance drive impact.
4. Focus on one meaningful improvement—and do it well.
   Whether it’s simplifying content, improving timing, or better segmenting messages, one focused change can dramatically improve communication effectiveness when executed intentionally.

Are provider quality scores just another healthcare fad, or are they a critical tool for driving better health outcomes and maximizing your organization’s investment in employee benefits? In this episode, we cut through the noise to help employers understand what these scores really mean, how to identify high-quality providers, and how leveraging this information can lead to measurable improvements in workforce health and cost efficiency.

Join us as we answer the questions employers ask most:

• Which provider quality metrics actually matter for my organization?
• How can I use provider data to improve employee satisfaction and health outcomes?
• What are the pitfalls of relying on certain scores, and how can I avoid them?
• How have other employers successfully used provider quality information to drive results?
• What practical steps can HR and benefits leaders take to integrate provider quality into their strategy?

Whether you’re a benefits manager, HR leader, or executive, this episode will empower you to make informed decisions that benefit both your employees and your bottom line.