Voices of Self Funding: Inside the Employer Playbook: Strategies Shaping the Future of Self Funding

On this episode of Voices of Self-Funding, host Ramesh Kumar
welcomes Lee Lewis, Chief Strategy Officer at the Health
Transformation Alliance and host of the Broken Benefits podcast.
Together, they explore how some of the nation’s largest employers
are reshaping healthcare — and what smaller self-funded employers
and TPAs can learn from their playbook. Lee introduces his “ABC”
framework: Advanced Primary Care, Behavioral Health, and Centers of
Excellence. They dive into why direct primary care is gaining
traction, how advanced behavioral therapies like TMS and ketamine
can unlock cost-effective mental health care, and why Centers of
Excellence and tiered networks are becoming essential levers for
better outcomes at lower cost. From strategies to supplement
traditional networks to practical steps TPAs can take to
differentiate and deliver value, this is a powerful conversation
packed with actionable insights for anyone rethinking healthcare
benefits in a self-funded world. Registration is now open for
HCAA’s Executive Forum 2026, where conversations like this continue
live. Learn more at HCAA.org. This episode was sponsored by WLT
Software. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast
platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at
www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen