January: a new year, a fresh go at new resolutions, and, for many of us, a new health insurance policy year. With healthcare costs rising, many employers must decide whether to cut benefits or pass along rate increases to their employees. A fresh card arrives in the mail, a new deductible looms, and possibly a new network to navigate as you manage treatments for existing or new diagnoses. You may need an actual human on the phone to help you understand your options. Good luck! Taking the mystery out of the benefits space is Connect Healthcare Collaboration, the brainchild of Memphian and CEO Sally Pace. "First and foremost, we are employees who also have to navigate the healthcare system. We have families that have to do it, too," says Sally.
Communication; what a concept. It seems so simple. And yet, it took a working mother in the marketing field, married to an insurance broker, to conclude that there just had to be a better way. "My husband, Ashley, was the genesis behind the idea, but his passion is infectious. I learned that I could marry all of my strengths and build an exceptional team who could help us make an impact in the benefits space," says Sally. "Growing something from scratch is hard. You learn a lot. You fail a little. And, you have to be willing to pivot."
CHC launched in 2015 and is headquartered here in the River City. Leigh Dill, VP of Operations, joined CHC in 2020. Leigh possesses a unique perspective as her previous career centered around data analytics in the benefits space. She "speaks the language" of a relatable ally to the decision-makers and the employees they represent. "From an employer’s standpoint, it is their only expense where they essentially hand employees a black Amex without limits. It’s not that employees want to overspend. Most of the time, they simply don’t have the information they need." One universal piece of advice for all healthcare consumers is to ask questions. Ask until you receive a direct answer, then get a second opinion and price shop. In doing this, you are protecting yourself and your family, and also your employer.
The more CHC works with clients through their comprehensive benefits, marketing services, clinical advocacy services, onboarding and enrollment services, the more they recognize broader healthcare needs. "We have seen more and more holes and disconnects between stakeholders in the benefits industry. This led to the creation of The Granite List, an online platform that gives vendors, brokers, and employers a voice.
With careful coordination, communication and collaboration throughout the healthcare cycle, CHC establishes trust and achieves financial and, often-times life-saving success. While their existing business lines continue to grow exponentially, these trailblazing leaders just might leave a larger legacy in the healthcare space. "By shining light on solutions that control costs and improve health outcomes, we know we can help move the needle in reducing unnecessary healthcare spending in our country for employers, for employees, for everyone."
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By shining light on solutions that control costs and improve health outcomes, we know we can help move the needle in reducing unnecessary healthcare spend in our country – for employers, for their employees, for everyone.
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"We were working on an enrollment for a local hospital and one woman shared that she had recently had a stroke in her eye and was having a hard time reading. It turns out that she had voluntary products in place that she had not taken advantage of because she didn’t know how to file a claim. We were able to help her immediately recover tens of thousands of dollars simply because we took the time to listen."