Rephonic
Artwork for Self-Funded

Self-Funded

Spencer Smith
Employee Benefits
Self-Funding
Healthcare Costs
Health Insurance
Healthcare
Mental Health
Healthcare System
AI In Healthcare
Private Equity
Entrepreneurship
Self-Funded Health Plans
Direct Primary Care
Stop-Loss Insurance
Mergers and Acquisitions
Self-Insurance
Healthcare Innovation
Primary Care
Cost Management
Telemedicine
Pharmacy Benefit Managers

Self-Funded, hosted by Spencer Smith, is the definitive resource for benefits consultants and employers who are ready to challenge the broken healthcare status quo. Each week, you'll get an insider's playbook of actionable strategies from industry leaders that help make healthcare better, together.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes283Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Business

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Self-Funded

Latest Episodes

"We did this survey with a third-party consulting group who talked to 2,000 brokers. Their perception was that 25% of bills are going to be balance bills; it's actually 3%."

Is Reference-Based Pricing (RBP) still something that just creates endless ... more

YouTube

"The average marketplace deductible grew by about $1,000 per person in 2026. Premium payments increased by an average of 58%... We might be seeing the death throes of the fully insured market."

Welcome back to Last Month in Healthcare! This month, S... more

"Within five years of calling us charlatans, that hospital system was sued for multiple millions of dollars by their participants... You can go from charlatan to change agent fast."

Is history about to repeat itself in the health benefits world?

My... more

YouTube

"Insurance is there for when you're sick or when something goes incredibly wrong. It's not there for prevention."

The traditional healthcare system is designed to treat you when you are sick. You go to a doctor for 15 minutes, get a basic blood pane... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

WSJ What’s News
WSJ What’s NewsThe Wall Street Journal
The Journal.
The Journal.The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios
The a16z Show
The a16z ShowAndreessen Horowitz

Recent Guests

Chris Hamilton
Partner and Consulting Practice Leader for Hotchkiss Insurance
Hotchkiss Insurance
Episode: The 2026 Benefits Consulting State Of The Union | with Seth Denson, Chris Hamilton & Taylor Rogers
Taylor Rogers
Partner at CCIG
CCIG
Episode: The 2026 Benefits Consulting State Of The Union | with Seth Denson, Chris Hamilton & Taylor Rogers
Seth Denson
Head of Employee Benefits, Capital and Captives for Acrisure
Acrisure
Episode: The 2026 Benefits Consulting State Of The Union | with Seth Denson, Chris Hamilton & Taylor Rogers
Philip Eaves
Head of Ascension Seaton Health Alliance
Ascension Seaton Health Alliance
Episode: Why Self-Funded Employers Are Abandoning National Networks
Ben Miller
Chief Revenue Officer, Premise Health
Premise Health
Episode: Advanced Primary Care 101 (With Ben Miller)
Emily (LeafWell)
Founder of LeafWell, medical cannabis education and telemedicine platform founder
LeafWell
Episode: Medical Cannabis As An Employee Benefit?
Jeremy Burke
Lead risk solutions at XO Health
XO Health
Episode: Shifting the Risk: A New Way to Account for Healthcare
Ali Panjwani
Founder and CEO of Merit Medicine
Merit Medicine
Episode: A New Way To Predict (And Price) Healthcare Risk
Jeff Bak
Representative from Imagine 360
Imagine 360
Episode: March Healthcare Headlines: GLP-1s, PBMs, and The $233M Scam | with Jeff Bak

Host

Spencer Smith
Host of Self-Funded with Spencer; leads conversations on self-funded health care, industry trends, and practical strategies.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 95 ratings
  • Self-Funded with Spencer” is one of the most insightful and real conversations in healthcare

    Spencer gets to the heart of what matters, transparency, accountability, and practical solutions for employers navigating the complexities of self-funding. His guests bring deep experience and honest perspectives, and Spencer has a gift for asking the questions and egaging the audience. Whether you’re a broker, TPA, employer, or advocate, this podcast is a must-listen. It’s not just talk. it’s pushing the industry forward!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kcarle
    United Statesa year ago
  • The best in the biz

    I literally run an insurance podcast and am happy to call this one the best in the biz. If they let me do a one time 6 star review I would use it here

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    petriekennedy
    United Statesa year ago
  • Changed my career

    I can honestly say that the interviews and conversations that Spencer has had on this show have changed my career 👍

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Na_than_iel
    United Statesa year ago
  • Best Pod in the Industry

    Spencer Smith’s Self-Funded podcast is smart, sharp, and actually fun to listen to. He knows his stuff and brings on guests who do too. If you’re in benefits, this one should already be in your rotation… it’s really good.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tessmccoy
    United Statesa year ago
  • Continuing Marshall Allen’s Legacy | with Sonja Allen

    Self-Funded with Spencer – A Must-Listen Episode: 💙

    I'm a huge fan of the Self-Funded with Spencer podcast because of its wide-ranging topics and Spencer’s incredible ability to bring clarity to a marketplace that often feels confusing and opaque. His insights consistently help listeners navigate the complex world of healthcare and benefits with more understanding and confidence.

    This most recent episode especially resonated with me. Having had the privilege of spending time with Marshall Allen... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jason From Harlowe Health
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Consistently thoughtful episodes that are valuable for sponsorship and guest opportunities.
Strong leadership with a focus on transparency and tangible outcomes.
Clear, data-driven discussions that cut through industry noise.
Credible deep-dives across the self-funded benefits space.
High-caliber guests and practical takeaways for brokers and employers.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Will PBM Reform Actually Happen? | Last Month In Healthcare
Q: What is the absolute minimum employee headcount for a fully self-funded plan in 2026?
Without captives, typically 150 to 250 lives on plan is the recommended range, with smaller sizes sometimes possible but riskier; captives can enable smaller groups to self-fund, though practicality and risk tolerance remain critical.
Recapping January's Biggest Healthcare Stories | with John Kountz
Q: What does a successful Q1 look like for brokers?
A successful Q1 includes having new business sold for a one-one effective date and ensuring that you're not playing catch-up for the rest of the year.
Let Doctors Be Doctors: Why Providers Shouldn't Be Debt Collectors
Q: What does Health Here do for the patient or member?
Health Here engages members by reminding them of their enhanced benefits 48 hours prior to their appointment, helping with patient navigation and education throughout their healthcare experience.
Let Doctors Be Doctors: Why Providers Shouldn't Be Debt Collectors
Q: How would you define a bundle, and why is a bundle maybe more desirable than a fee-for-service model?
A bundle is a defined beginning and end within an episode of care where all costs in between can be consolidated under one fee. It's more desirable because it aligns financial incentives for better outcomes and quality of care.
Alcoholism in the Insurance Industry | with Chris Leverett
Q: What would you say to that person that's listening right now that might feel like they're in that position?
You've got to reach out to someone. Confiding in someone you trust is the first step, and you want to be in a support group of some kind.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Self-Funded

What is Self-Funded about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on self-funded health benefits, cost containment, and transforming traditional employer-healthcare models through data, direct-to-employer networks, and innovative funding/delivery approaches. Episodes frequently feature industry leaders discussing fiduciary shifts, transparency, and practical tools for brokers, consultants, and employers aiming to reshape benefits programs with outcomes in mind. A standout trait is the mix of hands-on practitioner expertise, market-ready strategies, and bold, sometimes controversial, reforms that challenge conventional networks and pricing. Listeners are likely looking for actionable insights to reduce costs, improve care delivery, and navigate a rapidly evolving benefits landscape.

Where can I find podcast stats for Self-Funded?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Self-Funded. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Self-Funded and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Self-Funded get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Self-Funded, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Self-Funded?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Self-Funded, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Self-Funded have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Self-Funded has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Self-Funded?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Self-Funded:

1. The Business of Benefits Podcast
2. Dysrupt Healthcare Podcast
3. WSJ What’s News
4. The Journal.
5. The a16z Show

How many episodes of Self-Funded are there?

Self-Funded launched 5 years ago and published 283 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Self-Funded?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Self-Funded?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Self-Funded from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Self-Funded?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Self-Funded. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Self-Funded?

Recent guests on Self-Funded include:

1. Chris Hamilton
2. Taylor Rogers
3. Seth Denson
4. Philip Eaves
5. Ben Miller
6. Emily (LeafWell)
7. Jeremy Burke
8. Ali Panjwani

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days