2025 Conference recap
At Together 2025, we united the brightest minds in healthcare and benefits to explore the future of employee well-being. Over two dynamic days, forward-thinking HR and benefits leaders, innovative partners, and industry experts came together to examine tech and healthcare breakthroughs for an empowered workforce. Through engaging discussions and hands-on collaboration, attendees left with fresh insights and actionable strategies to shape a smarter, more human-centered benefits experience.
Day 1: Collective Health Day Recap
Where we are now: Discover the latest in the evolution of Collective Health
Ari Hoffman MD, Kirk McConnell
Dr. Ari Hoffman, Head of Product and Chief Clinical Officer and Kirk McConnell, Head of Sales, delivered the opening remarks, setting the stage for Collective Health Day. They discussed Collective Health’s growth, achievements, and future direction, focusing on innovation and the company’s mission to improve healthcare value.
Key insights
- Collective Health has grown from serving 100 members to over 625,000, demonstrating significant market impact, as one of the largest independent TPAs.
- The company’s independence allows it to offer unbiased, member-first solutions, differentiating it from conglomerates.
- Guide Plans have delivered measurable cost savings for employers while enhancing member outcomes, proving that smarter plan design can bend the cost curve without compromising care.
- Technology and service integrations, including 140 health and benefit point solutions, streamline member experiences.

Actionable takeaways
- When evaluating health benefit partners, emphasize how Collective Health’s independence allows for unbiased, member-first solutions tailored to your organization’s specific needs — unlike conglomerates with competing interests.
- Highlight the $1,000 savings Collective Health delivers per member per year as a key metric when assessing ROI for your company’s health benefits program.
- Engage with Collective Health on upcoming AI-powered integrations to personalize the member experience further, ensuring that your employees receive targeted, proactive healthcare support.
Benefits designed for people (and actuaries)
Dimitri Allsen, Emily Tam, Ashley Monson, Hannah Carlan
Hannah Carlan, Lead Researcher, Dimitri Allsen, Senior Manager of Plan Operations, Ashley Monson, Senior Manager of Member Claims, and Emily Tam, Senior Product Manager, discussed innovative plan designs that balance affordability, quality, and accessibility. The conversation focused on member-centered healthcare design, operational execution, and the role of technology in improving member experience.
Key insights
- The Collective Health experience is tailored to address the unique needs of members and employers, guided by ongoing feedback.
- Ensuring accurate claims processing is critical to delivering consistency and cost management.
- Technological enhancements, such as user-friendly member portals and apps, are integral to a smooth healthcare experience.

Actionable takeaways
- Focus on how your organization can implement feedback-driven plan designs.
- Prioritize operational alignment in healthcare plan design to minimize inefficiencies.
- Invest in technology that simplifies claims processing and enhances the user experience.
Rethinking transformative tech + challenging the status quo
Kimiko Mitchell, Gaurav Agrawal, Blake Mendenhall
Blake Mendenhall, Director of Member Services, Kimiko Mitchell, Group Product Manager, and Gaurav Agrawal, VP of Engineering, led a discussion on the integration of transformative technology in healthcare, focusing on leveraging AI and digital tools to create personalized member experiences.
Key insights
- AI is being used to analyze member interactions and predict needs, improving support.
- Personal member feedback, including video testimonials, enhances insights for better service design.
- AI’s role in real-time member interactions (generative AI) offers potential to reduce response times and improve accuracy.

Actionable takeaways
- Leverage AI in member services to anticipate and respond to needs more efficiently.
- Incorporate personalized feedback tools like video submissions to improve service offerings.
- Monitor ethical considerations when introducing advanced AI in healthcare, maintaining a balance with the human touch.
The Spectrum of Care: From human to digital navigation
Blake Mendenhall, Melissa Selden, Leo Chang, Jenny Buntich, Aubrey Kraft
Ben Becker, Senior Director of Care Navigation, Melissa Selden, Senior Manager of Care Navigation, Leo Chang, Senior Director of Product, Jenny Buntich, Clinical Account Executive and Aubrey Kraft, Lead UX Researcher, explored how human expertise and digital tools are combined to guide members toward high-value care, covering everything from simple health needs to complex chronic conditions.
Key insights
- Human-centered care navigation remains crucial, supported by a team of healthcare professionals providing personalized assistance.
- Digital tools enhance accessibility but are designed to complement — not replace — human care.
- Predictive analytics and AI are key to evolving care management, offering preemptive support and increasing engagement.

Actionable takeaways
- Evaluate how digital tools can enhance your organization’s care navigation without sacrificing the human element.
- Use data analytics to identify areas for improving member outcomes and operational efficiency.
- Explore AI-driven solutions to proactively address member needs before issues arise.
The privacy + cybersecurity landscape and how to protect your people
Kim Shepard, Shara Rasmussen, Nik Seetharaman
The panel explored the role of cybersecurity, compliance, and privacy in the healthcare and benefits landscape, featuring Sharalyn Rasmussen, Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer at Collective Health, and Nik Seetharaman, CEO of Wraithwatch and former Chief Information Officer at Anduril Industries, with a background in cybersecurity, including roles at SpaceX and Palantir Technologies.
Key insights
- With the rise of healthcare data breaches, protecting employee health information is not just a legal obligation but a moral responsibility to safeguard employees’ most personal moments.
- Misunderstanding delegated responsibilities to third-party vendors, failure to enforce separation of employer and plan data, and lack of clear breach response protocols can expose employers to liability.
- Attackers target healthcare data for two main reasons — financial fraud and ransomware, both of which can cripple business operations and erode employee trust.

Actionable takeaways
- Ensure you have policies in place and actively manage their execution, including vetting vendors, training employees, and ensuring data segregation.
- Training should be specific, practical, and aligned with employees’ daily tasks with real-world case studies.
- Maintain an up-to-date list of authorized personnel with access to sensitive data, ensuring adherence to the “minimum necessary” principle to limit unnecessary exposure.
- Employers should conduct due diligence with vendors, asking fundamental security questions (e.g., size of cybersecurity team, data protection practices) and request to speak directly with the vendor’s security or compliance officer.

Day 2: Together Conference
AI in benefits: A game-Changer or a cautionary tale?
Dr. Megan Jones Bell, Dr. Dan McCoy, Yassir Abousselham, Ken Ehlert
This panel explored the role of AI in the healthcare and benefits landscape, featuring Dr. Megan Jones Bell, Clinical Director of Consumer and Mental Health at Google, Dr. Dan McCoy, Founder & CEO RocketTools.io and former President of BCBS of Texas, Yassir Abousselham, Chief Information Security Officer at Calendly, and Ken Ehlert, CEO at Lore Health.
Key insights
- Employees and consumers are already interacting with AI—organizations should keep pace and proactively integrate AI.
- AI presents immense opportunities for scalable preventative health interventions, though there are challenges with specialized data and risks.
- Generative AI is revolutionizing productivity, opening up new areas to focus on.
- In benefits, the goal is to preserve human agency while making healthcare and benefits systems more efficient and personalized.
- Securing data and privacy is paramount; organizations need to ask essential questions about data security and governance.
- Consumer behavior suggests AI is already replacing some doctor roles, even if only in information searches.

Actionable takeaways
- Focus on utilizing AI for personalized, scalable preventative health strategies as well as for potential productivity gains within your organization.
- Establish clear policies within your own organization on AI usage, including data security, compliance and AI audits (regularly testing for biases, security vulnerabilities, etc).
- Monitor AI use for over reliance, parasocial relationships, or misleading outputs.
- Prioritize thorough vetting of AI vendors regarding data security, documentation, and retention policies. If a vendor can’t explain how their usage of AI works, move on.
Rx advancements: Balancing innovation with affordability and equity
Jake Frenz, Ted Holden, Marilyn Stebbens
This session, featuring Jake Frenz, CEO at SmithRx, Ted Holden, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Noom, and Marilyn Stebbins, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Pharmacy at UCSF, addressed the tension between pharmaceutical innovation, affordability, and equity.
Key insights
- GLP-1s, gene therapies, and specialty drugs are advancing but driving up costs; balancing access with affordability is a key challenge.
- High-cost infused drugs continue to be a challenge due to hospital markups and payer control of networks; however white bagging and site-of-service redirection is a method employers can explore to control costs.
- Employers need transparency in PBM contracts and must get creative to manage drug costs.
Industry leaders are pushing for greater transparency in drug pricing, signaling potential regulatory shifts. - Access to GLP-1s and behavior modification programs, like those provided by Noom, can provide a significant ROI for employers.

Actionable takeaways
- Negotiate PBM contracts for transparency and lowest-net-cost pricing over rebate-driven savings or AWP discounts.
- Measure trend using a PMPM cost structures for better drug cost predictability.
- Leverage biosimilars and cost-effective alternatives to maximize savings.
- Consider integrating behavior modification programs alongside medication to optimize outcomes and control costs. (e.g. GLP-1 paired with behavioral health programs).
- Explore cost-plus models, transparent PBMs, and direct contracting to balance innovation with cost management.
Designing for outcomes: From endless choices to curated options
Larry Leisure, Dr. Matt Resnick, Dr. Jennifer Cho
Larry Leisure, Co-founder of Chicago Pacific Founders & NearWater Growth, Dr. Matt Resnick, Chief Medical Officer at Embold Health, and Dr. Jennifer Cho, VP of Clinical Programs, discussed the importance of guiding patients through curated care pathways to drive better healthcare outcomes.
Key insights
- Understanding member behavior and influencing their healthcare decisions can reduce unnecessary costs and improve outcomes.
- Chronic care and primary care engagement require building trust and ensuring patients stay on the right path.
- There’s a growing recognition that different individuals value different factors when searching for providers (e.g., convenience, quality, trust, experience), and a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective.
- Guide Plans™ are crucial in helping individuals navigate healthcare effectively with personalized support, informed decision-making, reduced costs, lower out-of-pocket expenses, improved preventive care, and quality-based provider tiering for high-value

Actionable takeaways
- Leverage data analytics to identify healthcare utilization patterns and guide patient decision-making.
- Develop user-friendly tools like provider directories, performance ratings, and AI-driven recommendations to support evidence-based choices.
- Implement financial incentives and plan adjustments to lower costs, encourage high-quality provider use, and enhance preventive care coverage.
- Strengthen primary care engagement to improve chronic disease management and overall health outcomes.
- Simplify the healthcare experience to improve access and trust.
The new State of the Union of healthcare: What to expect with policy, regulations, and the health benefits landscape
Ari Hoffman MD, Rob Andrews
Robert Andrews, CEO of Health Transformation Alliance and former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 24 years, and Dr. Ari Hoffman provided insights into the evolving healthcare policy landscape and its implications for employers and health plans.
Key insights
- President Trump holds tremendous power within his party, influencing both the House and Senate. This influence can shape healthcare policies, including Medicaid cuts and changes in the healthcare market.
- FTC regulations around PBMs are shifting, with potential future impacts on how PBMs operate.
- The structure of U.S. healthcare leads to employers subsidizing government insurance programs, increasing costs for commercial plans.
- Medicaid decentralization affects different states unevenly, making policy changes a politically charged issue.

Actionable takeaways
- Stay informed about evolving FTC regulations on PBMs and their impact on pricing and transparency.
- Prepare for the potential surge in gene therapy treatments, particularly for sickle cell and genetic diseases, and begin planning for their inclusion in healthcare plans.
- Watch for the outcome of key court cases, like the Braidwood case, that may impact preventive service coverage and overall healthcare benefits strategy.
- Prepare for potential changes in Medicaid and other government healthcare programs that may affect employee coverage.
Partner fireside chat: Supporting your people at every stage of life in a modern world
Susan Rogge-Adyniec (Carrot), Jake Coniglio (Galileo)
This fireside chat, featuring Jake Coniglio, Chief Commercial Officer at Galileo and Susan Rogge-Adyniec, VP of Enterprise Sales at Carrot Fertility, discussed how Carrot and Galileo provide holistic care and support for employees throughout various life stages.
Key insights
- Carrot’s wide range of support services—from doulas to menopause counseling—provides holistic, tailored care for employees.
- Faith-based care focuses on providing support aligned with personal beliefs, without delving into controversial topics.
- Galileo’s shift to longitudinal care, with a virtual-first model, enhances clinical decision-making and reduces the need for unnecessary specialty care.
- Both companies emphasize the importance of validated cost savings through data, such as Carrot’s study showing a reduction in NICU costs with higher embryo transfer success rates. Galileo highlights the reduction in urgent care and specialist visits by promoting quality primary care, which lowers overall healthcare costs.

Actionable takeaways
- Consider offering fertility, maternity, menopause, and other hormonal health benefits to support employees’ diverse family-building and health needs
- Shift toward offering health programs that provide longitudinal care, focusing on holistic and ongoing support for employees, especially those with chronic or complex health conditions.
- If your workforce includes part-time employees, consider integrating MEC plans with virtual care options to provide affordable healthcare access across your entire employee base.
- Consider implementing longitudinal care models for proactive, ongoing employee health management.
Keynote: The Purpose Trap
Elizabeth Gilbert
The New York Times best-selling author of “Eat, Pray, Love,” Elizabeth Gilbert, discussed how the pressure to find a singular life purpose can lead to anxiety and detract from present-focused living. Instead of being obsessed with finding purpose, Elizabeth urged attendees to seek presence.
Key insights
- Society pressures individuals to find one unique talent, master it, monetize it, and leave a legacy, which can be overwhelming and rooted in ego.
- Constantly searching for a singular life purpose creates unnecessary pressure and “purpose-anxiety.”
- Focusing on curiosity and living in the present can help alleviate this anxiety.
- Remaining calm in the face of challenges or panic empowers you to lead and solve problems, especially in high-stress situations where your calm presence can have a significant positive impact.

Actionable takeaways
- Encourage your employees to focus on present-driven goals rather than constantly seeking their singular purpose.
- Practice the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Exercise, taking moments throughout the day to engage in this sensory exercise to ground yourself in the present.
- In crisis moments, resist the urge to immediately strategize and instead create space for reflection and allow time to arrive at a more grounded, thoughtful response.
- Make plans but remain detached from the outcomes.
- Create work environments that promote curiosity, exploration, and mental well-being.
Day 2: Together Conference Panelists

Dr. Dan McCoy Founder & CEO RocketTools.io and former President of BCBSTX

Jake Coniglio Chief Commercial Officer, Galileo

Jake Frenz CEO, SmithRx

Ken Ehlert CEO, Lore Health

Larry Leisure Co-founder, Chicago Pacific Founders & NearWater Growth

Marilyn Stebbins Professor Emeritus of Clinical Pharmacy, UCSF

Matt Resnick, MD Chief Medical Officer, Embold Health

Dr. Megan Jones Bell Clinical Director, Consumer and Mental Health, Google

Nik Seetharaman CEO, Wraithwatch and former CISO, Anduril

Rob Andrews CEO, Health Transformation Alliance

Ted Holden Head of Strategic Partnerships & Strategy, Noom

Yassir Abousselham Chief Information Security Officer, Calendly

Susan Rogge-Adyniec VP, Enterprise Sales, Carrot

Abbie Buck Chief People Officer, Collective Health

Ali Diab CEO, Collective Health

Ari Hoffman, MD Senior VP of Product & Chief Clinical Officer, Collective Health

Jacqueline Ludwig Sr. Director of Total Rewards and People Operations, Collective Health

Manar Bustami VP, Strategic Partnerships, Collective Health

Dr. Jennifer Cho Vice President of Clinical Programs, Collective Health
Thanks again for a lovely conference week! It was an extremely insightful week full of inspiring moments and fun memories.”
– Together attendeeAs a prospective client…the amount of thought leadership and different vantage points information was coming from was incredible. Overall, the community and interactions…[with] other benefits leaders has been so incredible and so heartwarming. There’s been so many people here that really care about the health of the member on the other side and that really sets it apart…I’ve just really enjoyed all the diversity of experience and viewpoints so it’s been great.
– Together attendeeWhat a terrific event.
– Together attendeeWe really enjoyed this conference and meeting Collective Health. It helped me realize how human centric Collective Health is which is very much how we operate. Everyone I met was kind and engaging with a curiosity to learn how to make Collective Health better.
– Together attendee
Huge thanks to our network and partner sponsors














Collective Health is not affiliated with sponsors and does not endorse sponsor products and services.
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