CLEARly Beneficial Podcast · 2026-07-21 · 43 min
Paul Markovich sees a tipping point most of the industry is pretending isn't there. Better to hear it before it hits your renewal. Five health insurance CEOs testified before Congress. One came with solutions. Vincent Catalano sits down with Paul Markovich, President and CEO of Ascendiun, the nonprofit parent of Blue Shield of California, and the change-maker behind the Worthy movement, for a candid, practical conversation about where healthcare is actually headed, and the tipping point the industry keeps avoiding. Paul doesn't play the blame game. He explains why hospitals behave the way we've paid them to behave, why the industry has to take real accountability, and how Blue Shield's decision to rethink the traditional PBM model saved more than $100 million in a single year. Inside this conversation: The Capitol Hill testimony that set Paul apart A smarter way to pay for hospital care What's really driving drug costs, and how to fix it Blue Shield's pharmacy overhaul and what it saved Paul's honest, balanced take on Medicare for All Practical, candid, and worth every minute. DISCLAIMER The views expressed by our guest are their own.
[S2E24] The Kaiser/Non-Kaiser Death Spiral: What Employers Need to Know61 / 100[S2E22] HR & CFO’s: Before Benefits Decision Season Begins, Start Here.52 / 100[S2E21] From Cannes: The Rest of the World Posts the Price. America Won't.39 / 100[S2E20] Vincent Catalano: Let’s Not Normalize Medical Debt49 / 100
[S2E19] Healthcare Big Ideas86 / 100