Full Disclosure the Podcast

The Middleman's Cut: Unpacking the Role of Middlemen in HealthcareWho’s really looking out for employers and patients when it comes to healthcare costs?In this episode of Full Disclosure, hosts Chris Estep and Andy Rodriguez sit down with healthcare expert and author Steve Ditto to discuss his book, The Middleman’s Cut, and the often-overlooked role middlemen play in driving healthcare costs.Steve shares his personal experiences navigating the healthcare system and explains why employers need to take a closer look at their pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) contracts, understand their fiduciary responsibilities, and demand greater transparency and accountability from their healthcare partners.The conversation explores the importance of working with unconflicted advisors, the hidden complexities within healthcare agreements, and how Steve’s Contract X-ray tool can help employers identify problematic contract terms and make more informed decisions.Whether you’re an employer, broker, benefits advisor, or simply someone looking to better understand where healthcare dollars go, this episode offers valuable insights into challenging the status quo and taking a more informed approach to healthcare.Because you don’t need all the answers, but you do need visibility.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, Chris Estep and Andy Rodriguez sit down with Winston Walters of HUB International to talk about how the role of the benefits broker is changing and what it takes to stay relevant in today’s healthcare landscape.The broker’s job has evolved far beyond simply helping employers select an insurance plan. Today, brokers are expected to understand increasingly complex areas like PBMs, compliance, claims data, technology, and emerging healthcare solutions while helping employers make sense of it all.Winston shares his perspective on what separates modern advisors from the traditional broker model, why data literacy has become such an important skill, and how technology is changing both employee expectations and the way benefits strategies are built.The conversation also explores the importance of continuous education, helping employers better understand where their healthcare dollars are going, and why brokers who are willing to challenge the status quo may be best positioned for the future.In this episode:How the broker’s role has evolvedWhy understanding healthcare and pharmacy data mattersThe growing importance of technology and digital health solutionsHow brokers can help employers make more informed decisionsThe skills benefits advisors will need to succeed in 2026 and beyondWhy education, adaptability, and transparency are becoming essentialWhether you’re a broker, employer, consultant, or simply interested in where the benefits industry is headed, this conversation offers a look at what the next generation of benefits advising may look like.Full Disclosure — Where Transparency Takes the Mic.

Healthcare is complicated, but is that complexity protecting employers and patients, or protecting the business models operating behind the scenes?In this episode of Full Disclosure, Chris Estep and Andy Rodriguez sit down with Chris Deacon, healthcare attorney, founder of VerSan Consulting, former public health plan leader, author of The Great American Healthcare Heist, and a nationally recognized voice on healthcare transparency and reform.Chris shares what she has learned from testifying before Congress, leading public health plans, reviewing audits and contracts, and working alongside employers, unions, policymakers, and healthcare purchasing coalitions.The conversation explores why transparency must be the starting point for meaningful reform, what CAA 2026 could mean for fiduciary responsibility, and why employers must look beyond vendor labels to understand the actual functions, incentives, and financial relationships operating within their health plans.They also discuss hidden transaction fees, carrier and PBM relationships, claims data restrictions, stop-loss arrangements, misleading guarantees, and the difference between the lowest price, the best value, and the lowest true net cost.Most importantly, Chris explains what employers should be asking during the proposal and renewal process, which red flags should make them pause, and how the right broker, consultant, PBM, carrier, or healthcare partner should make the employer smarter not make them feel difficult for asking questions.Because employers do not need to have every answer. But if they are responsible for the decision, they should be able to follow the money, understand the tradeoffs, and get clear answers.

Episode 2: The Truth About Spread Pricing with Brian SchramWhat exactly is spread pricing—and why has it become one of the most controversial topics in pharmacy benefits?In this episode of Full Disclosure, Chris Estep and Andy Rodriguez sit down with DisclosedRx Vice President of Sales Brian Schram, someone who has seen the industry from nearly every perspective imaginable: broker, employer, and now PBM executive. That unique journey gives Brian a front-row seat to how pharmacy pricing really works—and where employers often get left in the dark.Together, we break down the mechanics of spread pricing, why it's so difficult to identify, how it impacts employer health plans, and why increasing scrutiny from lawsuits, regulations, and employers themselves is bringing the issue into the spotlight. We also discuss what employers and brokers should be asking their PBMs if they want to understand where their pharmacy dollars are actually going.Whether you're a broker, consultant, employer, or simply trying to understand why prescription drug costs continue to rise, this episode offers a candid look at one of the most misunderstood—and costly—practices in healthcare.Topics Covered:• What spread pricing is and how it works• Why employers often don't know it's happening• The incentives driving pharmacy benefit costs• Recent lawsuits and industry scrutiny• CAA 2026 and the future of PBM transparency• Questions every employer should be asking their PBM• What brokers should look for when evaluating pharmacy contractsThe more transparent the pricing, the harder it is to hide the spread.🎙️ Full Disclosure with Chris Estep & Andy Rodriguez — Where Transparency Takes the Mic.