"Imagine getting a real-time snapshot of your health just by looking into your phone’s camera for 30 seconds." - Simon

My guests this week are Simon Spurr, Founder of VivaScore, and Chris Burns, a veteran benefits advisor with over 40 years of experience at firms like Mercer and Sequoia. They join the show to demonstrate a piece of technology that feels like science fiction but is actually here today: rPPG (Remote Photoplethysmography).

We discuss how this technology turns a standard smartphone camera into a diagnostic tool capable of measuring blood pressure, heart rate variability (HRV), and stress levels with medical-grade accuracy, no wearables required.

In this episode, we explore whether this "digital avatar" of employee health could become the new front door to primary care. We dive into how employers are using this data to spot "silent killers" like hypertension before they become claims, why engagement rates are hitting 50%+, and how this platform connects the "worried well" to actual care pathways.

Tune in to see how we can finally move from "sick care" to true preventative maintenance, all through an iPhone lens.

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!

ParetoHealth: ParetoHealth empowers midsize employers with a long-term solution to reduce volatility and lower overall health benefits costs. Visit ParetoHealth.com to learn more.

Samaritan Fund: A program that connects those who need help to the support they need. We are proud to offer the Samaritan Fund Program. Visit SamaritanFundProgram.com to learn more.

Vālenz Health: We're Vālenz Health, your partner in improving health literacy, reducing plan spend, and delivering high-value healthcare. Visit ValenzHealth.com to learn more.

Imagine360: Imagine360 helps self-funded employers save on healthcare with smarter health plans. Cut expenses by 20-30% with custom solutions. Contact us today at Imagine360.com.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Is This App the Future of Primary Care?

(00:06:12) Global Healthcare: Why Costs Are Rising Everywhere

(00:08:02) Chris Burns: From Mercer to Sequoia to Tech Advisor

(00:12:45) Why Employers are Tired of "Point Solutions"

(00:22:26) How rPPG Technology Works (The Face Scan)

(00:30:18) The "What Next?" Strategy for Employers

(00:39:06) Why Everyone is Talking About HRV (Heart Rate Variability)

(00:44:37) Finding the "Silent Killers" in Your Population

(00:51:46) Gamification: How to Get 50% Engagement

Key Links for Social:

@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded

Listen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02

Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286

Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/

Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

"I asked him, 'What is it that you're teaching undergraduate students about benefits?’’…Just two slides. That blew me away." - Kyle Minick

My guest this week is Kyle Minick, Vice President of Employee Benefits at Summit Financial Group. Kyle returns to the show to expose a massive systemic failure: Universities are not teaching HR professionals how to manage their second-largest expense.

Kyle shares the shocking story of how he discovered that major university HR programs dedicate almost zero curriculum to healthcare strategy. Instead of complaining about it, he decided to fix it. We discuss the 6-week accredited college course he built from scratch to teach the next generation of buyers about Stop-Loss, PBMs, and TPA contracts before they enter the workforce.

But before we dive into the classroom, we dissect the broken market they are inheriting. We debate why Reference-Based Pricing (RBP) is failing in hospital-dominated markets like Texas, why relating prices to Medicare might be backfiring, and whether the government should step in to establish a "median price" for care.

Tune in to see how we can bridge the education gap and finally train buyers to demand better.

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!

ParetoHealth: ParetoHealth empowers midsize employers with a long-term solution to reduce volatility and lower overall health benefits costs. Visit ParetoHealth.com to learn more.

Samaritan Fund: A program that connects those who need help to the support they need. We are proud to offer the Samaritan Fund Program. Visit SamaritanFundProgram.com to learn more.

Vālenz Health: We're Vālenz Health, your partner in improving health literacy, reducing plan spend, and delivering high-value healthcare. Visit ValenzHealth.com to learn more.

Imagine360: Imagine360 helps self-funded employers save on healthcare with smarter health plans. Cut expenses by 20-30% with custom solutions. Contact us today at Imagine360.com.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Why RBP Struggles in Texas Monopolies

(00:03:30) The "Medicare Price" Fallacy

(00:11:00) Should the Government Set a Median Price?

(00:25:00) The Education Gap: How Universities Failed HR

(00:29:25) The "Two Slide" Curriculum Problem

(00:33:00) Kyle’s Solution: Building an Accredited Benefits Course

(00:43:00) Teaching HR to Audit Their Consultants

(00:54:30) The Syllabus: Stop-Loss, PBMs, and Contracts

(01:07:00) How to Enroll & The Future of Benefits Education

Key Links for Social:

@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded

Listen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02

Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286

Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/

Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/

"Whoever makes patient care more convenient is likely to win." - Chris Yarn

My guest this week is Chris Yarn, Founder of Walk On Clinic, who joins me to explain why convenience is the ultimate currency in healthcare. Chris shares his journey from insurance broker to building a direct primary care (DPC) model that brings care directly to the employee's doorstep - literally.

Chris breaks down the "Walk On" model, which combines mobile on-site clinics, near-site access, and virtual care to achieve utilization rates that are double the industry average. We discuss why traditional "near-site" clinics often fail to engage employees, how nurse practitioners are the key to scaling primary care, and why the human connection is what truly drives ROI.

We also dive into the hard numbers, discussing how to prove ROI with real claims data (not just fuzzy math), and Chris shares his personal battle with cancer in 2024 that reinforced his belief in the importance of early detection and primary care access.

Tune in to the first episode of 2026 to learn why the future of healthcare is hyper-convenient.

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!

ParetoHealth: ParetoHealth empowers midsize employers with a long-term solution to reduce volatility and lower overall health benefits costs. Visit ParetoHealth.com to learn more.

Samaritan Fund: A program that connects those who need help to the support they need. We are proud to offer the Samaritan Fund Program. Visit SamaritanFundProgram.com to learn more.

Vālenz Health: We're Vālenz Health, your partner in improving health literacy, reducing plan spend, and delivering high-value healthcare. Visit ValenzHealth.com to learn more.

Imagine360: Imagine360 helps self-funded employers save on healthcare with smarter health plans. Cut expenses by 20-30% with custom solutions. Contact us today at Imagine360.com.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Why Convenience is King in Healthcare

(00:07:37) The Legend of "Frank Mic Dropper"

(00:14:15) The "Walk On" Model Explained

(00:19:38) Mobile vs. Near-Site: The Utilization Difference

(00:26:24) Removing Barriers: No Build-Out Costs for Employers

(00:32:06) Scaling DPC with Nurse Practitioners

(00:39:27) How to Prove ROI with Real Data

(00:47:53) A Personal Battle: Chris's Cancer Journey

(00:53:09) The Future of Primary Care in America

Key Links for Social:

@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFunded

Listen/watch on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02

Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286

Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/

Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/