In Episode 19 of Captivating Health Insights, host Maddison Bezdicek welcomed Pete Chrobak, Chief Financial Officer of Duncan-Parnell Inc., and Windy Roy, Director of Talent Management at Duncan-Parnell Inc., for a thoughtful conversation about the growing importance of collaboration between finance and Human Resources (HR) when managing employer healthcare strategy.
Drawing on Duncan-Parnell’s evolution from fully insured to self-funded and, ultimately, to a captive model, Pete and Windy shared how intentional partnerships, employee engagement, and long-term planning can help employers better align healthcare costs with employee well-being.
The conversation explored how Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and Chief Human Resources Officers (CHROs) can work together to create sustainable healthcare strategies that improve employee experience, strengthen engagement, and produce measurable financial results — while building a culture of accountability and support across the organization.
Managing healthcare costs can no longer sit solely within HR. Chrobak and Roy emphasized that successful healthcare strategies require active collaboration between finance and HR teams. By aligning financial goals with employee well-being initiatives, employers can make more informed decisions, evaluate long-term ROI, and build sustainable benefit programs that support both the business and its workforce.
Duncan-Parnell’s transition from fully insured to self-funded, and eventually to a captive arrangement, enabled the company to gain greater visibility and control over healthcare spend. While early captive participation provided protection and peer collaboration, joining a captive supported by Captive Resources created stronger opportunities to share in plan performance, learn from like-minded employers, and actively participate in long-term strategy development.
One of the organization’s most impactful initiatives has been implementing a nurse advocacy program that helps employees navigate the healthcare system. Rather than relying on apps or automated tools, employees connect directly with real healthcare advocates who assist with everything from billing questions to complex diagnoses. The program not only reduces unnecessary costs through care navigation and site-of-care optimization but also provides meaningful support during some of the most stressful moments employees face.
Direct primary care became another key component of Duncan-Parnell’s healthcare strategy. By removing barriers to primary care access and covering membership costs for employees, the company encourages stronger physician relationships, preventive care, and earlier intervention. Over time, this approach helps reduce avoidable urgent care visits, improve chronic condition management, and create long-term savings for the health plan.
Employee engagement does not happen automatically. Duncan-Parnell invested heavily in education, onboarding, and personalized communication to help employees understand and utilize available healthcare resources. From one-on-one onboarding sessions to employee testimonials during open enrollment meetings, the company focused on making healthcare benefits approachable, understandable, and easy to access.
Chrobak emphasized that many healthcare initiatives require patience before measurable financial results appear. Programs like direct primary care and advocacy may require an upfront investment, but over time, they can reduce claims costs, improve plan performance, and stabilize employee premiums. Duncan-Parnell has now gone five years without increasing employee premiums and has even implemented “healthcare holidays,” temporarily waiving employee premium contributions when the plan performs well.
Throughout the conversation, both guests stressed the importance of working with trusted advisors who provide meaningful reporting, transparency, and strategic guidance. Evaluating data regularly, measuring program effectiveness, and remaining open to new solutions allows employers to continually evolve their healthcare strategy rather than remain reactive to rising costs.
This recap captures just part of the conversation on how finance and HR leaders can work together to create smarter, more sustainable healthcare strategies. Listen to Episode 19 of Captivating Health Insights to hear practical lessons on self-funding, captives, employee advocacy, direct primary care, and building a culture that aligns cost management with employee care.
As more employers seek to align financial sustainability with employee care, captive models continue to gain attention as a long-term healthcare strategy. For additional insights into how group captives help employers manage rising healthcare costs, explore our recent Trade Press article, Managing Healthcare Costs Through MSL Group Captives.
Listen and subscribe on your favorite platforms, including YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and Pocket Casts, to learn how employers can take a more collaborative and proactive approach to healthcare — improving outcomes for employees while creating long-term financial sustainability for their organizations.
