Welcome to Relocalizing Health. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, where an organization fighting hunger is revolutionizing health benefits for its employees. Join Dave Chase as he sits down with Amy Lein, Chief Human Resource Officer at Second Harvest, to uncover how this nonprofit broke away from the broken health insurance model, creating one of the nation's highest-quality, most accessible benefit plans.

Learn how every employee at Second Harvest pays zero in premiums, deductibles, and co-pays, translating into real quality of care and tangible support like paid leave and grocery assistance. Hear firsthand stories of transformation as employees, for the first time, can actually afford and access the care they need. This episode is a must-listen for nonprofit leaders, city managers, and anyone who has ever looked at a health insurance renewal and thought, “We can’t afford anything better.” As Dave and Amy reveal, a better way is not only possible, it’s already here.

Timestamps:

00:00 Making healthcare affordable for employees

05:41 Improving employee healthcare access

09:14 The concierge nurse navigator

10:01 Affordable access to top doctors

14:32 How the gift card program works

19:35 Offering paid parental leave

22:37 Having access to quality healthcare

26:07 Rising healthcare costs and solutions

30:02 Vision for what's next

30:43 Creating a great workplace culture

34:38 Wrapping up with final advice

Learn More:

RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/

Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/

Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/

Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/

Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/

Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/

Welcome to Relocalizing Health with Dave Chase. In this episode, we explore what happens when a clinical leader takes health care into their own hands for both their patients and their employees. We'll meet Tim Spooner, a physical therapist who, in 1990, opened a single clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona with the conviction that the right care, at the right time, can transform lives. Thirty-five years later, Tim leads Arizona's largest private PT practice, operates clinics across Arizona and Texas, and runs Solve Global, a company that's reshaping how employers nationwide address musculoskeletal health.

But Tim's story doesn't stop with clinical excellence. Frustrated by skyrocketing premiums, opaque data, and decreasing reimbursements, he set out to redesign his company's health plan from the ground up. In the process, he redirected money typically lost to the old system back into his people, offering benefits like tuition reimbursement, direct primary care memberships, and robust musculoskeletal solutions. His efforts not only earned national recognition but also inspired other PT practices to follow suit.

Today, we'll dive into Tim's journey of leadership and innovation, the challenges he faced, and how his blueprint for change is empowering others to reclaim health care, making it more transparent, effective, and people-focused. Stay tuned as we learn what it truly means to "walk the talk" in health care and why the proof is in the room.

Timestamps:

00:00 How Tim Spooner got started

03:28 Discovering rising healthcare costs

08:06 High hospital markup example

13:14 Regenerative medicine success stories

15:36 Proactive healthcare and early intervention

19:57 Challenges for healthcare professionals

22:48 Transitioning to self-insured healthcare

24:12 Leadership and driving results

26:59 Medical costs and MRI findings

30:43 Navigating healthcare payment models

36:11 Closing advice for key audiences

36:49 Partnering with clinical practice leaders

Learn More:

RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/

Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/

Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/

Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/

Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/

Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/

On this episode of Relocalizing Health, host Dave Chase sits down with family physician and author Michael Fine, a leading voice in healthcare reform and the driving force behind Primary Care for All Americans. Together, they unpack the provocative idea of medicine as a form of colonialism, exploring how corporate healthcare systems extract wealth from local communities and diminish their capacity for self-governance.

Michael Fine draws on decades of experience, from running a small family practice to leading the Rhode Island Department of Health, to illustrate the devastating impact of for-profit healthcare on both patients and the social fabric of our towns. He shares revealing moments that highlight the true cost of primary care versus the astronomical amounts funneled out of communities, and explains why universal, community-driven primary care could be the linchpin for both improved health outcomes and economic resilience.

The conversation doesn’t just examine what’s broken, it spotlights grassroots solutions and social movements rekindling democracy and civic engagement in healthcare. You’ll hear firsthand accounts of community health initiatives, the simple mechanics behind local health plans, and strategies that unite both fiscal conservatives and progressives in the fight to reclaim healthcare dollars. Through stories of hope, frustration, and action, this episode charts a path for how all Americans, clinicians, citizens, and policymakers alike can join together to rebuild a just and sustainable healthcare system from the ground up.

Timestamps:

00:00 "Colonialism in Modern Healthcare"

04:58 "Radical Sliding Scale Practice"

09:00 "Essential Services for All"

11:41 "Preventing Second COVID Wave"

16:57 "Impact of Urban Health Inequity"

20:31 "Primary Care Reduces Healthcare Waste"

21:19 "Emergency Room Vortex Issues"

27:04 "Primary Care for All Idea"

29:50 Volunteer-Led Healthcare Voucher Program

33:13 Primary Care Gaps Revealed

37:31 "Social Movement & Governance Insights"

38:16 "Sustainable Democracy Through Participation"

41:19 "Healthcare System & Community Solutions"

Learn More:

RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/

Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/

Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/

Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/

Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/

Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/