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Take 5 with edHEALTH’s New Board Chair:
John Burke from Boston College
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Last month, John Burke, Financial Vice President & Treasurer at Boston College (BC), officially assumes his role as the new Chair of edHEALTH’s Board of Managers. John’s history with edHEALTH is extensive. He has held numerous board positions, most recently as Chair Elect, and is from a founding member-owner institution.
Like his predecessor, Stephen Hannabury, John played a critical part in both recognizing the need for a coalition like edHEALTH and in helping to launch it in 2013. While many edHEALTH member-owners may know John from our annual meetings, we thought it’d be helpful to introduce him to everyone by asking him for his thoughts about edHEALTH and more.
1) Thinking back to the early days of edHEALTH, what made the most impact on you or your institution? Professionally, it’s about the real money edHEALTH has helped BC save since its inception, while still offering our employees and their families excellent benefits year after year. Financially, every year is a bit different, but overall, we’ve saved a considerable amount of money for our school.
Personally, I’m proud of the way edHEALTH originated—through genuine collaboration, rigorous research, and thorough due diligence. I, along with other finance folks at The Boston Consortium for Higher Education (TBC), was trying to find a solution that could address the rising costs of healthcare. We realized the need to include Human Resources professionals in the project. Having both points of view enabled us to understand better what our schools needed to be successful. This same mix of expertise is also what makes the edHEALTH board so valuable today.
2) What’s something different you bring to edHEALTH and the Board of Managers? Before joining BC, I spent over 20 years working on the provider side of healthcare, specifically in hospital systems and a big-four CPA firm in an audit and healthcare consulting role. Those experiences equipped me with a solid understanding of healthcare finances and operational challenges facing healthcare providers. I also oversaw the finances of a Cayman Island Medical Malpractice captive, where I gained an appreciation for the role of actuaries in a successful captive. As we investigate new solutions to bring to edHEALTH member-owners, I am optimistic that my prior healthcare experiences will help frame our thinking.
3) Where do you see edHEALTH headed? Hopefully, in the right direction! The edHEALTH team and the member-owner institutions recognize the numerous challenges that most educational institutions face today, financially and beyond. We are addressing them by proactively seeking new opportunities to not only save our schools money but also improve the experiences of our faculty and staff. While all our schools have their own approaches and priorities, we share a common goal of controlling costs while providing quality health and benefit programs for our employees.
4) What message would you like to share with current and future edHEALTH members as you begin this new role? I’m so very fortunate, and honestly honored, to pick up where the great Steve Hannabury has left off. I have been working side by side with Steve on edHEALTH-related issues since 2012. My goal is to continue to build on the existing good work of edHEALTH and strive to deliver even greater value and services in 2026 and beyond.
5) Anything fun you’d like to share about yourself, or what you might like to do when away from work? Running has been a constant in my life. Now that my wife and I have had the opportunity to move closer to the ocean, I find running on the beach a nice escape from my day job!
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Shout Out to Member-Owners Speaking on Behalf of edHEALTH
The edRISK team, which includes edHEALTH, edLIABILITY, and edPROPERTY, wants to thank our member-owners who took time out of their busy schedules to share the value of our captive at regionally and nationally recognized industry conferences like EACUBO and URMIA.
We especially thank these individuals for their contributions this fall to our programs and for helping to spread the word about us:
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Alan Bowers (Emerson College)
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John Burke (Boston College)
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Susan Fletcher (Wellesley College)
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Travis Looker (Boston College)
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Roger Stackpoole (Wheaton College)
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Nicole Turner (Roger Williams University)
| Have you read edHEALTH's President and CEO Hassett's November update yet? If not, check your email from Monday, November 24. The sender is president@edrisk.org. Tracy Hassett's message highlights recent board-approved activity and next steps for our coalition. We've also posted a copy in the edHEALTH portal. | |
Just One Member-Owner Meeting Left in 2025!
12/11 at 10 AM: edHEALTH 101 (for new staff or those wanting refreshers)
While we won't be holding any coalition-wide plan design or strategic planning meetings this month, the edHEALTH team will be researching programs and services that align with our priorities in the Path2DISCOVERY strategic framework.
Upcoming Meeting with Your Member Relations Manager
In the coming days, we will be reaching out individually to member-owners to schedule time to better understand your school's goals for 2026 and beyond.
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Guest Spotlight: Primary Care Transformation
In this update, we feature a spotlight on Primary Care. That's because edHEALTH cares about access to primary care for our schools' faculty, staff, and family members. We continue to evaluate programs and options that support improving primary care. Our business partners at Spring Consulting Group, an Alera Group Company, recently featured a blog about transformation in primary care. It offers a clear overview of what's happening in the primary care space.
Primary care providers—originally general practitioners who would later specialize in modern internal and family medicine—served as lone practitioners for much of the 20th century, playing a central role in both the healthcare system and their local communities. After World War II, the prominence of PCPs declined as specialty care expanded, influenced by changes in medical education, reimbursement models, technology, and public demand. Today, rising healthcare costs, workforce shortages, and systemic pressures have highlighted underinvestment in primary care. The market is seeking solutions that remove barriers, enhance education, and support population health management.
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Shifts in Primary Care
Primary care remains a core component of all health plans, but fee structures and market pressures have changed the patient–provider relationship. Patients often face rushed appointments, long wait times, low reimbursement rates, and high administrative burdens. These factors contribute to burnout among PCPs and have led the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to project a shortage of 17,800 to 48,000 primary care physicians by 2034. Insurance requirements, market consolidation, and operational pressures limit PCPs’ ability to deliver optimal care. Patients are also demanding broader access, digital solutions, self-service options, and hybrid care models. In response to these growing challenges, Spring Consulting Group’s client edHEALTH, a captive health coalition serving educational institutions, is proactively pursuing primary care solutions to meet the evolving needs of its member schools. Direct primary care (DPC) has emerged as a strategic tool for employers seeking to improve access, enhance preventive care, reduce avoidable acute care utilization, and generate a return on investment.
Direct Primary Care
At the core, direct primary care provides patients with unlimited access to a primary care team for a flat monthly fee, typically outside of traditional health plan coverage. Most DPC solutions guarantee same-day or next-day appointments, longer visit times, higher patient satisfaction, and bundled care for preventive, chronic, and acute conditions.
DPC models vary depending on vendor capabilities and employer priorities. Options include onsite or near-site clinics, virtual-first networks, retail clinics, preferred-access arrangements, navigation and concierge support, digital tools such as AI and wearables, incentives for engagement, and plan design levers to drive utilization. Providers include retail brands, technology-driven platforms, and employer-focused businesses leveraging onsite, near-site, and virtual-first care models.
DPC emphasizes relationship development and improved access rather than gatekeeping. It positions primary care as a strategic entry point, controlling downstream utilization, referrals, and chronic disease management. Separating primary care from traditional insurance networks may allow patients to access the best available care, facilities, and providers. DPC models can also incorporate risk-based approaches, including capitation or partial-risk arrangements.
Patients increasingly expect convenience, engagement, and integrated behavioral health. DPC partners are responding with retail-style access, care navigation, and satisfaction-focused services. Employers can align DPC partnerships with broader human resources initiatives, such as curated networks, direct contracting, and programs addressing social determinants of health.
Virtual-First Primary Care
In addition to DPC, other access models such as virtual-first primary care and urgent care clinics are shaping the future of healthcare delivery. Virtual-first primary care models are increasingly being adopted as a complementary approach to in-person care. These models prioritize digital access by encouraging patients to connect with their care team through telehealth visits, chat, or app-based platforms before turning to in-person appointments. Virtual-first care can improve access, reduce wait times, and support patient engagement, particularly for populations who may struggle with transportation or scheduling barriers.
When integrated effectively, virtual-first models can serve as a gateway to coordinated care by addressing routine concerns, managing chronic conditions, and promoting preventive health measures. However, challenges such as continuity of care, patient trust, and integration with existing electronic health records must be carefully managed to ensure quality outcomes. For employers, virtual-first networks can complement direct primary care by expanding access and helping to balance costs without sacrificing patient experience.
Market Shifts and Employer Considerations
Employers, particularly self-funded ones, must increasingly shape their healthcare strategy to maximize value. Primary care represents a relatively small portion of overall healthcare spend, and immediate savings may be limited. However, long-term investment in DPC can yield measurable benefits over three to five years. Successful DPC implementation requires attention to challenges such as geographic coverage gaps, referral coordination limitations, regulatory uncertainty, and member education. Employers should prioritize integration with existing health plan solutions, coordinate utilization and data tracking to ensure savings are captured accurately and deploy clear communication and engagement strategies.
When implemented effectively, DPC models shift the healthcare narrative toward value-based care, improve access, strengthen care coordination, and enhance patient satisfaction, ultimately supporting both employee health and organizational objectives.
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Congratulations, Tracy Hassett!
Late last month, Captive International released its list of 25 standout women in the captive industry. We're so honored and excited to see our own President and CEO, A. Tracy Hassett, in the Class of 2025.
Tracy joins so many other phenomenal captive innovators. Thank you for leading the way, women, and big congratulations to all of you. You can read more here.
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Sending Good Cheer a Tad Early
While we realize the holidays aren't quite upon us, they are fast approaching! We hope you can find time to relax and have some fun with friends and family in this final month of 2025.
Cindy, David, Julie, Lisa, Nancy, Stephanie, and Tracy
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