BIP Winter 2024

“ I want to make healthcare easier and more affordable for people. What better way to do that than working with employers who provide that benefit to their employees?

One way Gaunya has been successful is by founding Captivated Health. Powered by Borislow Insurance, it is a captive health insurance arrange ment governed by multiple employers who desire to better manage their health insurance plans. To date, there are three industry-specific programs in operation. An example of one is 30 independent private schools that individually self-insure and collectively share healthcare claims risk — saving more than $40 million over the 10 years they’ve been part of it. When money is saved, it can be reinvested back into the health insurance plan or deployed else where. For instance, Captivated Health helped a Nashville school negotiate a direct contract with a world-class local health system that covers pregnan cy through three months of post-partum care. It’s saved the school between 33% and 50% on the cost of maternity care and improved the quality of their coverage. Participants also receive a year of free diapers and wipes. “Our clients reinvest those dol lars back into creating a better benefit offering for employees,” says Gaunya. “That’s how we become a hero to the organizations we serve and make a dif ference in the lives of their employees.” Advocacy and engagement Through NABIP, Gaunya appreciates being surrounded by peers driven by shared principles. “We are all committed to making healthcare easier and more affordable,” he says. Gaunya has held many NABIP leadership positions, including Massachusetts President and National Legislative Chair. “It allowed me to con nect with legislators and policymakers to advocate positions for our clients,” he says. “What better way to do that than to serve in an official capacity for your professional association?” As Massachusetts was developing its state ex change under the Affordable Care Act, Governor Charlie Baker asked Gaunya to be a member of its board. He worked alongside representatives of government, unions and large institutions. “At the end of my term, a board member said, ‘Mark, I had a perception about brokers before I started working with you. That all you cared about was selling insurance and making commissions. Now, I see you’re really an educator. You tell us the practical application of our ideas and what may happen when they hit the marketplace,” Gaunya recalls. “That’s what our role in NABIP is, to provide perspective.”

While Gaunya served as NABIP’s National Legislative Chair, healthcare transparency was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law by President Donald Trump. “I had an opportunity to help make that happen. That doesn’t present itself if you don’t partici pate in this association,” he says. Eric Kohlsdorf remembered Gaunya’s passion for transpar ency when, during his term as NABIP President, he tapped Gaunya to lead the Delta Task Force to create NABIP’s Health care Bill of Rights. (See ‘p. 8 of bip Summer 2024 for more.) When the federal govern ment launched its integrated behavioral health design plan for

Medicare and Medicaid, NABIP was able to use the Healthcare Bill of Rights’ nonpartisan score card to rate the effort against its principles. Now a permanent standing committee within NABIP, Delta Task Force intends to rotate its focus throughout the 10 rights, starting with healthcare literacy. “NABIP members can be better stewards of healthcare language so that we can educate clients,” says Gaunya. An essential partner As Gaunya sees it, brokers will always play an essential role in the healthcare system. “We help translate the complexity. We help ensure the employer’s voice is heard,” he says. “When something goes wrong — and it invariably will — our role is to fix things and remove problems.” In turn, Gaunya adds that it is the responsibility of NABIP members to be the voice of consumers and employers. “We need to ensure that policymakers understand the downstream impact of proposed actions,” he says. “It’s important for brokers to belong to NABIP so that we have a seat at the table. And when we stand on principle, we don’t have to strain.”

INTRODUCING BROKER VOICES This series is dedicated to sharing the stories of individual brokers who play a vital role in providing millions of Americans with affordable access to quality healthcare. Discover the compelling personal accounts highlighting the critical work brokers do to protect their clients’ financial security and well-being every day.

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