2026 CDB Customer Conference

Please feel free to save or share this link to refer back to this offering. For in depth information or for scheduling, please visit the activity site directly as detailed in the activity description.
02 Sep

2026 CDB Customer Conference

2026 CDB Customer Conference

Wednesday, September 2, 2026 (12:00 AM to 11:59 PM)
4.75 PDCs
Provider: Custom Design Benefits
Course Name: 2026 CDB Customer Conference

Speaker: Julie Mueller, Matt Ohrt, Ryan Jankord, Preston Pomykai, Jeff Auten, Dawna Newman, Melissa Nunez, Maisie Weir, Adam Russo, Amanda Guinan
Program Type: Conference
Registration URL: http://www.customdesignbenefits.com
2026 CDB Customer Conference, Mason, Ohio
Email Details

Participants will be able to: (1) identify common drivers of escalating healthcare costs within employer-sponsored health plans; (2) evaluate traditional health plan structures and recognize inefficiencies that impact organizational budgets and employee outcomes; (3) apply innovative strategies to improve affordability while maintaining or enhancing quality of care; (4) strengthen vendor management and accountability to ensure value and transparency in benefits delivery; and (5) align health benefits strategy with broader business objectives and workforce needs Participants will be able to: (1) Define Direct Primary Care (DPC) and explain how the membership-based model differs from traditional primary care delivery; (2) evaluate how DPC can enhance employee access to care, improve the overall experience, and reduce total healthcare costs for employers; and (3) identify the types of organizations best suited for DPC adoption and outline key considerations for integrating DPC into plan design, including self-funded strategies and implementation steps. Participants will be able to: (1) Explain the growth and financial impact of specialty infusion therapies on patients, providers, and employer health plans; (2) assess current specialty infusion delivery models and identify challenges related to patient experience, access, and cost; (3) identify strategies to improve care delivery by prioritizing patient-centered approaches while enhancing efficiency and managing costs. Attendees will (1) gain practical insights into the continued impact of GLP-1 medications on employer health plan spend, (2) emerging federal rebate and PBM transparency legislation, and (3) the growing implications of Trump administration drug pricing initiatives including TrumpRx and Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing models. The session will focus on how these changes may affect plan costs, PBM contracting strategies, fiduciary responsibilities, employee access, and long-term pharmacy trend management. Participants will be able to: (1) Analyze current trends shaping the evolution of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and their impact on workforce performance; (2) differentiate between traditional utilization metrics and more strategic measures that link EAPs to employee engagement, retention, and business outcomes; and (3) apply strategies to position EAPs as proactive, value-driven resources that enhance workforce resilience and support organizational success. Participants in this session will be able to: (1) Understand the key challenges associated with the No Surprises Act (NSA) and IDR process, including rising dispute volumes and data integrity issues; (2) identify operational gaps and pain points impacting IDR efficiency, such as workflow breakdowns and ineligible claim submissions; and (3) explore how AI-enabled negotiation and data insights can improve outcomes, reduce friction, and strengthen dispute resolution strategies. Participants will be able to: (1) Describe how data, analytics, and technology have transformed the design and management of self-funded health plans; (2) evaluate innovative plan design strategies that promote cost and quality transparency while encouraging members to make more informed healthcare decisions; and (3) identify actionable approaches to enhance engagement, optimize costs, and implement forward-thinking solutions in self-funded plan management.

You're Registered!
Don’t Feed the Beast: How a Former VP of HR Found Affordability and Great Care with the Health Plan "In today’s climate of rising healthcare costs and increasing employee expectations, HR leaders must deliver benefits that are both cost-effective and meaningful. In this session, former Vice President of Human Resources Matt Ohrt shares his experience transforming traditional employer-sponsored health plans into sustainable, value-driven strategies. Matt highlights how conventional approaches often drive inefficiencies—what he calls “feeding the beast”—and offers practical insights on controlling costs, improving access to quality care, and aligning health benefits with organizational goals. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to rethink plan design, strengthen vendor accountability, and achieve better outcomes for both employers and employees. Participants will be able to: (1) identify common drivers of escalating healthcare costs within employer-sponsored health plans; (2) evaluate traditional health plan structures and recognize inefficiencies that impact organizational budgets and employee outcomes; (3) apply innovative strategies to improve affordability while maintaining or enhancing quality of care; (4) strengthen vendor management and accountability to ensure value and transparency in benefits delivery; and (5) align health benefits strategy with broader business objectives and workforce needs." Direct Primary Care for Employers and Their Families "This session introduces Direct Primary Care, a membership based model of primary care that gives employees and their families direct access to their doctor without the barriers of copays, short visits, and long wait times. Attendees will learn what DPC is, how it works, and why a growing number of employers are adding it to their benefits strategy to improve the employee experience while reducing total cost of care. The presentation will cover which employers are good candidates for DPC, how DPC fits with plan design and self-funding, and the steps involved to deploy it to your workforce. The session will also highlight DPC momentum both nationally and locally across the tri-state region, including how clients of Custom Design Benefits can take advantage of existing DPC access in their region. Participants will be able to: (1) Define Direct Primary Care (DPC) and explain how the membership-based model differs from traditional primary care delivery; (2) evaluate how DPC can enhance employee access to care, improve the overall experience, and reduce total healthcare costs for employers; and (3) identify the types of organizations best suited for DPC adoption and outline key considerations for integrating DPC into plan design, including self-funded strategies and implementation steps." Reimagining Specialty Infusion, What Today and Tomorrow Should Look Like "Specialty infusion is one of the fastest-growing segments in healthcare, affecting a rising number of patients while placing increasing demands on care delivery systems and employer-sponsored health plans. As costs continue to climb, employers and healthcare leaders must ask a critical question: are current models truly designed with the patient at the center? This session will explore how specialty infusion has evolved, where current delivery models fall short, and what a more patient-focused, efficient future could look like. Attendees will gain insights into balancing cost management with quality care, improving access and experience, and rethinking processes to better meet the growing demand for these therapies. Participants will be able to: (1) Explain the growth and financial impact of specialty infusion therapies on patients, providers, and employer health plans; (2) assess current specialty infusion delivery models and identify challenges related to patient experience, access, and cost; (3) identify strategies to improve care delivery by prioritizing patient-centered approaches while enhancing efficiency and managing costs. " 2026 Pharmacy Benefit Market Update: What Self-Funded Employers Need to Know for 2027 "This presentation provides self-funded employer groups with a strategic overview of the rapidly evolving pharmacy benefit landscape in 2026 and the key market, regulatory, and financial developments expected to shape employer pharmacy strategies in 2027. Attendees will (1) gain practical insights into the continued impact of GLP-1 medications on employer health plan spend, (2) emerging federal rebate and PBM transparency legislation, and (3) the growing implications of Trump administration drug pricing initiatives including TrumpRx and Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing models. The session will focus on how these changes may affect plan costs, PBM contracting strategies, fiduciary responsibilities, employee access, and long-term pharmacy trend management. " Don’t Just Check the Box: Turning EAP into a Workforce Performance Strategy "EAPs are rapidly evolving from reactive, compliance-driven offerings into strategic enablers of workforce performance. In this session, we’ll examine current market trends impacting your organization. Attendees will learn how forward-thinking employers are moving beyond utilization metrics to connect EAP services with engagement, retention, and business performance - transforming EAP from a check-the-box benefit into a critical driver of workforce resilience and organizational success. Participants will be able to: (1) Analyze current trends shaping the evolution of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and their impact on workforce performance; (2) differentiate between traditional utilization metrics and more strategic measures that link EAPs to employee engagement, retention, and business outcomes; and (3) apply strategies to position EAPs as proactive, value-driven resources that enhance workforce resilience and support organizational success." No Surprises Act (NSA) 201 : Reduce Friction, Improve Outcomes with AI-Enables Open Negotiation & IDR "The No Surprises Act (NSA) and Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process continue to reshape healthcare and create new complexities for self-funded plans. Rising IDR volume, data integrity issues, ineligible claim submissions, aggressive provider tactics, workflow breakdowns and growing operational strain are common challenges. In this session, Maisie will share insights from client experiences, CMS data, IDRA feedback and data analysis to address top IDR pan points. Participants in this session will be able to: (1) Understand the key challenges associated with the No Surprises Act (NSA) and IDR process, including rising dispute volumes and data integrity issues; (2) identify operational gaps and pain points impacting IDR efficiency, such as workflow breakdowns and ineligible claim submissions; and (3) explore how AI-enabled negotiation and data insights can improve outcomes, reduce friction, and strengthen dispute resolution strategies." Take Action to Capitalize on Opportunities for Your Self-Funded Plans "The design and application of a self-funded plan has been revolutionized over the past decade. Data, analytics, and technology have empowered plans to be creative and innovative in ways not imaginable a few years ago. This session will highlight the progress and opportunities available to ensure a successful and engaging plan design that focuses on cost and quality transparency, incentives for plan members to act as consumers of care, and revolutionary approaches to providing health benefits for Plan Sponsors. The future is now. Participants will be able to: (1) Describe how data, analytics, and technology have transformed the design and management of self-funded health plans; (2) evaluate innovative plan design strategies that promote cost and quality transparency while encouraging members to make more informed healthcare decisions; and (3) identify actionable approaches to enhance engagement, optimize costs, and implement forward-thinking solutions in self-funded plan management."

2026 CDB Customer Conference
2026 CDB Customer Conference
7440 S Mason Montgomery Rd
Mason, OH 45040-9762

Map & Directions