Matthew Naylor: Welcome to Alignment for Impact. I’m your host, Matthew Naylor. I started this podcast because healthcare and leadership both come down to the same thing: alignment. When people, purpose, and performance connect, real impact happens. On this show, we’ll talk with entrepreneurs, brokers, and change-makers who are challenging what is broken in healthcare and in business to find new ways to make a difference for companies, communities, and the people they serve.
Today we’re talking about Crumdale Specialty, where we partner with a unique set of brokers nationwide that are truly making a positive impact for their self-insured clients, employers, and their members. I’d like to welcome our guest, Kelly Brady from Acrisure. Kelly, getting into the insurance business is always interesting to me because nobody just lands at it in a simple way. Can you tell us about yourself, where you’re from, and how you got into the business?
Kelly Brady: I’m from Wisconsin, near the Milwaukee area. I was working at a computer training facility when my Northwestern Mutual representative mentioned an opening in employee benefits. I met one of the greatest influences in my life, Richard Huck, and started a firm in Wisconsin with Northwestern Mutual where I worked for 15 years. About seven years ago, Acrisure approached me, and it’s been the best seven and a half years of my life. I feel like I’ve moved from being a last-minute renewal broker to a consultant, advisor, and partner with my clients.
Matthew Naylor: You mentioned Richard Huck as a mentor. How did he impact you in a positive way?
Kelly Brady: Richard and his partner, Bill Collins, taught me about how to personalize things with people and not make this feel so transactional. Another major mentor has been Mike Natalizio, the president of H&I, who taught me how to put the employee and employer first versus putting the insurance company first.
Matthew Naylor: Help us understand your current role at Acrisure.
Kelly Brady: Originally, I was an account executive focusing on renewals, but I started shifting toward new business because I enjoyed the relationships. This past January, I took on a role as an employee benefit consultant. Now, I’m trying to replicate what we did in Wisconsin throughout the Midwest and mentor young people just as I was mentored.
Matthew Naylor: Tell us about the Wisconsin and Midwest market.
Kelly Brady: It feels like two different markets only 90 miles apart. In Milwaukee, it’s dominated by big carriers like UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross. But 90 miles west in Madison, it’s all HMOs. If a business moves from Milwaukee to Madison, healthcare costs often go down by a third because the HMO model—where the insurance company and providers are one—is much more connected there. In Milwaukee, people want more flexibility to choose specific hospitals for specific needs, which costs more money.
Matthew Naylor: How are you helping employers leverage data to make smarter decisions?
Kelly Brady: I’ve seen an explosion in level-funded options over the last seven years. We use that data to educate and empower people rather than being punitive. For example, if we see ten ER visits in a quarter, we view that as an education opportunity for the company. We want to provide that “red carpet service” where even a company with 50 employees can use data for better outcomes just like a large corporation.
Matthew Naylor: From your experience, how is Crumdale Specialty’s level-funded solution unique?
Kelly Brady: It attacks the pharmacy cost, which has been the main driver of increases in Wisconsin. Two years ago, groups were getting 40% to 70% increases because of a single high-cost drug like Skyrizi or Humira. Before I met Crumdale, there wasn’t a great option for smaller groups to attack those drug costs without taking on the major risks of being fully self-insured.
I have a client who hired people on Skyrizi and Humira, which led to a 50% renewal increase. Crumdale came in and said they could move that $300,000 in drug spend down to $60,000. We took the risk, and Crumdale has exceeded everyone’s expectations over the last year.
Matthew Naylor: How did Crumdale intervene in that case to help the employer and the member without being disruptive?
Kelly Brady: It started with communication. We told employees that they could get the same medication, just by buying it a different way to save everyone money. Crumdale reached out to the high-cost members immediately. In one case, an employee thought their drug wasn’t covered, but it turned out he just hadn’t called Crumdale back. Once he did, they took care of everything through international sourcing because he didn’t qualify for a bridge program. At the recent renewal meeting, no employees complained—they were actually happy because they weren’t paying for the medication anymore.
Matthew Naylor: How do you move a fully insured group to a level-funded solution when there is a lack of data?
Kelly Brady: It’s about understanding the employer’s goals. In the fully insured market, you have no idea what your future costs will be when you hire new people. In level-funding, you are typically composite rated, so you know exactly what a new hire will cost your business. It gives you a mechanism to start controlling costs by looking at what is causing the issues, much like you would with workers’ comp.
Matthew Naylor: Why Crumdale? Why partner with us when you have so many options?
Kelly Brady: It’s the personal attention. If you have a high pharmacy issue, you need a team that is invested in solving it. My brokerage team has multiple clients and might not have the time to call a doctor’s office to figure out why a specific medication isn’t covered. Crumdale’s advocacy team is like a “client service team on steroids”. They have the time to get the member to the finish line, which makes the employer, the member, and the broker all look good.
Matthew Naylor: You’ve been at Acrisure for seven years. How has it impacted you personally?
Kelly Brady: My father was in charge of benefits for the City of Milwaukee for 25 years. When he retired, I saw the impact he had made on people’s lives. I wanted that same kind of impact—not just a transactional role, but a relationship. My father-in-law, on the other hand, had diabetes but didn’t understand things like FSAs because no one explained them to him. My passion is taking people who don’t have that knowledge and helping them become better consumers. With Crumdale, I feel like there is someone there to help beyond me.
Matthew Naylor: Kelly, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. You are a phenomenal example of someone living with passion and purpose. We are lucky to have you as a partner.
Kelly Brady: Thank you.
Matthew Naylor: This is Matthew Naylor. You’ve been listening to Aligned for Impact.
