Northwest Arkansas Annual Benefits Summit 

8:00 – 8:30 AM | Registration, Light Breakfast

8:30 – 9:30 AM | Medicare Gotcha's for 2024

9:30 – 10:30 AM | Learning from Other Employer’s Compliance Mistakes

10:30 –  11:00 AM | Population Health EAP Case Study

11:00 – 12:00 PM |  State of Arkansas Legislative Overview – Current & Upcoming Changes

12:00 – 1:00 PM | Catered Lunch  

1:00 – 2:00 PM | What's Trending in Pharmacy

2:00 – 4:00 PM | Myths & Misconceptions About Employer Health Plans

4:00 PM | Closing Remarks & Networking 

Pam Stout, Owner at Redline Health

Pam Stout is the owner of Redline Health. With nearly 2 decades of experience under her belt, Pam has seen many challenges and struggles with clients in the insurance industry. Her passion is helping make a difference in her clients’ lives by explaining healthcare options in laymen's terms, one individual or company at a time.

Pam enjoys making Medicare as easy to understand as riding a bike (or motorcycle preferably). Engaging with others on a human level and keeping things fun and interesting is why Pam is so renowned across Northwest Arkansas with thousands of clients and organizations.

When Pam was forced to purchase her first insurance plan outside of group benefits, it was scary, and she realized how overwhelming the insurance process can be. This insurance stuff is confusing! At the time, she was not given any education to help her decide on a plan to fit her family’s needs. She was simply told what plan to enroll in. THAT is why Pam decided to get into this business. She wanted it to be better. Better education and better service, while providing people the ability to take control of their healthcare decisions. So here we are.

Between kids, grandkids, work and riding, Pam would say life is a journey. Get out there and enjoy it! And if you are looking to double the fun on any vacation, Pam would agree, two wheels is better than four! Make it count!

Amanda Olimb, J.D., Vice President of Compliance at Brown & Brown

Amanda Olimb, J.D., delivers a refreshing take on the regulatory and legislative topics that impact employee benefits programs. With nearly a decade of experience in employee benefits, she helps support customers by delving into their specific employee benefits questions and breaking down new and existing regulatory and legislative topics. Olimb also provides in-person and virtual training so customers deeply understand key issues. Her hands-on style provides listeners with practical ways to approach compliance topics.

Olimb joined Brown & Brown in 2021. She graduated magna cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law and is a Mitchell Fellow.

Rick Fox, Population Health Consultant at Brown & Brown

Rick Fox serves as the Regional Population Health & Well-Being Consultant for the Central Region of Brown & Brown. His passion and focus include working with employers to help develop data-driven strategic solutions to reduce costs and improve employees' overall health. He is an accomplished, results-driven consultant with a background in physiology, corporate wellness, healthcare and 18 years of experience providing leadership in designing, implementing and measuring health programs and strategies.

Max Greenwood, VP Government & Media Affairs at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield

Max Greenwood is responsible for Government and Media Affairs at Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Greenwood joined Arkansas Blue Cross in 1996 as the manager of Public Policy. Prior to joining the company, Greenwood was the press secretary for the Arkansas Governor’s Office, deputy press secretary for the Clinton for President campaign and transition team and a Capitol Bureau reporter for the Arkansas Democrat and the Arkansas Gazette. In 2015 she was named director for Governmental and Media Relations for Arkansas Blue Cross. A native of Chicago, Greenwood earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.

Sharee Bowsher, Director of Client Engagement at Remedy Analytics

Sharee supports Remedy Analytics clients through their PBM procurement and renewal activities, contract negotiations, market checks and audits. She coordinates with the clinical and technology teams at Remedy to provide ongoing actionable guidance based on industry trends and data-driven, client-specific insights. Having spent the last 20 years in PBM client engagement and strategic growth roles, Sharee has guided employer groups ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses, managed care organizations, health systems, tribal groups, third-party administrators and benefits brokers. She started her career in specialty pharmacy working directly with patients and their prescribers. Sharee has her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a Certified Self-Funding Specialist through the Health Care Administrators Association and is a certified yoga instructor.

Josh Rydberg, VP Underwriting Services at Brown & Brown

As Vice President of Underwriting Services, Josh’s primary role is to design and implement financial management strategies for clients across the country. He also develops, maintains and delivers financial tools and methodologies that assist in the effective management of employer-sponsored health plans.

Josh routinely provides internal and external education regarding unique opportunities for groups to improve health plan structure. By leveraging a distinctive presentation style, he illustrates the impact of pricing and consumer purchasing behavior on both employers and members. This simplification of complex theories creates actionable results that are often contrary to current trends.

A broad insurance background – which includes pricing for workers’ compensation, automobile, homeowners and various other property and casualty coverages in addition to group benefits – allows Josh an objective perspective when devising and communicating winning medical plan strategies. It also provides him the ability to engage with clients that are interested in evaluating enterprise risk and cost.