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From Crisis to Reform: Marilyn Bartlett and Chris Deacon’s Proven Playbook for Lowering Healthcare Costs
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Welcome to another episode of Relocalizing Health, where we dive into the critical and often complicated world of healthcare reform at the local and state level. In this episode, host Dave Chase sits down with two trailblazing leaders in public sector health: Marilyn Bartlett, renowned for her transformative work on Montana’s state health plan and a member of Fortune’s 50 World Greatest Leaders, and Chris Deacon, an experienced former Deputy Attorney General of New Jersey with firsthand knowledge of negotiating healthcare on behalf of state employees.
Together, they unpack the real-life impact of skyrocketing healthcare costs on state budgets, infrastructure, and, most importantly, the everyday lives of public employees. The conversation moves beyond numbers, exploring how unions became unexpected allies in the fight for health plan reform- and why educating and engaging stakeholders is the cornerstone of lasting change. From the power of transparent data to the importance of local advocacy and creative legislative wins, Marilyn and Chris share practical, actionable lessons for mayors, school boards, and anyone interested in bending the cost curve without cutting benefits.
Tune in as we shine a light on how shifting the status quo can restore trust, save millions, and lead to better care for all - plus, get a preview of their hands-on workshops at Rosetta Fest, where they’ll pull back the curtain on hospital finances, contract red flags, and more. If you care about healthier communities and smarter spending, this episode is for you.
Timestamps:
00:00 Genius Thrives in Adversity
03:50 State Employee Health Plan Challenges
08:46 Economic Development 3.0 Podcast Insights
10:55 Unified Approach to Health Benefits
14:21 Effective Data Use in Decision-Making
18:55 Federal Health Policy Movement Signals
22:18 Montana Pharmacists' Legislative Victory
23:25 Surprise Policy Gains for Advocates
29:14 Touching Union Meeting Reflections
30:41 Praising Marilyn and Chris's Impact
33:04 Grateful for Fun Contract Work
Learn More:
RosettaFest 2025 - https://rosettafest.org/
Health Rosetta - http://healthrosetta.org/
Nautilus - https://www.nautilushealth.org/
Kynexions - https://kynexions.com/
Dave Chase - https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedave/
Podcast Website - https://relocalizinghealth.com/
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