Ryan’s dedication to growth, collaboration, and his vision for the future of Benafica is evident in not only the way he speaks about the organization but also in the moves that he makes every day. We had a chance to sit down and expand on the questions that were asked during a quick, one-word reply video.
Q: What is something you wish people understood about health insurance?
A: Complexity. Insurance is complicated and that’s ultimately what we’re [Benafica] trying to solve. We’re always working to answer the question, “How do we take something as complicated as health insurance and make it simple, easy, and accessible for both employers and their employees?”
Q: What is something that makes Minnesota a great home for Benafica?
A: People. Minnesota is a healthcare state first and foremost- it’s got major healthcare organizations including Mayo Clinic in Rochester as well as a ton of people who work for and are involved in all aspects of the healthcare process. This makes it a great place for Benafica to call home.
Q: What does collaboration mean to you?
A: Collaboration is ensuring that all parties are aligned and moving in the same direction. We strive to be perfect every time but that is not the reality of business. The collaborative process requires give and take, compromise, and working together through the good times and the bad times. As long as we’re all moving in the same direction and willing to be realistic in getting there, that’s when we’ve succeeded at collaborating.
Q: What makes ICHRA different than other health benefits?
A: ICHRA is different than other health benefits because it’s simplifying the healthcare process. After being in the workforce for 25 years. I [Ryan] know the process of selecting a healthcare benefit from the group side and when that is what people are used to, we [Benafica] know that we have to keep ICHRA enrollment as simple as that.
Benafica is working to make our process of enrolling in an ICHRA benefit mirror the enrollment of a group plan just with the added benefits that come with having an ICHRA.
Q: How do you approach leadership?
A: Disciplined.
Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all concept; nobody is a perfect leader, so you need a good framework to keep you on the road and between the lines as you work towards your destination. For me it’s about making sure the organization is grounded in a handful of core principles. At Benafica, our foundation is built around Simplicity, Trust and Continuous Improvement. Now comes the hard part; creating the right culture that will put you in the best position to win. Again, I like to keep it simple. Making sure employees understand our greater purpose and are aligned; having relationships throughout the organization that are built on respect and trust; recognizing individual achievements and ensuring the team members have responsibilities with the autonomy to succeed or fail. Having a disciplined and intentional approach to leadership doesn’t guarantee success, but it puts you in a great position to achieve meaningful results and when that happens, individual and organizational growth follows.
Q: What puts the “PLUS” in BENNGI+?
A: BENNGI+ provides a frictionless experience for all employees and employers who are utilizing the platform. It takes what is a fairly complex process and makes it easy.
Traditionally employers select one or two solutions for employees, and they’re forced to pick one. With BENNGI+ we’re bringing the entire market to the employee and this platform allows us to do that in a simple, seamless, and frictionless way. Benafica provides the one-stop shop to access all available plans, in a platform that has built in tools right in the system, that allows users to select and see the differences in plans, and that lets users purchase the plan they want right within it. This system truly mirrors the group insurance models that employees are used to while providing them with tailored options that are unique to them.
Q: What can we expect from Benafica in 2025?
A: Growth; growth in both partnerships as more people get to know Benafica as well as growth in the experience we offer.
We’re hoping to be able to build on new relationships with businesses and insurance brokers alike. We’re always happy to talk about what we’re offering and how it may be the right fit. We’re excited to build on and improve the solution(s) that we provide and we’ll continue to use 2025 as an opportunity to deliver a frictionless solution to more customers which will in turn help grow the organization.
To learn more about Benafica, we encourage you to check out Benafica.com where you can find more information about the solutions that we offer.
