Employers to Gather in Madison Intending to Bend the Medical Cost Trend

MADISON, WI – Intending to address the challenge of continuously rising healthcare costs, employers from Wisconsin and surrounding states will gather at The Alliance 2025 Spring Symposium in Madison on April 22-23. 

With the theme “Bend the Trend: Designing Affordable Healthcare Together,” this two-day educational event hosted primarily at the Monona Terrace, aims to provide employers with innovative approaches to healthcare and health benefits. 

“Everybody agrees that healthcare is too expensive in the country. We all know this. This is unstainable. The question is, who is going to be bold enough to step out and try to make something dramatically different happen,” said Curt Kubiak, President and CEO of The Alliance. “The Alliance’s Spring Symposium will be an opportunity to come to the table with healthcare innovators and lay the groundwork for real change.” 

Spring Symposium session highlights include: 

Bend the Trend: Designing Affordable Healthcare Together  

Healthcare costs continue to rise, but a major shift is on the horizon. This session will give an exclusive first look at the next evolution of The Alliance’s cost-saving initiative, built to help self-funded employers reduce per-member-per-month (PMPM) expenses. Attendees will learn what defines a “preferred-value provider,” how to integrate them into a benefits strategy, and how these updates will empower smarter, more cost-effective healthcare decisions.  

Tackling Big Drivers of Unnecessary Healthcare Cost 

Brian Klepper, PhD, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Employers Clinic Commission, will outline a bold strategy for employers to take control of their healthcare costs. Attendees will gain practical insights on building high-value, cost-effective health plans that challenge the status quo. Klepper is a leading healthcare analyst who advises on advanced primary care, high performing specialty services and healthcare risk management. 

How Employers Are Taking Control of Healthcare Costs 

This session will move beyond industry noise to present new, employer-tested strategies for managing healthcare cost drivers effectively. Attendees will hear directly from experienced business leaders as they share high-impact, low-lift solutions that have improved care, reduced waste, and generated significant savings. 

Health Policy Issues Impacting Employers 

An expert panel will explore how legislation gets introduced and how employers can communicate effectively with both employees and lawmakers regarding health policy. The panelists will explore different perspectives on health policy and to understand how to bridge differences in understanding to achieve better healthcare for employees and consumers. 

Healthcare Transformation Awards 

The Alliance will recognize two organizations with its highest honor, the Healthcare Transformation Award. The award recognizes employers, providers or other organizations that drive meaningful change in the healthcare marketplace, including improving quality, affordability and accessibility. 

“Join us as we work together to design affordable, accessible healthcare,” said Melina Kambitsi, Ph.D., senior vice president of business development and strategic marketing at The Alliance. “This symposium is an invaluable opportunity to learn, connect, collaborate, and innovate with employers, benefit partners, and industry leaders.”   

For more information and to register for The Alliance’s 2025 Spring Symposium, visit the-alliance.org/events. 

About The Alliance  

The Alliance serves as the voice for self-funded employers who want more control over their healthcare costs. Using Smarter Networks^SM and sophisticated data mining and analysis, they provide transparent, creative approaches to network and benefit plan design to unlock savings where others can’t – or won’t. The Alliance remains a trusted, objective partner for its 500+ employers and their brokers, who seek improved access to high-quality healthcare by contracting with a network of healthcare providers across the Midwest.