Aug. 25, 2026

Why Employers Should Cover Whole Genome Sequencing | with Joshua Resnikoff

Whole genome sequencing costs about $1,000 today. Ten years ago it was fifteen. Clinical guidelines already say kids with epilepsy or developmental delay should be escalated to it, and more than half of them never are.

My guest this week is Joshua Resnikoff, founder of Sunstone Health and a former bench scientist at Harvard.

He came to this the hard way. His middle son started spiking 105-degree fevers at 18 months old, and it took three years and several pediatricians to name the condition. When they finally did, the answer was that there's no treatment.

Josh knew the tests existed. He just couldn't reach them. So he built a business that runs employer claims data, finds kids with a likely genetic basis for their disease, and gets them trio whole genome sequencing in twelve weeks instead of seven years.

The part that matters for a plan sponsor: this runs as a voluntary benefit. No new plan language, no TPA codes, no prior auth, no insurance in the equation at all. Four documents and a claims feed. Josh takes the testing cost at risk, and getting a family to a diagnosis meaningfully cuts their utilization from there.

We also cover why single-gene and exome testing miss 97% of the genome, what it costs, and why these families are already expensive whether you find them or not.

If you're looking for cost containment that actually helps the member, this is the episode. Tune in.

"We can help you deal with that before it ever actually becomes a claim." - Joshua Resnikoff, Sunstone Health

Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!

ParetoHealth: ParetoHealth empowers midsize employers with a long-term solution to reduce volatility and lower overall health benefits costs. Visit https://www.paretohealth.com/fully-insured-vs-self-funding-with-paretohealth-spencer-podcast/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=SelfFundedwSpencer to learn more.

Samaritan Fund: A program that connects those who need help to the support they need. We are proud to offer the Samaritan Fund Program. Visit SamaritanFundProgram.com to learn more.

Vālenz Health: We're Vālenz Health, your partner in improving health literacy, reducing plan spend, and delivering high-value healthcare. Visit ValenzHealth.com to learn more.

Imagine360: Imagine360 helps self-funded employers save on healthcare with smarter health plans. Cut expenses by 20-30% with custom solutions. Contact us today at Imagine360.com.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Intro: The Black Box of Healthcare Pricing

(00:04:24) 98.6 to 105 in the Time It Takes to Get Milk

(00:11:01) Everything on the Shelf, Nothing Within Reach

(00:16:40) One in Ten Americans

(00:22:45) What Genetic Testing Actually Means

(00:29:33) Who Pays, and Why the Families Already Know

(00:34:56) The Case for Sequencing Everyone

(00:40:00) The Guidelines Say Do It. Half Don't.

(00:45:17) Direct Primary Care and the Voluntary Benefit Model

(00:50:57) The Mechanics: Four Documents and a Claims Feed

(00:55:40) Vendor Fragmentation and the Netflix Problem