When Health Insurers Employ the Most Doctors — Who Are They Really Serving? | Employee Benefits

June 12th, 2025

Louis C. Bernardi, “The Benefits Whisperer”

💥 Certified Healthcare Fiduciary Coach and Health Value Advisor 💥 I work with Business Leaders of mid-sized

Did you know that optimizing your healthcare plan can contribute directly to your company’s survival and growth?  ✨ When we compare the benefits of healthcare savings to findings from a recent college essay, “Ten Reasons Why Companies Keep Failing,” the connections are clear. Let’s explore how healthcare optimization addresses these pitfalls:

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There’s a shift happening in healthcare that most Americans — including business leaders and HR pros — don’t even realize is taking place.

📊 As of January 2024, over 77% of U.S. physicians are employed by hospitals, health systems, private equity firms — and increasingly, health insurers themselves.

Yes, you read that right. Health insurance companies now employ more physicians than any other type of organization.

🤯 Let that sink in: The same companies who decide which care is covered, how much to pay for it, and whether it’s “medically necessary”… now employ the doctors who deliver that care.

This isn’t just a surprising fact — it’s a massive conflict of interest that affects every patient, every employer, and every health plan in the country.

🏥 When Profit and Care Collide

Most of us believe our doctor’s job is to advocate for us—to act in our best interest. But what happens when your doctor’s paycheck is tied to an insurer’s performance targets? When they’re pressured to limit referrals, reduce testing, or steer care into certain “cost-effective” (read: profit-maximizing) channels?

⚠️ This model doesn’t just blur the lines between payer and provider—it erases them. And that’s dangerous.

What we’re seeing is:

📈 Rising costs for both employers and employees
🚪 Reduced access to high-quality, independent care
🤖 Standardized, rushed care driven by policies—not people
😡 Frustrated patients who feel like a number, not a person
😞 Burned-out doctors who feel powerless to practice medicine ethically

💡 Why Most Employers Don’t Know — and Why It’s Costing Them

Here’s the kicker: most employer-sponsored health plans are still managed by the same insurers who are leading this consolidation.

That means your health plan may be paying premiums to a carrier who:

Decides what care your employees get
Owns the doctors delivering it
Profits whether outcomes are good or not

If you’re not questioning that relationship, you’re likely overpaying for underperforming care—and unknowingly supporting a system that prioritizes margin over medicine.

🚀 There’s a Better Way Forward

The good news? Employers still hold the keys.

✅ You can design health plans that prioritize independent, high-quality care ✅ You can build networks that reward value, not volume ✅ You can offer your employees better care and lower costs — without relying on legacy insurers with misaligned incentives

This isn’t just about insurance. It’s about healthcare. And it’s about using your influence to create a better experience for your team—and a more sustainable solution for your business.

🙋♂️ Curious how to get started?

Let’s talk. We’re passionate about helping employers break free from the insurance-industrial complex and build health plans that actually work—for people, not profits

Questions? Contact the author at [email protected]

Schedule a call at calendly.com/lcbernardi

Visit our website at www.britepathbenefits.com