Dennis Hartin of Hub International recently hosted a panel at the National Association of Insurance and Benefits Professionals annual conference in Orlando, FL. The topic of discussion was: “Solving For Healthcare in America: What Do We Need to Do?”
With healthcare costs rising and inflation adding pressure, both employers and employees are searching for ways to save. The healthcare landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with the expansion of private equity into healthcare, hospital systems acquiring doctor offices, staffing shortages, and new federal regulations. These complications make it easy for anyone observing the situation to feel discouraged, often leading to the belief that substantial change is impossible.
However, Dennis, with his 30 years of experience in the healthcare system, brought a unique perspective to the conversation. His ability to ask the right questions, extract meaningful action items, and challenge both the panelists and the advisors in the room led to a spirited and productive debate.
Key Panelists and Contributors
Two of the primary panelists were Michael Stubee of Orlando Health and Richard Ashenoff II from Memorial Hospital, both representing major hospital systems in Florida. Originally, Advent Health was scheduled to participate, but they withdrew just weeks before the event.
To add further depth to the discussion, two local doctors, Dr. Ron Vincenzio and Dr. Chris Pittman, shared their perspectives on the challenges they’ve faced in their careers, as well as potential solutions they believe could make a positive impact. Connie Cranford, representing Evolutions Health Network, offered critical insights into how reimbursement structures and pricing practices are harming consumers. She highlighted innovative approaches her organization has adopted to provide better paths forward.
Promising, but Incomplete Solutions
The hospital systems represented by the panelists are working hard to promote value-based care, which shows promise, but is far from being a comprehensive solution to the larger healthcare problem. The session participants left with a deeper understanding of the complexities involved and, more importantly, with the hope that they can make an impact in their local communities. Small, positive steps can accumulate to create significant change, and the idea that healthcare reform without the government involved is unattainable begins to lose ground in the face of collective effort.
While it’s clear that current incentives are stacked against consumers, increasing transparency in healthcare holds the promise of better choices and greater understanding on the horizon. With new fiduciary lawsuits pressing employers, we expect they will take a closer look at transparent options. This will not only help keep them out of court but can lower costs for their organization.
A Call to Action
Dennis concluded the panel by challenging everyone in the room to take action. His message was clear: Don’t sit idly by waiting for someone else to fix the problem—be part of the solution.
