There’s no shortage of headlines scrutinizing the health insurance industry as of late, but rarely do we get to hear from the people working inside it. That is, if you don’t count the meticulously media-trained health insurance executives. That silence just ended.
BPD, a healthcare marketing company, recently released findings from a study they conducted that pulls back the curtain on what health insurance employees actually think about their work, their companies, and the state of the system. The findings in the white paper, Good People, Flawed System, raise a red flag for anyone still pretending the system is working fine.
Spoiler alert: it’s not.
But here’s the paradox: most employees do believe in the mission of their organization. More than 80 percent believe their company lives up to its stated purpose. Job satisfaction? Still high. Many feel the industry is making progress with its membership base in mind, especially compared to five years ago. These aren’t disengaged workers; they believe in what they’re doing.
And yet, belief doesn’t quiet their growing doubts.
Employees are starting to reckon with the tension between what their companies say—and what they do. Claims denials are recognized as a real problem, and nearly a third of respondents have personally experienced the kind of red tape they’re supposed to help patients navigate. And when it comes to trust? A healthy majority are biting their tongues about something they can’t ignore: profit is starting to edge out patient well-being.
Even more damning? Most employees feel their organization puts itself ahead of its members. And still, they want to believe the mission is real.
Is it? Or is the mission just a well-placed carrot, dangling in front of well-intentioned workers? After all, most people don’t like to think they work for an evil empire…
And finally, the elephant in the boardroom: vertical integration. Employees see it. They know when their organization owns the member, the data, the pharmacy, and in many cases providers, too, it’s pushing costs higher and care further out of reach for their members. But the cognitive allegiance runs deep. Despite everything, many still believe in the system—or at least the part they play in it—operates with integrity.
So, what can healthcare providers make of all this? The people aren’t the problem. The system is.
So, why then do the people stick around? Simple: good pay, good perks, and everyone’s playing the same “keep your head down, cash the check” game. It’s hard to walk away when you’re told you’re doing good work—even if it’s in a not-so-good system.
Call it moral gymnastics, call it denial. Either way, it’s easier to believe you’re helping versus admit the empire might be a little…evil.
