06/01/2026
When people hear that a major health system may stop accepting a large insurance company, the reaction is usually outrage.
"How could they do this to patients?"
But what if I told you that physicians and health systems have been asking a different question for years:
"How can we keep taking care of patients when insurance companies keep making it harder and harder to do so?"
As a physician, I can tell you that the biggest battle in healthcare isn't usually between doctors and patients. It's between healthcare providers and insurance companies.
Every day we fight for medications that patients need. We fight for imaging studies that patients need. We fight for referrals, procedures, lab tests, and reimbursement for services we've already provided.
And every one of those fights takes time away from patient care.
The public often blames doctors when they can't get an appointment, when visits feel rushed, or when healthcare feels impersonal. But physicians didn't wake up one day and decide that 10-15 minute appointments were the ideal way to practice medicine.
The insurance system created that environment.
When reimbursement continues to shrink while administrative burdens continue to grow, doctors are forced to see more patients in less time just to keep the lights on.
Meanwhile, insurance companies are reporting billions in profits.
The reality is that insurance companies have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders. Their business model is built around controlling costs. That means prior authorizations, denials, delays, and endless hoops for patients and providers.
So when health systems start pushing back, I understand why.
Does that mean patients shouldn't have insurance? Absolutely not.
Health insurance is incredibly important for catastrophic events—hospitalizations, surgeries, cancer treatment, serious accidents, and emergencies.
But for routine healthcare? Preventive care? Building a relationship with a physician? Managing chronic conditions?
Many patients are discovering that there are better models.
When doctors aren't spending hours fighting insurance companies, they can spend more time taking care of people.
Longer visits.
Better access.
More personalized care.
Less burnout.
Better relationships.
The healthcare system is changing because the current model is breaking both patients and physicians.
So when I hear that a major health system is standing up to an insurance company, my first reaction isn't outrage.
It's: "What took so long?"
