By John Bock
I wanted to share that our CEO, Fred Turner, recently testified before the Texas House of Representatives Select Committee on Healthcare Affordability and laid out why newer health plans like Curative keep running into the same wall: hospital consolidation.
Consolidated hospital systems can charge a smaller payer 1.5 to 2x the going rate, knowing there’s no real alternative: pay it or lose the contract. And with two carriers holding most of the large-group market in Texas, there’s little competitive pressure pushing back on those rates. Newer plans absorb the cost or walk away.
What we’re asking for. Fred put two fixes in front of the committee. First, judge a plan’s network by whether patients can actually get care, not by counting signed contracts. Second, let Texans use the cash prices hospitals already publish, regardless of their insurance status.
What comes next? Testimony (now) → Committee writes recommendations → Lawmakers turn those into actual bills (2027) → Bills get voted on and signed → Only then does it become law
Hopefully some good change will come as Texas lawmakers work to increase competition and fair market prices that will give employers and their employees more options and more value for their health benefits.
A few short clips, if you’re curious:
- The Biggest Cost As a Startup Insurer
- Why Can Hospitals Refuse Direct or Cash Pay?
- Market Barriers: Hospital Consolidation
- Patient Impact of Hospitals Refusing Direct Pay