The Open Road to Reform: Why Healthcare Needs Disruption, Innovation, and the Return of Real Competition

The U.S. healthcare system is at a crossroads — facing rising costs, limited competition, and a widening gap between innovation and accessibility. According to projections from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), national health spending is expected to grow faster than the overall economy over the next decade — about 5.8% per year compared to 4.3% GDP growth. If this trend continues, healthcare’s share of the economy will climb from 17.6% in 2023 to more than 20% by 2033. As costs rise faster than wages or inflation, the need for sustainable, competitive reform has never been more urgent.

How can employers, providers, and innovators work together to create a more competitive, cost-effective, and sustainable healthcare system? And what does it truly mean to “reintroduce wolves” — or competition — into healthcare’s delicate ecosystem?

Welcome to Highway to Health. In the latest episode, host David Kemp sits down with Chris Wilson, President & Chief Revenue Officer at Healthcare Highways, for a deep and refreshingly candid discussion about disrupting the status quo in healthcare. Together, they explore what sustainable reform looks like in practice — from empowering employers to take ownership of health plan decisions to rethinking the structure of care delivery and reimbursement.

Top insights from the talk…

• Reintroducing Competition: Wilson draws parallels between Yellowstone’s reintroduction of wolves and the healthcare industry’s need to restore balance through competition and innovation.

• Empowering Employers: Engaged employers at the C-suite level can directly influence healthcare outcomes and costs by treating healthcare as a core business strategy rather than a delegated HR function.

• Building Sustainable Models: True change requires provider-employer collaboration, transparent reimbursement practices, and consumer-driven health plans that emphasize value and accountability.

Chris Wilson is a seasoned healthcare and insurance executive with over 30 years of experience driving growth and innovation in the industry. Starting his career by founding his own insurance agency, he went on to hold senior leadership roles at Arthur J. Gallagher and Healthcare Highways, where he now serves as President and Chief Revenue Officer. Known for his strategic leadership and focus on disrupting traditional healthcare models, Wilson specializes in business development, revenue strategy, and creating competitive, sustainable solutions for employers and providers.

Article written by MarketScale.