In the “good old days”–let’s call that period pre-2008–the majority of commercial insurance was full-risk: increases came out of payor profitability rather than employers’ and consumers’ pockets, and patients were protected from high out-of-network/out-of-pocket costs.
Medicare advantage is called… Medicare disadvantage!
https://www.work-bites.com/view-all/deep-pocketed-hospital-chain-vs-steelworkers-union
And they also have the nexus with the PBM. License to steal.
Not every contract negation needs to bloom into a problem but most with UHC and Elevance create a lovely not so fragrant bouquet.
Appalling corporate practices that cost lives...