Health Affairs, 2026
When the hospital is also the insurer
Insurance plans run by health systems negotiated significantly lower prices than traditional insurers for 44 of 46 services with mandatory price reporting.
Summary
Using hospital price-transparency data, the study compared prices that provider-sponsored health plans (insurance offered by health systems themselves) negotiated with their health systems against prices negotiated by nonintegrated insurers; the provider-sponsored plans had significantly lower prices for 44 of 46 mandatory-reported services.
In 2023, 179 of 639 US health systems (28.0%) offered an insurance plan, most often Medicare Advantage.
Health-system-run insurance plans negotiated significantly lower prices than traditional insurers for 44 of 46 services
44 of 46 services had significantly lower negotiated prices for provider-sponsored plans than for traditional insurers, 2024
Context, 2023: 179 of 639 US health systems (28.0%) offered an insurance plan.
Each square is one of the 46 mandatory-reported services compared, using hospital price-transparency data; figures from the published abstract. The 2023 health-system count is shown for context only; the abstract does not say how many systems or plans were in the price comparison. Source: Mead M, Mullens CL, Diaz A, Ibrahim AM. Health Aff (Millwood) 2026;45(10):1088–1095. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01531. Redrawn by the lab from published results.
Read the study
Mead M, Mullens CL, Diaz A, Ibrahim AM. Provider-Sponsored Health Plans Negotiated Lower Prices For Health Services Compared With Traditional Insurers, 2024. Health Aff (Millwood). 2026;45(10):1088–1095. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01531
Data and how to cite
Download the data (CSV): services with lower negotiated prices, Health Affairs 2026
The values plotted above: services with lower negotiated prices, Health Affairs 2026.
How to cite: Mead M, Mullens CL, Diaz A, Ibrahim AM. Provider-Sponsored Health Plans Negotiated Lower Prices For Health Services Compared With Traditional Insurers, 2024. Health Aff (Millwood). 2026;45(10):1088–1095. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01531