Issues
Vertical Integration
How Vertical Integration Is Driving Up Costs for Patients
CQC’s latest campaign breaks down how vertical integration is reshaping the health care system — and why patients are paying the price. Vertical integration allows insurers to own multiple parts of the health care system, including pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), physician groups, and pharmacies. While this can streamline operations, it also creates opportunities for insurers to profit at every step — often driving up costs and limiting choices for patients.
Fact Sheet: Vertical Integration & MLR
Learn more about how insurers are using vertical integration to maximize profits and how this impacts patients, premiums, and out-of-pocket costs.
Breaking It Down: Creator Series
We partnered with leading content creators to help explain how vertical integration and Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) loopholes impact patients in real, accessible ways.
Watch and share their videos below.
Holding Insurers Accountable
This highlights reel captures key exchanges from the January 2026 health insurance hearings, where lawmakers pressed insurance company executives on coverage denials, affordability challenges, and consumer protections. The moments featured here reflect the urgency of ensuring that insurance works for patients in practice — not just in theory.
Mark Cuban on Vertical Integration
At the Punchbowl News Conference, Mark Cuban breaks down how vertical integration is reshaping health care and what it means for patients.