HEALTH CARE un-covered Show

The Wall Street Chameleon: Big Insurance at an Inflection Point | EP 1

23 min · 2. mar. 2026
episode The Wall Street Chameleon: Big Insurance at an Inflection Point | EP 1 cover

Description

In the debut episode of the HEALTH CARE un-covered Show, we examine what may be an inflection point in the health insurance reform debate. Over the past few decades, health insurers have transformed into Wall Street–controlled conglomerates and vertically integrated behemoths that have embedded themselves in the pharmacy supply chain, physician practices and nearly every corner of American health care. But as their power has grown, so has public frustration. Polls show Americans are increasingly fed up with rising costs, prior authorization hurdles and corporate profits. And in Washington, lawmakers are starting to take notice. We speak with pollster Madeline Conway of Impact Research about what voters are signaling and why the political winds may be shifting. We also break down key moments from recent Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means hearings, where Big Insurance executives were called to account on Capitol Hill.

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5 episodes

episode Inside Big Insurance's $1.7 Trillion Year | EP 2 artwork

Inside Big Insurance's $1.7 Trillion Year | EP 2

In this episode of the HEALTH CARE un-covered Show, we analyze the 2025 earnings reports of seven of the largest insurers in the U.S. — UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health (Aetna), Cigna, Elevance, Humana, Centene, and Molina. Together, they reported nearly $1.7 trillion in revenue, more than $54 billion in profits and $175 billion more revenue than the year before — yet covered roughly 10 million fewer people than in 2024. We break down how insurers are increasingly relying on taxpayer-funded programs — with UnitedHealthcare now getting more than 77% of its revenue from government sources. We also examine $137 billion in stock buybacks that boost earnings for shareholders and executives, and compare these companies to giants like Chevron, PepsiCo, Bank of America and Salesforce to show how Big Insurance now rivals or outpaces many of America's most recognizable brands. Plus, we step inside Wendell's office to walk through the numbers. You won't find an analysis like this anywhere else.

19. mar. 202621 min
episode The Wall Street Chameleon: Big Insurance at an Inflection Point | EP 1 artwork

The Wall Street Chameleon: Big Insurance at an Inflection Point | EP 1

In the debut episode of the HEALTH CARE un-covered Show, we examine what may be an inflection point in the health insurance reform debate. Over the past few decades, health insurers have transformed into Wall Street–controlled conglomerates and vertically integrated behemoths that have embedded themselves in the pharmacy supply chain, physician practices and nearly every corner of American health care. But as their power has grown, so has public frustration. Polls show Americans are increasingly fed up with rising costs, prior authorization hurdles and corporate profits. And in Washington, lawmakers are starting to take notice. We speak with pollster Madeline Conway of Impact Research about what voters are signaling and why the political winds may be shifting. We also break down key moments from recent Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means hearings, where Big Insurance executives were called to account on Capitol Hill.

2. mar. 202623 min