Oscar Health

Thank you Impact Africa Network for hosting Mario Schlosser for this important conversation!

On the latest episode of The Heart of Healthcare podcast, Oscar co-founder and CTO, Mario Schlosser discusses a big tension the company faced in its early years: balancing the need to build Oscar around fundamental health insurance competencies with the desire to innovate beyond traditional industry knowledge. "I had a chart, after talking to these folks and others in the industry, mapping out all the components you’d need to run an insurance company. Somebody has to do prior authorization, you need a claims system, a network management system, that sort of thing. But we hadn’t ever set those up or even looked at vendors that might do this for us. We knew we needed those competencies, but we also knew if we just do whatever folks tell us, it’s going to end up being like a small subpar version of Aetna, which isn’t exciting either." Listen to the full episode here: https://bit.ly/3Yyq759

ICHRA isn’t a fringe solution. It’s quickly becoming a must-have in the broker toolkit. With healthcare costs rising and workforce needs growing more complex, brokers need to offer flexible, future-ready options. ICHRA gives employers budget control, flexibility, and the ability to meet the needs of remote, part-time, and gig workers. In our latest post, we break down which clients are the best fit, and how brokers can use ICHRA to stand out and grow their book of business. Read more: https://bit.ly/4j0DBPg

On Wednesday, Oscar's Catherine Grason, Esq. joined the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and StretchDollar at the Ohio legislature to advocate for HB 133. The bill incentivizes small business owners to offer individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) to their employees. Through ICHRAs, employers give employees tax-free stipends to buy their own health insurance on the individual market. Tax-free stipends are fixed contributions, like a 401(k), meaning employers save money but still cover all employee healthcare costs. Oscar’s advocacy is part of our larger mission to improve healthcare accessibility and affordability for all Americans. We are champions for ICHRA because it gives small businesses predictable healthcare budgets that help their businesses grow – and give employees the ability to choose plans that fit their financial and health needs. ▶️ The bottom line: If passed, HB 133 would give small employers an efficient way to offer health insurance through ICHRAs, and give more Ohioans access to medical care they need. You can read the full testimony here: https://bit.ly/4j7Q5oz

Today, the House Ways and Means Committee heard from several proponents of HB 133 - my bill to allow small businesses (2-50 employees) to claim an annual $400 nonrefundable tax credit for each employee that uses an "individual coverage health reimbursement arrangement." A special thank you to those who testified in person: Oscar Health, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), StretchDollar, and Oswald Companies. You can find all the testimony here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gzaup5g8

For many small and mid-sized employers, the benefits math just isn’t working anymore. Premiums are rising. Participation is falling. Employees want more choice. For brokers, ICHRA offers a opportunity to make a real difference by providing cost control for employers and flexible coverage for employees. Our latest post explains how to match it with the right clients: https://bit.ly/4j0DBPg

ICHRA's growth and impact are becoming impossible to ignore. Oscar is proud to support SureCo's 2025 State of ICHRA report, which details the acceleration of ICHRA adoption, its interest among brokers, and its successes among employers and employees. The report's takeaway is clear: The employer benefits space is overdue for solutions that give employees more control over their healthcare decisions, and employers more control over their healthcare costs. ICHRA is that solution. Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/3XK4FtE

The growth and stability of the individual market is not only helping insure more Americans - it's also creating the foundation for the future of health insurance. Sean Egan Oscar's VP of National Sales, highlighted this and other key trends at the ACA Health Summit this week: ▶️ ICHRA is unlocking a new wave of healthcare consumerism that has not been seen before in the employer space ▶️ Carriers are offering more plans off-exchange to meet employer and employee expectations ▶️ Forward-thinking brokers are embracing the opportunity to guide clients through these evolving options, helping them navigate the complexities of the market As these trends continue to unfold, the ACA market will undoubtedly play a crucial role in redefining the landscape of individual healthcare. Thanks ACA Health Summit for inviting Sean to share his insights.

Managing a chronic condition like diabetes shouldn’t be complicated—or expensive. That’s why Oscar launched WellDia, our new diabetes management program designed to make care simpler, more affordable, and more connected. Jessica Royer, Senior Manager, Product Marketing, explains how the program works, and why it matters. https://bit.ly/42j2uzU

ICYMI: Oscar recently launched Live Chat, a new experience for our Virtual Urgent Care (VUC) service that offers real-time conversations with the flexibility of messaging. It’s a faster, more modern experience—and it’s already reshaping how we deliver care. Brian Lee explains how the feature works and where it's going next: https://bit.ly/4l1h9qP