Chapter 1: Health Insurance Seems Broken. Why? And How Can We Fix It?

Health insurance in America seems broken because it was never really designed. Instead, it grew out of accidents, compromises, and changing American values. That’s why we’re kicking off a new series on The Healthcare Theory that dives deep into the politics, economics, and innovation behind health insurance in America.In this first episode, Nikhil traces the roots of insurance back to ancient guilds, through the rise of European health systems, and into the uniquely American story of employer-sponsored insurance taking off during WWII. Along the way, we’ll explore why U.S. healthcare costs so much, why anger often lands on insurers, and how a system once rooted in community evolved into a fragmented marketplace of misaligned incentives. This is Part 1 of our multi-episode exploration of health insurance: where it came from, why it looks the way it does today, and what leaders are doing to fix it.