The Great American Healthcare Heist with Chris Deacon

What if America’s $4.9 trillion healthcare system isn’t broken, but stolen? In this episode, attorney-turned-benefits leader Chris Deacon joins Curie to expose what she calls “The Great American Healthcare Heist.” Drawing on her experience overseeing benefits for hundreds of thousands of New Jersey employees, Deacon unpacks how middlemen, opaque contracts, and administrative bloat siphon dollars away from clinicians and patients alike. From jaw-dropping examples of employers paying millions while providers see only a fraction, to the hidden trade in claims data that shapes care and costs behind the scenes, this conversation pulls back the curtain on a system designed to extract. We explore why transparency is so fiercely resisted, what fiduciary responsibility should look like in employer plans, and why clinicians must understand the financial mechanics of coverage if they want to truly advocate for their patients. Part exposé, part call to action, this episode challenges listeners to see healthcare not just as medicine—but as money, power, and policy in motion.