Health Stories: The Economics of Health Insurance with Nick Reber and Kareem Zaki

Nick Reber of Oscar Health and Kareem Zaki (@KareemZaki_) of Thrive Capital join Erik in this fascinating episode exploring the ins and outs of the health insurance industry. They talk about the misaligned incentives in healthcare and why it maybe shouldn’t be the case that “most people trust their doctor and hate their insurance company.” Nick and Kareem break down why it’s difficult for new entrants to get a foothold in the market and talk about the barriers to competition created by legislation that dates back to World War II. They discuss why there is such a difference between the healthcare plans that people get through their employers versus the ones people opt for when they are selecting a plan on their own. They predict a transition ahead in the health insurance industry that is analogous to the shift from defined benefit to defined contribution pension plans.They also talk about why insurance "is one of the worst ways to pay for anything" and their requests for startups in the space.Thanks for listening — if you like what you hear, please review us on your favorite podcast platform. Check us out on the web at villageglobal.vc or get in touch with us on Twitter @villageglobal.Venture Stories is brought to you by Village Global, is hosted by co-founder and partner, Erik Torenberg and is produced by Brett Bolkowy.