If This AI Works, It Could Put the Brakes on the Health Cost Spiral
Included Health CEO Owen Tripp bets on concierge care and data to fix a crisis
If you’d like to join me – and peers – for deeper conversations on innovation and leadership, get on this list for Fortt Knox Executive Communities, launching soon: mba.fortt.com.
This is an AI-assisted summary of my Fortt Knox Update with Included Health CEO Owen Tripp. View the full interview here:
In this Fortt Knox update, Jon Fortt sits down with Owen Tripp, CEO of Included Health, to unpack a new employer health plan that aims to flip the traditional insurance experience. Tripp argues employer-sponsored healthcare is at a crossroads: costs are rising at double-digit rates, employers are nearing a breaking point. The old approach, go cheap first and escalate later, often backfires by dragging patients through the system as bills pile up.
Included Health’s new direction? A “member-first, clinically intensive” plan that pairs AI-driven navigation with a dedicated, real physician. From day one, Tripp says, members get a concierge-style experience: an AI assistant (“Dot”) that integrates claims, EMR, and pharmacy data. They also get a consistent doctor relationship, including an extended 45-minute onboarding visit covering medical, financial, and life stressors. The goal is to get people to the right provider faster and reduce total episode costs.
Economically, Tripp says the only durable way to save money is doing the right thing more quickly. Included Health has spent years building proprietary provider-quality models, analyzing tens of millions of claims and outcomes to match members with providers most likely to deliver results at good value. That data foundation now allows the company to do something rare in healthcare: underwrite outcomes and cost trends for employers, standing behind multi-year pricing commitments. Tripp points to early contracts like CalPERS as proof that better outcomes, lower costs, and higher member satisfaction can align at scale.
“It turns out the only formula that really works on health care cost savings is getting to the right answer faster. Because when people get sick or they’re injured, they can bop around in the system trying any number of things and it frankly doesn’t matter if the unit costs of those attempts is low, because the bill is going to keep racking up ….”
Key takeaways
Employer healthcare costs are rising 12%+ annually, pushing many companies into “red alert” territory.
Included Health launched a new employer plan with immediate concierge and clinical engagement.
Members get a dedicated, real doctor plus AI support from day one.
AI gathers goals and concerns members may not share in traditional settings.
The strategy prioritizes episode cost, not just unit cost.
“Highest quality” is defined as best outcome at best value for the individual member.
Included Health has built proprietary provider-quality models from 15M+ claims.
High quality does not always mean highest price; volume and outcomes can lower costs.
The company now underwrites cost trends, standing behind multi-year pricing.
Tripp positions this as a viable alternative to traditional PPO-style insurance models.
If you’d like to join me – and peers – for deeper conversations on innovation and leadership, get on this list for Fortt Knox Executive Communities, launching soon: mba.fortt.com.