In a world where healthcare costs continue to rise, David Contorno stands out as a bold disruptor, challenging the status quo and reshaping the industry. With a career spanning nearly three decades in health insurance, he has made it his mission to redefine how businesses approach healthcare for their employees. As the founder and President of E Powered Benefits, a company that builds cost-effective, transparent health plans, he is leading a movement toward affordability and accessibility in a system that has long favored insurers and large corporations over patients and employers.
A Journey from Telemarketing to Industry Disruptor
David’s entry into the insurance world was unconventional. At the young age of 12, he began telemarketing life insurance, setting the foundation for his future in the field. Over time, he worked in various industries, including retail, before stepping into the realm of group health insurance. This decision proved to be pivotal, launching him into a career dedicated to challenging the inefficiencies and opacity of the healthcare system.
Through years of experience, the multi-faceted leader identified a fundamental issue: healthcare was not broken, as many claimed, but rather functioning precisely as designed favoring corporate profits over patients and providers. Determined to create change, David developed a business model that directly benefits employers and employees, significantly reducing costs while improving access to necessary care.
E Powered Benefits: Transforming the Industry
As the founder of E Powered Benefits, David has built a company that thrives on transparency and cost reduction. E Powered Benefits is a consulting and benefits advisory firm that helps businesses create self-funded health plans with a focus on direct contracting, risk management, and patient advocacy. The firm eliminates the conflicts of interest that plague traditional insurance brokers by only getting paid by clients, ensuring their goals are aligned with cost savings and better healthcare outcomes.
One of the hallmarks of E Powered Benefits is its ability to cut employer healthcare spending by 40% to 60% while offering employees zero out-of-pocket costs for many medical services and medications. By leveraging direct provider relationships and removing middlemen such as Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), the firm ensures that employees receive high-quality care at a fraction of the traditional cost.
A Bold Leadership Philosophy
Describing himself as a “change agent” and “disruptor,” David is committed to upending traditional business models in healthcare. His approach is rooted in transparency, a value that sets his firm apart in an industry notorious for its opaque pricing structures. Unlike conventional brokers who profit from higher insurance costs, his firm only gets paid by clients, tying its earnings directly to the savings it generates for them.
Beyond business, he has created a mentorship program aimed at educating other advisors on how to build and manage health plans that prioritize patient and employer benefits. His wife and business partner have also launched an annual symposium, bringing together industry peers and clinicians to exchange knowledge and foster innovation.
Redefining Healthcare Costs and Benefits
Transparency is at the core of E Powered Benefits. Unlike traditional insurance plans that function as “black boxes” with hidden costs, the firm operates with complete financial openness. By eliminating unnecessary markups and ensuring that money is spent efficiently, David is proving that affordable healthcare is possible when financial incentives align with patient well-being rather than corporate profits.
E Powered Benefits has successfully implemented innovative cost-saving techniques such as direct contracting with healthcare providers, eliminating middlemen like PBMs, and incorporating data-driven decision-making to assess the best healthcare options. The firm has been instrumental in reducing dependency on traditional insurance carriers, shifting the power dynamic back to employers and employees.
Overcoming Industry Challenges
David’s biggest hurdle has been combating decades of misinformation and skepticism. Many businesses have been promised savings before, only to be let down by traditional brokers and carriers. Convincing them that a better way exists requires not only data and results but also a shift in mindset. His firm educates employers on the difference between healthcare and health insurance, demonstrating how strategic changes in payment structures can yield significant benefits.
The multi-faceted leader also exposes the hidden mechanisms within the industry that drive up costs, such as PBMs, which often markup medication prices for profit. In one case, he helped a small business eliminate a $1.2 million annual drug expense by utilizing a manufacturer’s patient assistance program, demonstrating the power of knowledge and strategic action.
Additionally, David highlights the inefficiencies in hospital billing practices. Many hospitals, despite their non-profit status, fail to educate patients on available financial aid programs. He is a firm advocate for better patient education and has worked tirelessly to spread awareness about alternative funding sources for medical expenses.
Advice for Businesses and Entrepreneurs
For business leaders and entrepreneurs, David’s message is clear: Apply the same scrutiny to healthcare expenses as you do to other aspects of business operations. Accepting year-over-year increases in healthcare costs without investigation is no longer an option. His advice to budding entrepreneurs is to surround themselves with experts who challenge the norm and demand better results.
The multi-faceted leader also encourages individuals to educate themselves about their healthcare options. For example, many hospitals, despite being classified as non-profits, fail to inform patients about financial assistance programs that could significantly reduce or eliminate medical bills. By understanding these systems, individuals can take control of their healthcare costs rather than being at the mercy of an industry designed to maximize profits.
The Future of Healthcare and David’s Vision
Looking ahead, David envisions a future where the principles he champions become the industry standard. Through mentorship and education, the multi-faceted leader aims to build an “army” of professionals who implement similar cost-saving strategies, ultimately transforming the healthcare landscape. His goal is to redirect wasted healthcare dollars toward better wages, retirement security, and financial peace of mind for employees nationwide.
For David, the mission is personal. The multi-faceted leader firmly believes that a healthier population and a more transparent healthcare system are possible, and he is dedicated to making that vision a reality. As he often says, “There is only one way to pay less for healthcare… you have to pay less for healthcare.”
Through his unwavering commitment to transparency, innovation, and education, David is not just changing the conversation around healthcare—he is leading a revolution.
