The trend of employers abandoning large insurance carriers for self-funded plans is becoming increasingly popular. This decision is often made in response to increasing premiums charged by larger national insurance carriers. Currently, 65% of covered employees are enrolled in a self-funded employer’s healthcare plan. Self-funded plans allow employers to have more control over healthcare costs and offer employees more personalized benefits. These self-funded plans come with various customized benefits, such as chronic disease management, musculoskeletal care, mental healthcare, and direct primary care. There are several companies, including point-solutions vendors, benefits brokers, and third-party administrators, that focus on providing services to these employers. These companies work together to ensure that employees receive quality care and effective benefits.

While the labor market in the U.S is expected to continue improving, the U.S healthcare industry continues to face headwinds on the labor front, resulting in cost pressures and capacity constraints on health systems and providers. Marketplace staffing can be defined as platforms for “independent professionals to find work, and for organizations to engage this pool of talent.” Compared to traditional ways of recruitment and hiring, marketplace staffing allows for a cost-effective and flexible way for individuals to find jobs in their respective fields and for organizations to connect to these individuals and fill both part-time and full-time open positions. This model has gained traction in recent years in several industries. However, within healthcare, the model is only recently being applied broadly.

Medical coding, the intricate process of translating healthcare diagnoses, procedures, services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes, plays a pivotal role in the vast and ever-changing landscape of the healthcare industry. The sector's complexity is further compounded by continuous healthcare innovation, evolving clinical procedures and services, the introduction of new FDA-approved medical devices and drugs, the global pandemic, and other transformative movements, rendering effective management a critical challenge. Amidst the challenges and complexity, investment opportunities emerge, presenting a compelling investment thesis for exploration.