Independent advocacy: Why it matters more than ever
Empowering employees with unbiased support
By Dr. Abbie Leibowitz, Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, Health Advocate
In today’s complex healthcare landscape, employees face more than just rising costs—they also face confusion. Whether they’re trying to understand what’s covered, find an in-network provider, resolve a denied claim, or juggle information from multiple specialists, navigating benefits can quickly become overwhelming.
This is where advocacy comes in. But not all advocacy models are created equally.
While many health plans and TPAs offer “advocacy” as part of their service package, these insurer-provided programs often come with limitations. Because they are embedded within the payer’s ecosystem, they may not be fully impartial when guiding members through difficult decisions about care, coverage, or costs. Their perspective is, understandably, shaped by the financial goals of the plan.
That’s where independent advocacy makes a difference.
- It puts the member first—not the plan.
- It offers unbiased, personalized guidance.
- It provides navigation across the entire healthcare system, not just one plan’s network.
- It relieves HR teams from constantly fielding benefit-related questions.
- It drives better health outcomes and higher employee satisfaction.
Speaking personally as one of Health Advocate’s co-founders, we built our company by combining the perspective of practicing physicians with extensive experience and understanding of health insurance and benefits. We operate with a singular focus, which is what’s best for the member. We aren’t beholden to certain provider networks or plan cost-control strategies. Our independent status allows us to guide individuals through their entire health journey with clarity, compassion, and objectivity, whether that means helping them deal with a denied claim, find the right specialist, or coordinate care across multiple providers.
In situations where employers offer health plans from multiple carriers, Health Advocate offers a comprehensive program that can serve the whole group. Plus, our members aren’t just the employee “members” tied to health plans the employer offers. We also serve those employees’ spouses, dependents, parents, and parents in-law who are not covered on a health plan by the employer’s selected carrier.
What’s more, our advocates serve as a trusted partner to HR teams. We help reduce the administrative burden of benefits-related questions while empowering employees to take action on their health before small issues become big, costly problems.
The impact of unbiased, full-spectrum advocacy is measurable. In 2024, nearly 20 percent of Health Advocate members using our services engaged with us more than once over the course of the year.
As healthcare grows more fragmented and harder to navigate, the demand for unbiased, member-first support will only increase. Independent advocacy doesn’t just improve the member experience—it protects the integrity of your benefits strategy and delivers better outcomes across the board.
Employees deserve more than just a referral script. They deserve a compassionate advocate who understands the system and works on their behalf. In a healthcare system that often feels designed for plans, not people, independent advocates provide a human voice, a path forward, and peace of mind.
Independent advocacy isn’t just a differentiator, it’s a necessity. Don’t settle for “advocacy” that serves the system. Choose advocacy that serves your people.