Letter From Steve Burd, Founder and CEO
I formed Burd Health in September 2013 to help mid to large self-insured organizations with 5,000+ plan members to achieve three ambitious outcomes:
- Lower corporate healthcare expenses by 30% to 40%
- Reduce employee out-of-pocket expenses
- Improve employee health and fitness
We are focused on the self-insured because self-insured companies have the freedom to design their own benefit plan… which is critical to achieving extraordinary results. The lessons we learned at Safeway, where I served as CEO for 20 years – are completely transferrable to every major U.S. company. While Safeway’s results are remarkable, 70% of the value we bring our clients today, result from products and initiatives never deployed at Safeway. Given all the complexity, distortion and disconnects in the U.S. healthcare system, the opportunity to improve efficiencies, lower cost, and improve plan member health is extraordinary.
Between 2003 and 2013, U.S. healthcare spending increased 8%. That’s no surprise – our health care system lacks market incentives, often ignores personal accountability, does not coordinate care, and takes more than 20 years to adopt best standards across all providers. While inflation has slowed recently, the Department of Health and Human Services predicts that healthcare costs will grow by 5.8% per year through 2022. That is unacceptable to us… and it is likely unacceptable to you as well.
At Burd Health, we can reverse the rising tide of healthcare spending for companies and keep more money in the pockets of employees, all while improving the overall health of your workforce.
If we don’t save your company money, there are no fees and you pay for none of our expenses. We win only when you win.
– Steve Burd
What People Are Saying
“Steve Burd is the ultimate disruptive innovator: he single-handedly took on the insurance and medical establishment with a disciplined, common sense approach to helping improve employee health while lowering costs. He is now a national icon for a new model of healthcare.”
Mark Laret, CEO, UCSF Medical Center
“Steve Burd has done more for cancer patients, their families, cancer researchers, and the cause of better healthcare for U.S. citizens in the past two decades than any other CEO in American corporate life.”
Jonathan W. Simons MD, President and CEO, Prostate Cancer Foundation
“Steve Burd’s inspired efforts have improved the health and wellness of our nation and create a lasting legacy that will guide policy far into the future.”
Michael Milken, Chairman, The Milken Institute
What Employees Are Saying
“I considered myself healthy and was regularly using the company’s fitness center. Until I had a routine lab test at our on-site clinic and the results quickly led to an end-stage kidney disease diagnosis for which the only long-term solution was a kidney transplant. Saying I was shocked would be a huge understatement. There’s no way for my family to prepare for a diagnosis like that. I immediately called our company’s health advocate program. I had access to the top doctors, learned a tremendous amount of information, and got the leading treatment plan and then the transplant surgery. I truly got the gift of life. Thank you for caring about our health and for having programs that really make a difference.”
- Thom B.
“I called my company’s medical advocate program a few days after my husband was diagnosed with cancer, when we had so much information to process at a very emotional time. My Advocate explained the many medical terms and treatment options specific to Jim’s type of cancer. Over a few months and numerous calls, the knowledge I gained was invaluable – it greatly relieved the anxiety a cancer diagnosis brings and focused us on the right treatment plan (for Jim’s cancer and at the cell level) to being cancer-free. Steve Burd understands the importance of employee health and I am grateful for this program.”
- Leslie D.
“Three years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The medical advocate service helped me understand the situation and was invaluable in navigating treatment options. I have been very impressed with the program and my results. Thank you Steve Burd, for providing this service. I highly recommend it.”
- Chia-Ching S.
“The healthy measures program that Steve created at my company changed not only the way I managed my own health but also for my entire family. We got healthier together, saved money, and have successfully maintained the positive results year after year. I have never felt better – it’s life changing. We are a healthier family today than I could have ever imagined.”