Those costs trickled down to patients. Over the span of 12 months from 2024 to 2025, three-fourths of uninsured adults skipped or delayed needed health care due to costs.<\/p>\n
The Fort Worth Report will discuss solutions to soaring health care costs at its next Candid Conversation. Panelists include clinic leaders, hospital leaders, physicians and university medical directors, who will speak about how local efforts are trying to help.<\/p>\n
Join us for our latest Candid Conversation\u00a0<\/p>\n
A panel will discuss soaring health care costs and how to solve them. The panelists are:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Dr. Jeff Beeson<\/strong>, executive medical director and assistant professor of medical education and health systems science at UNT Health Fort Worth<\/li>\n
- Aly Layman<\/strong>, executive director of Mercy Clinic<\/li>\n
- W. Stephen Love<\/strong>, president and CEO of Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council<\/li>\n
- Dr. Stuart Pickell<\/strong>, primary care physician and former president of Tarrant County Medical Society<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When<\/strong>: Complimentary breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 18. The discussion begins at 8 a.m. Tickets are available by clicking here.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n
Where<\/strong>: Texas Wesleyan University\u2019s Nick and Lou Martin University Center 2nd Floor.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/CandidConversationFeb-1024x683.jpg\")
From left to right: Dr. Jeffrey Beeson, Aly Layman, W. Stephen Love and Dr. Stuart Pickell will participate in Candid Conversation: Soaring Health Care Costs. (Image collage created by Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)
\nWhat are the solutions?\u00a0<\/p>\nFor Dr. Anatoli \u201cToli\u201d Berezovsky, the solution was leaving the insurance-based medical system altogether.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The direct primary care physician started Mila Family Health clinic in November 2024 in reaction to his dissatisfaction with how insurance companies influenced<\/a> the way doctors practice medicine. Through direct care, Berezovsky\u2019s patients pay a flat monthly fee instead of using insurance.<\/p>\n
Berezovsky recognizes the fault of costs doesn\u2019t fall on the doctors participating in the health care system \u2014 he works part time at JPS Health Network. But he also notes the system only works by being a part of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody I know is frustrated by it, and that’s why everybody I know can’t sustain the work that they do,\u201d Berezovsky said. \u201cBut by continuing to work there, yeah, we’re complicit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Karen Love, president and CEO of Cook Children\u2019s Health Plan, also reckoned with the health care system instability.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere comes a point where companies say, \u2018I can’t afford to provide health insurance for my employees anymore.\u2019 Or families decide, \u2018I can’t afford the cost. I’ll just take my chances,\u2019\u201d Love said. \u201cIf we don’t shift the model to something where we’re actually paying for health, not health care, we are going to find ourselves in a world of hurt in 2030.\u201d<\/p>\n
For her, one of the solutions is promoting innovative initiatives that target core morbidities locally.\u00a0<\/p>\n
North Texas Maternal Health Accelerator<\/a>, for example, seeks ways to reduce maternal morbidity by bringing together more than 130 local partners to provide care or resources to expecting mothers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are companies, both at the philanthropic level as well as venture capital investment firms who are looking for models where they can pay for outcomes,\u201d Love said. \u201cNot pay for the heart catheterization, pay to keep you healthy so that you don’t have to have heart catheterization.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some also choose to impact the system at low costs in areas adjacent to health care. Annabel Luna-Smith, community liaison project manager at UNT Health, said working in the preventive health space can lower costs for individuals in the long run.<\/p>\n
That is where the biggest change can happen locally, Luna-Smith noted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s easier and cheaper for us to prevent these chronic diseases than it is to manage them when they are diagnosed,\u201d Luna-Smith said. \u201cThe goal is if we look at an individual in a holistic approach \u2014 what they eat, exercise, the quality of their sleep, their environment \u2014 we know we can have an impact on preventing these diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ismael M. Belkoura is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n
- Aly Layman<\/strong>, executive director of Mercy Clinic<\/li>\n