Growing up, Seth Denson had trouble with his feet that required regular surgery. Because the family did not have health insurance, his father, a preacher, would barter with the doctors to pay for the surgeries. The physicians always agreed to the barter, an early form of creative medical care financing.

Today, Denson preaches creative health financing to his corporate clients, conference attendees and telecast and podcast audiences.

Perhaps the young, footsore Denson subconsciously embraced innovative health coverage. If so, it took a bit of time, and some “aha” moments to unleash his passion for taking apart health plans that were not truly working and putting them back together so they did.

Denson tells prospective clients to cast off their worn out annual renewal plan and get creative with employee health.

“Employers view the traditional insurance plan as a cost item. I challenge them to view health care spending as an investment,” he says. “But for the investment to pay off, you need to commit to it over a period of years. I ask them, 'Why are you making one-year decisions on your benefits, but long-term decisions everywhere else?'”

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The West Texas native assumed from a young age he would follow in his father's footsteps and become a minister before his dad pulled the plug on that ambition.

“My dad said, 'Why do you want to go into vocational ministry?' And I admitted I didn't want to. 'If you're doing this to please me, then I release you,' he said.”

Freed of the pulpit, Denson eventually decided his destiny awaited him in financial services. Early on, he began poking holes in traditional health plans. His nonlinear thinking got him invited to leave one firm after he shared his thoughts with the CEO. “He said, 'That's brilliant and you should pursue it. But not here.'”

Pursue it he did, but his desire to build plans that reduced employer cost continued to cause problems with employers. So he started his own firm. In 2011, he launched JDS Benefits as a platform from which to test his theories about health coverage as an investment rather than a cost.

In 2013, he joined forces with his current partner, John Powter, to form GDP Advisors. Together, the two are building a business dedicated to rethinking health insurance.

“All of our hires come from outside the industry,” he says. “Those are the people we want on our team, not ones from the industry who were taught to do things the old way.”

No longer a lonely voice in the health insurance wilderness, Denson reaches millions of Americans through his media outreach. He's a regular health care commentator on Fox News and NPR. He is an in-demand conference speaker, and a prolific writer of blog posts and even a book, “The Cure: Solving America's Healthcare Crisis.”

“I'm the man in the middle on the health care debate,” he says. “But diseases don't have a political agenda. Our health isn't based on political opinion. Until we understand that and work together, we aren't going to fix it.”

A sense of responsibility to community runs deep in Denson. He has supported such local causes as Habitat for Humanity, AIDS Services of Dallas and, of course, his church. He carved out time several years ago to join his wife, Jenna, and friends from Texas in Wells of Joy School, a community project in Uganda. His role: training the local Ugandas who operate the school in the basics of running a business. He continues to advise the school's leaders. “That project showed me that you have to let people learn how to take of themselves.”

Hectic schedule? You bet. He starts most days at 4:30 a.m. and is still running into the evening. He may not be following his father's path directly, but he's definitely out there spreading the gospel—of innovative health plans.

Instant Insights /

2019 Broker of the Year finalist: Seth Denson

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