For MSO & medical group leadership
What does one physician departure really cost you?
Estimate your physician turnover exposure and see whether a better employer-paid disability benefit, paired with an optional voluntary buy-up, could be a smart retention investment.
- Estimate the cost of replacing a physician
- Compare turnover exposure to benefit investment
- See whether your plan covers 1099 and independent contractor physicians
- Identify whether your current DI plan may be underpowered
- Get a leadership-ready summary you can share internally
Sample estimate
Preventing even one physician departure could offset a meaningful benefit upgrade.
This tool provides directional estimates for planning purposes only. It is not a quote, actuarial analysis, or guarantee of retention outcomes.
Physician retention is not only a people problem. It is a financial exposure.
Medical groups often evaluate benefits as a cost line item. But physician turnover changes the math. When a physician leaves, the organization may absorb recruiting fees, credentialing delays, onboarding time, locums coverage, lost revenue, productivity gaps, and disruption to patients and teams.
For organizations with 1099 physicians, standard group plans often provide no coverage at all — creating a significant gap that many executives don't know exists. If a better disability benefit helps retain even one physician, the financial case can be significant.
Replacement cost
Recruiting, onboarding, credentialing, and productivity disruption can add up quickly when a physician departs.
Vacancy impact
Every open physician role can create operational strain and lost revenue while the position is filled.
Retention signal
Benefits physicians understand and value can help employers stand out in recruiting without only increasing salary.
Step 1 of 4 — Workforce profile
Workforce profile
A few quick details about your physician group.
Recommended plan design
The plan design that often makes the most sense
Employer-paid base coverage plus voluntary buy-up.
Card 1
Employer-paid base benefit
The employer funds a meaningful baseline benefit for eligible physicians. This creates a visible retention signal and shows physicians that income protection is part of the organization's commitment to them.
Card 2
Voluntary buy-up
Physicians who want more protection can increase coverage at their own cost. This helps high earners close income-protection gaps without requiring the employer to fully fund maximum coverage for everyone.
Why this works
- Creates a benefit physicians can understand and value
- Helps the employer stand out in recruiting
- Gives higher-income physicians a path to more protection
- Can work for mixed W-2 and 1099 populations when structured correctly
- Keeps employer cost more controlled than a fully employer-paid maximum benefit strategy
Physician DI is not generic group LTD
Many disability plans look adequate on paper but miss the details that matter most for physicians. Hollowtree reviews physician disability plans for issues like own-occupation definitions, benefit offsets, mental health and substance abuse limitations, portability, eligibility, 1099 access, benefit caps, and whether the enrollment process works for busy clinicians.
Own-occupation language
Specialty-specific protection
Benefit caps and income replacement
1099 eligibility
Portability
Enrollment and communication support
Recruiting differentiator
What happens after you request a plan review?
Share your current plan or census
Send us your current DI plan summary, census, or basic workforce details.
We identify the gaps
We review plan design, physician fit, eligibility, benefit caps, and enrollment friction.
We show options
If there is a better structure available, we show how an employer-paid base plan and voluntary buy-up could work.
We help with rollout
Hollowtree supports communication, enrollment, and administration so the benefit is actually understood and used.
Common questions
No. This calculator provides a directional estimate of physician turnover exposure and potential benefit strategy. A quote requires census data, plan design details, and carrier review.
Physicians have high incomes, specialized roles, and significant financial obligations. A well-designed disability benefit can be a meaningful signal that the organization understands and supports their financial security.
Voluntary-only coverage can be useful, but an employer-paid base benefit is often a stronger retention signal. A buy-up option can then let physicians increase protection based on their individual needs.
In many cases, yes — but it requires the right structure, enrollment process, and administration. Hollowtree specializes in mixed physician populations, including W-2 and 1099 groups.
We look at own-occupation definitions, benefit caps, offsets, exclusions and limitations, portability, eligibility, 1099 access, enrollment workflow, and whether physicians understand the benefit.
A first review usually starts with a 20-minute conversation. Deeper analysis depends on plan documents, census data, and the complexity of the organization.
See whether your physician DI benefit supports retention or quietly leaves gaps.
Get a practical review of your current disability plan and see whether a better structure could support recruitment, retention, and physician confidence.
This calculator is for directional planning purposes only. It is not a quote, actuarial analysis, legal advice, tax advice, or a guarantee of retention outcomes.