Bypass vs Host Healthcare
Host Healthcare is a travel healthcare staffing company that works with nursing, allied and therapy travelers. It was founded in 2012 and has been a brand of Medical Solutions since 2022, operating under its own name. Bypass is a self-serve travel staffing platform run by Magnet Medical. Both employ travelers on hospital contracts with payroll, insurance and compliance handled. The difference is the model: on Bypass you search and apply yourself and see the exact weekly take-home before you apply, and most Bypass contracts pay 10–20% more than the standard agency package on the same contract, about 14% on a typical one.
Facts about Host Healthcare checked October 22, 2026 from the public sources listed below.
Side by side
| Compared | Bypass | Host Healthcare |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Run by Magnet Medical, a licensed W-2 healthcare staffing company in 47 states | — |
| How you find jobs | Self-serve: browse every open contract, apply in a few clicks, upload documents once | Recruiter-led, with a public job board |
| Pay before you apply | Exact weekly take-home on every listing, next to the standard agency package | Yes: public listings show an estimated weekly total, including stipends if eligible |
| Benefits and insurance | Weekly W-2 payroll, workers' comp, $1M occurrence professional liability, health insurance plans | Medical, dental and vision from day one, kept active between assignments less than 30 days apart; 401(k) with company matching; license and certification reimbursement |
| Best for | Experienced travelers who know their specialty and want the most take-home | Travelers who want a recruiter and day-one benefits that carry across short gaps |
About Host Healthcare
- Parent company
- Medical Solutions (Omaha, Nebraska), which acquired Host in 2022
- Founded
- 2012, per the 2022 acquisition announcement
- Focus
- Travel nursing, allied and therapy professionals only
- Accreditation
- Certified by The Joint Commission, as the company states
What Host Healthcare does well
- Day-one medical coverage that stays active between assignments less than 30 days apart.
- Shows an estimated weekly pay range on public job listings.
- Specializes in travel only: nursing, allied and therapy.
Where Bypass is different
Bypass runs with software and a small operations team instead of a recruiter for every traveler. You browse every open contract yourself, see the exact weekly take-home before you apply, and upload your documents once. The team submits you, handles credentialing and compliance, works with the facility on your behalf, and runs weekly W-2 payroll.
The lower cost of placing you is passed through as pay: most Bypass contracts pay 10–20% more than the standard agency package on the same contract. If this is your first travel contract and you want a recruiter guiding each step, an agency like Host Healthcare is a sound place to start.
On today's open contracts
Median weekly take-home on open Bypass contracts, and how much more that is than the standard agency package on the same contracts. Across all of them: a median of 14% more. Updated hourly; as of October 2026.
| Specialty | Open contracts | Bypass median / week | More than agency / week |
|---|---|---|---|
| ER RN | 820 | $2,288 | +$268 |
| MedSurg RN | 682 | $2,209 | +$254 |
| MedSurg/Tele RN | 467 | $2,389 | +$290 |
| ICU RN | 465 | $2,394 | +$285 |
| L&D RN | 417 | $2,633 | +$310 |
| PCU RN | 375 | $2,389 | +$287 |
| Physical Therapy | 337 | $2,582 | +$303 |
| CT Tech | 329 | $2,696 | +$318 |
| Telemetry RN | 307 | $2,306 | +$270 |
| Operating Room RN | 294 | $2,607 | +$321 |
| Respiratory Therapist | 247 | $2,262 | +$258 |
| Cath Lab Tech | 201 | $3,072 | +$341 |
How to compare a Host Healthcare offer with Bypass
- Ask for the weekly take-home, not the hourly rate, and how it splits between taxable wage and stipends.
- Match the contract: same specialty, location, shift, hours per week and length.
- Check guaranteed hours and the cancellation policy on both offers.
- Find the same specialty and state on Bypass: every listing shows the weekly take-home up front.
Quick answers
Does Bypass pay more than Host Healthcare?
Bypass doesn't publish Host Healthcare's pay. What it measures is its own pay against the standard agency package on the same contracts: most Bypass contracts pay 10–20% more, about 14% on a typical one. To compare with a Host Healthcare offer, put the weekly take-home for the same specialty, location, shift and hours side by side.
Is Host Healthcare a good agency for travel nurses?
Host Healthcare is known for day-one medical coverage that stays active across short gaps between assignments. It suits travelers who want a recruiter and day-one benefits that carry across short gaps.
Can I work with Host Healthcare and Bypass at the same time?
Yes. Many travelers keep profiles with several agencies. Agree with each one which jobs it submits you to: most vendor management systems reject a second submission of the same traveler to the same job.
Sources
- Host Healthcare: home page
- Host Healthcare: benefits
- Host Healthcare: job board
- Medical Solutions acquires Host Healthcare (2022)
Host Healthcare is a trademark of its owner. Bypass and Magnet Medical are not affiliated with Host Healthcare, and this page is not endorsed by it. Facts about Host Healthcare come from its public materials as of October 22, 2026; check its site for current details.