Giving Thanks for Healthcare

This year was once again fraught with political bickering about healthcare, and some personal losses. So this year, I am especially thankful for healthcare and for those working hard to protect affordability, access, and improve the patient experience.

In September, we lost our cousin to an aggressive form of stomach cancer. George was only 40, had a newborn son and a full life ahead of him. While he had health coverage, medical expenses and income loss can put serious strain on a young family.

In June, one of my closest friends died in a motorcycle accident. John was only 49 and also a passionate volunteer at SVAHU who helped advocate for a better insurance industry and health care policy. He had health coverage and wanted to make it easier for others to get covered too. John was one of the best people I know and is dearly missed.

In July, we lost another dear friend and CAHU colleague to cancer. Susan fought cancer like a champion and dutifully served the association until the very end. Another sweet friend and co-worker from Blue Shield, Berylanne just passed In October, and we've had several close-calls, accidents (Johnny), and serious illnesses that nearly took the lives of other friends and family. All of this to say, I am not taking my health (or health care) for granted.

A little known and sad truth about the Las Vegas shooting victims... many are overwhelmed by medical expenses and resorting to GoFundMe campaigns to pay for medical bills and rehabilitation. While it's heartwarming to see such an outpouring of generosity from strangers, it's also sad so many need to pass the hat around to help pay for their healthcare as these campaigns rarely reach their target goal. Also, too many uninsured (or underinsured) are still flocking to charity healthcare events like this one for basic care.

I'm fortunate to be reasonably healthy and can afford coverage for my own family. Not everyone can. Many working "middle class" folks are especially challenged to pay their rising premiums and, without subsidies, feel the full squeeze of the politics to repeal the ACA. The past year and these personal events reaffirm my commitment and passion to advocate for better health care and to improve our fractured healthcare system, with better policy and with innovation. I'm also encouraged and optimistic for the future. There is lots going on and great progress with new products, tech tools and ideas that will surely change the health care space forever. I am eager to play a bigger part in that effort and will soon make a professional change to get even more involved.

I am especially proud of the health insurance agents who continue to help clients get and keep coverage in the individual market, even though the work is harder and pays less (or near nothing) each year. These agents are truly the unsung heroes of healthcare. Many will work through the holidays due to the shorter open enrollment period this year. At the close of the 2018 open enrollment, I expect agents will once again account for nearly half of the expected 8.1 million re-enrollees, and 4.1 million new enrollees... even if no one reports it. The reports show we are ahead of last years' open enrollment.

This Thanksgiving, I will be with friends and family, and also thinking about the friends and family I lost earlier this year, and for those worried about their health care. I will also give thanks for the excellent work being done to help make health care better for all, and for the passionate people who just won't quit until it happens.

Thank you!

-Michael

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MORE: I'm thankful for our growing team at Limelight Health, and our loyal customers, partners and investors. For the Commonwealth Fund, Insure The Uninsured Project (ITUP), Consumers Union, California Healthcare Foundation (CHCF), Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) for excellent healthcare research and advocacy. Plug and Play, Health 2.0 and the many disrupters dedicated to grow insurtech and my fellow startups and cool companies who are passionate about improving healthcare. Sarah Kliff, Ezra Klein and others at Vox for thoroughly reporting on health policy and calling BS when you see it. Uwe Reinhardt, T.R. Reid, Elisabeth Rosenthal, and the brilliant experts who provide clear facts and context on this very complex topic. To the my fellow board members and volunteers at the Silicon Valley Association of Health Underwriters and enlightened NAHU members who work hard to improve our industry and better prepare agents for change. And my expanded circle of friends and followers who read, comment and share my posts to help spur more thoughtful conversation about fixing our healthcare system.