Where Do We Go from Here?

Many in our industry voted for a Presidential candidate this, now historic election. Irrespective of the outcome, I hope you voted. If you did not, shame on you…please vote going forward.

President Biden never really got off the ground with his health policy, because he was hampered by Congressional resistance and mixed priorities influenced by extremes of his base. Harris never really made health policy, or any policy, a cornerstone of her campaign. However, there remain pockets of progressive leaders who may still advance some form of Medicare for All in their states, like Washington, Oregon and California.??

As an industry committed to financing human behavior, “we” resemble waiters and restaurant owners more than kingpins or oligarchs influencing outcomes.?? I mean, can any health plan truly claim to make healthcare better?? What’s in our sauce?

Well, we’re about to find out how “Make America Healthy Again” will translate into future regulatory policy and healthcare spending.?? I will admit to being a Kennedy supporter and feeling that the industrial-medical complex needs to re-adjust (much like the military industrial complex).?? My observation about health care and health insurance policy is that success often is the least-worst solution.? ?That seems to be the take of the late Uwe Rheinhart whose last book Priced Out, strikes a tad more optimistic and certainly more intellectual tone.

Big picture?? America is part of a global economy.?? We need a healthy, strong and capable workforce to compete and to protect our economic interests.? There is too much fraud, waste and abuse; but there is also a sick-care cycle in our healthcare supply chain that could use some disruption. We can do a better job taking care of each other, and can you argue with a health policy committed to reducing chronic disease and reducing toxins from our nutritional environment?

Tell you what I don't want: either of the dystopian futures shown in the movies Soylent Green (1973) or Elysium (2013).

What’s your opinion on the next steps in healthcare and insurance?? Will we see a rise in healthcare global tourism??? Will CMS enable Medicare Advantage plans to fund a “global” benefit??? Will IC-HRA’s expand??? Will vaccines get safer, reducing incidence of autism in children? ?Will the MAHA movement spur value-based design?? What role will AI play in the changes ahead??

Here we go.