Anyone in sales understands the idea of whether you sell pain avoidance or pleasure. The statistics show, and it is my experience, that selling pain avoidance generates better results. In my last business I estimate that 75% of my clients became clients only after they suffered the loss of an important client. We have all heard the story of Blockbuster turning down the opportunity to buy Netflix for $50 million. I believe, regardless of the sales strategy, that most of us do what we do because we want to do something good for people. Selling pain avoidance may be a necessary evil at times though we do so somewhat reluctantly. Dealing with human behavior is part of business.
In my last article I wrote about, “The Health Insurance Tsunami is Coming – and It Will End Employer Health Insurance as We Know It”. The implication is this is bad because a Tsunami can’t be good, right? Well, in reality, I think what replaces the current health insurance system is going to be great. I come to work every day in my business doing as much as I can to make that happen. The tagline for my new company is, “Helping Employees Have a Better Day”. I really don’t think the current health care system does that. My 22-year-old daughter pays what is the equivalent of 90% of her health insurance premium through work for a $5000 deductible. It is not much of a benefit. The current system is very broken and does need to be wiped out.
Many benefits brokers I talk to hope I am wrong about the Tsunami because anyone protecting the current system may be wiped out. I am not hoping people are hurt. I actually think there is the possibility of a new health care system within our grasps that could really help millions of Americans. My preferred message to brokers would be “Let’s get together and fix health insurance to help millions of Americans”. That is really what excites me every day. We can do something great.
So, what is after the Tsunami? Imagine a world where health insurance and health care costs are 20% less than today. Insurance plans are easy to understand. There may be a small copay or deductible of $500 and then everything is 100%. I won’t need a medical insurance dictionary or call center to understand my health insurance or the health care system. My doctor has an incentive to keep me healthy. I get a text message from my doctor if I gain ten pounds and he asks to see me. My health data is collected on my watch or cell phone and proactively tells me what I should be doing to stay healthy. My insurance is mine and only changes when I choose to change it. I have easy access to all my medical information, and I choose who can have it. There are no claim forms. My primary care physician advises me on the best and most affordable prescriptions when needed. New health care innovations are readily available, and I can learn about them on my cell phone. There will be no need to ever negotiate health care costs or worry about balanced bills. And, believe it or not, this is not Medicare-for-All.
What replaced Blockbuster was Netflix. Netflix is better. I don’t have to get into my car and go to a store to rent something and then pay a penalty when I don’t return it on time. Netflix is better than Blockbuster, though many people who were somehow financially tied to Blockbuster may have suffered financial losses. It is an unfortunate by-product of progress.
This could be a benefits broker’s Blockbuster moment, but it doesn’t have to be. There are companies that will thrive because they help solve a major problem in America. My mission is not to help or hurt benefits brokers. The market doesn’t care what I think anyway. However, I have been promoting a health insurance and health care model that I believe can help our whole country. I think the market is ready for this change. The pieces are coming into place. We can be part of the solution, or not. So, let’s do it, because we can!
JOE MARKLAND 