Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

Whenever you have to visit multiple providers with MD, PhD or DDS at the end of their name in a given week, it’s probably not a good indicator of what your quality of life has been.

On the other hand, we are pretty fortunate in this country to have access to specialists that allow us the opportunity to maintain a high quality of life.

I’m reminded of the current debate on healthcare languishing on in Congress and it makes me wonder, what’s the right thing? There seems to be as many opinions as there are people affected.

Our household has endured a tremendous amount of heartache in the past two years with health insurance providers; cost, access, pre-approvals, clerical errors, pharmaceutical idiosyncrasies, etc.
-and I am fully aware we are among the fortunate.
•we have pretty good coverage
•we have access to competent professionals
•we have the means to pay what insurance doesn’t

What does that say about the state of healthcare in this country? Is there something missing here? Or are our expectations unrealistic regarding degree of service compared to the associated cost?

I grew up believing you get what you pay for. Specialists cost more than generalists and when you really need a specialist: heart, brain, cancer, or pain…you need a specialist…or you suffer.

While I am writing this blog, I hear national news in the background talking about a “skinny repeal” and the ultimatums that senators are laying out about whether they will vote for a new healthcare bill. The lack of leadership displayed by our elected officials is appalling, especially on this issue.

John McCain came back from Arizona to vote Tuesday just to move the senate forward after being diagnosed with brain cancer. He lit up his senate colleagues in a lengthy rant, calling for compromise and essentially accusing them of a lack of leadership…but then said he wouldn’t vote for the bill in its current form. From my perspective, he almost got it right.

You can’t tell me he wasn’t reflecting on healthcare while it impacts him so directly today and his future given the diagnosis.

Leadership requires doing things that may not win the popular vote but is considered by the majority to be the right thing. Several senators, regardless of party affiliation, are putting their own skin or the party platform ahead of what the American people need. This is not leadership, it’s self serving and avoidance of the tough conversations with their contingency that should take place after they vote for a national improvement, not a state centered bill.

The human brain responds five times faster to negative news than positive according to author Don Rheem, CEO of E3 solutions. In that spirit, I point out Congress’ inability to compromise and pass legislation this country desperately needs as an example of what not to do.

Leaders think bigger than what’s immediately in front of them. They look forward and lead with conviction. They are not concerned about their own welfare until they know others are taken care of.

Have a blessed weekend!