“I have to keep thinking that if I didn’t live where I do, how I live, and have the ability to make these choices, what would my life look like and how would my be health be affected?”
As I spend countless hours figuring out which healthcare insurance provider to switch to, I have to remember how fortunate I am and filled with choices. The hours investigating, more hours on the phone figuring out the details and which doctors of mine are covered by which plan, and figuring out what works best is indeed maddening. Trust me, I definitely earned a few extra gray hairs from the process.
As I finally made a choice which seemed to be the best fit for what I need, I kept thinking about how other people do it. I’m sitting in a fully wired apartment, with a laptop and smart device at my disposal, spreadsheets created, locations and coverage of doctors mapped out and was still struggling to make the best decision. I also know that no matter what, as an entrepreneur, I’d be paying a lot more for insurance than others and coverage options are less advanced. This is especially critical since I know my medical history and future so high coverage is my best option.
The best decision came down to which of my high cost doctors at the hospitals I will likely have procedures and surgeries had the highest coverage. And then I realized, “what a luxury I have”. The luxury to be able to choose my doctors and hospitals because I live in New York City and there are great options on every corner. The luxury to have access to these services I know I will use. The luxury to have access to very high-quality healthcare with some of the best doctors in the world. The luxury to have choices.
While I (along with everyone else I know) would love to not pay for high quality healthcare, I am able to access some of the best health services in the world, which allow me to do the work of helping others around the world have the same health equity I have. I know how fortunate I am to have these options and access, while most around the world do not.
