We hit it off from our first hello. We were both passionate about the same things, coming from two different sides of the passion track. Marshall dedicated his life to helping people as a result of the
We talked about my parents several times. On one such occasion, I confessed to struggling with my faith when thinking about losing both parents to cancer. Marshall's responses were always about encouragement and motivation. Never with any judgment. Never a negative comment. Never projecting a feeling of superiority. He was full of grace, class and compassion.
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As I reviewed notes, emails, zoom recordings and interviews involving our interaction, I was reminded of some key fundamentals that we shared:
- You are the payer of healthcare. I listened to a zoom call of us ranting about insurance carriers not being the payer of healthcare, nor the government. The true payers are taxes, employers, employees, Americans — a fact that is foundational to the fix.
- Health insurance isn't broken; it's designed to be a money-making business. In re-reading some of Marshall's pieces, he knew this business from a different angle. He urged health insurance companies to take fraud seriously. He wrote about a woman getting stuck with an $898,984 bill for her baby, uncovered health insurance mark-ups and middlemen, and revealed how healthcare reform could potentially limit data access for consumer groups. Marshall saw the misaligned system from a different angle than me. His stories were mesmerizing, and all came from his never-ending compassion and advocacy for human life.
- The power of personal accountability. From diet and exercise to the steps someone could take to fight a healthcare bill, we shared an unpopular viewpoint: Individuals control — and are responsible for — their own actions. Marshall took this to a level that is laying the foundation for others to turn knowledge into power. "Never Pay the First Bill," his seminal book that is required reading in our industry, and the
Allen Health Academy serve as powerful sources for empowering people to positively impact their healthcare literacy. We often talked about how we could make a bigger impact together that was focused on teaching, never monetary gain.
When I think about Marshall, another word comes to mind: Faith, a belief and trust based on evidence but without total proof. It fits him perfectly — not only for his dedication and love for God, but also the impact he has made around the world. Marshall launched crowdfunding campaigns to fund his videos to help people with healthcare literacy. He engaged with many health benefit advisers – never asking for a penny for his time, not understanding how all of his "worlds" would intersect, strictly following his faith.
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Marshall fought for others. He gave them, and really all of us, the courage to take on this David vs. Goliath task of changing healthcare and health benefits. He encouraged us to stand up for what we believe in, promoting the power we all have within us.
My promise to Marshall is that his work, passion and fight will not end with his passing. I will do my part to continue shouting about the need to put people ahead of profit and empowering patients to fight for themselves. I will continue to advocate for the weak and ensure we are poised with an army of foot soldiers to fight the status quo. Lastly, I promise to keep his name, brand and mission relevant. It's unfortunate that it sometimes takes loss to realize someone's brilliance. Marshall knew what he started, but I don't think he knew what would continue.
Often met with resistance, unpopularity and even complete disagreement, he wrote, educated and spoke the truth. He didn't care about any dissenting opinion. Anyone who has read his work, seen his videos or heard him speak could see his unwavering commitment to facts.
To help honor and continue his legacy, I urge everyone to read "Never Pay the First Bill," which will help people understand my deep admiration for Marshall and see all the ammunition he provides his readers to help battle egregious healthcare practices. I bought 200 copies from Marshall the first time I learned about him, and he signed every copy! It is also worth buying a copy of his book for someone that you know who could use it to empower others. The same goes for 16 of his on-demand videos designed to equip and empower consumers to fight the status quo in U.S. healthcare.
Marshall was a proud papa and amazing husband of nearly 30 years. He never did anything because of the money. His actions were all about the impact he could create for others. Knowing this, I believe it's our turn to impact his legacy as a thank you. A
Marshall was just getting warmed up. He had so much left he wanted to do to help others. Although our individual authority will never carry the weight of his, our collective voice could be deafening. Please work his message and brand into your daily talk track. The message to empower healthcare literacy is the only way we will create the movement we want and the change we need. Helping others fight for themselves is the way.
