Lester Morales knows what happens when employers put profits before people. Morales' father was forced into bankruptcy due to costs associated with treating his multiple myeloma cancer, despite having
"What family has an extra $60,000 laying around when you're still having to make the mortgage payment and send your kids to baseball camp?" he says. "What we do not only impacts the business financially, but it's also why people work or don't work for an organization."
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As the founder and CEO of advising firm, Next Impact, Morales encourages his clients to look beyond the major carriers and build plans that give employees more options. In turn, employers see a reduction in their plan costs, and have healthier and more loyal employees.
What's the biggest misconception that people have about healthcare?
You wouldn't just drive to the local auto dealership, get in the first car and drive off without asking questions and negotiating the price. But that's exactly what we do with healthcare. We're here to help the consumer think about healthcare like they think of everything else.
How is that education making an impact?
I remember my cousin called me and she's like, "You'll be so proud of me. I have a $5,000 HSA with United Healthcare and I had to get an MRI on my foot." She asked the imaging center if they would take cash — instead of it being $800 with United Healthcare, it was $150. Somewhere along the line, probably at a boring Thanksgiving dinner where I talked about what I do, it made her a better consumer and saved her 600 bucks. Sixty-seven percent of personal bankruptcies are because of healthcare reasons. We have a responsibility to be an advocate.
