We all agree on how to solve healthcare (we just don’t know it).

Kevin Krauth
OrderlyHealth
Published in
5 min readFeb 2, 2018

--

This is the first in a series of posts on the polarization of healthcare, why it matters, and why it’s important for us to talk to each other, even — or in fact, especially — when we disagree. Stay tuned for future posts on the topic. Please join the discussion by submitting your thoughts, comments, and feedback below.

Much has been made of late about the divisiveness in politics and how polarized the country has become in recent years. In my own experience, I have found it increasingly difficult to even engage in civil discourse with people about particularly sensitive topics, even when we mostly agree. Perhaps you have experienced this as well.

Regardless of on which side of the political spectrum you fall, it’s probably safe to say that you don’t agree with a lot of the policy approaches promoted by the opposite side.

At the same time, though, it might surprise you to realize that you and your counterpart across the aisle agree a lot more than you think you do.

To prove it, indulge me in a quick thought experiment: If you identify as conservative, imagine the most liberal person you know. If you are liberal, do the same for your most conservative acquaintance.

Now consider the issues affecting our country about which you care the most deeply. My guess is that you are in favor of educating our kids, promoting and enabling healthy families that remain in-tact, increasing the availability of good jobs that offer livable wages to our population, and supporting an expanding workforce to keep up with a growing economy.

I still fundamentally believe in the industriousness, work ethic, creativity, and integrity of the people of this country. And I think you should too.

When you look at the above, do you think that the imagined person in your mind — the one with whom you have nothing in common and disagree on almost everything — do you really think that they don’t want those things? Do you think that person wants to see crumbling schools with kids roaming the streets as a part of a gang rather than learning in a classroom? Do you think that person would be excited to have swaths of unemployed people waiting in welfare lines or paying for groceries on food stamps so they can go home and sit on the couch rather than contributing to our vibrant economy?

Of course not!

It is true that, on the fringes, there are certainly people who are okay with getting a “free ride” by benefiting from the work of others. People in both parties and from all walks of life will often take advantage of the system or complain that things aren’t fair while taking far more from the world than they give back. On the whole, though, I still fundamentally believe in the industriousness, work ethic, creativity, and integrity of the people of this country. And I think you should too.

We owe it to ourselves, our parents, and the countless other people who have shaped our lives and come before us to provide us with a better life — as best as they knew how. If you’re reading this right now, you have a lot to be thankful for, and that gratitude should also inspire hope for a better future.

One Nation? Under God? Indivisible?

My intent with this exercise is to remind all of us — myself included — of the incredible amount of overlap we have when it comes to our beliefs. Regardless of race, religion, or political creed, almost to the person, we all want the same things. The conflict we experience with others generally comes not as a result in our differing beliefs and values, but rather from the manner in which we set out to achieve those values.

The moment we forget just how much we have in common, we make it easy to engage in the politics of “otherness,” which in turn makes it easy to dismiss or ignore people we don’t agree with rather than engage in meaningful discourse on the topic at hand. Not only is this tragic — we miss out on meaningful relationships, edifying conversations, the opportunity to collaborate and connect with those around us, and so much more — but it’s also dangerous.

Regardless of race, religion, or political creed, almost to the person, we all want the same things.

By turning ourselves against each other, we stoke misunderstanding and fear that can sow the seeds of social discord and societal unrest. If you need further proof, look no further than #BlackLivesMatter, the #MeToo movement, and the countless other examples of tribalism that results from a lack of empathy, respect, and understanding for entire groups of people within these United States of America.

It’s time to talk

So what does all this have to do with the topic of Healthcare and the Single Payer System?

Quite a lot, actually.

Before we can reasonably have a discussion about any policy that affects an industry as sprawling, as important, and as politicized as Healthcare, we first need to come to the table with an open mind.

In a recent conversation, an associate of mine (not in the healthcare space) said the following:

“The healthcare system is so broken that it’s easy to get burned out and give up. At the same time, though, we can’t give up, because [fixing healthcare] is literally a matter of life and death.”

And he’s absolutely right.

Almost nothing worth doing is easy. When it comes to health care, we can’t let ourselves become too jaded, too cynical, or too political to continue to try to come up with thoughtful and creative solutions. We need to be willing to try new things, even (or perhaps especially) if it means we might have to change our minds on long-held beliefs and work with others with whom we don’t always agree.

We are all in this together, and we all have a massive stake in the outcome.

So let’s start the discussion…

--

--

Product guy. Explorer. Hustler. Teach me something! CEO / Founder, @OrderlyHealth.