Episode 26: Navigating the Healthcare System – An Immigrant’s Perspective

Episode 26: Navigating the Healthcare System – An Immigrant’s Perspective Sandy Kibling 44:46

What are the basic human rights of healthcare? Health Equity is defined as reaching “the highest level of health for all people.” It means giving everyone the support they need to access the same level of medical care and education regardless of status.

This could mean:

A vaccine is available to at-risk people.
An organization provides free clinics for people in low income neighborhoods without judgment.
A clinic has a translator available for people with a different first language.
A doctor alters treatment for someone who does not have regular access to nutritious food.

Yet people either go without care and in some cases find themselves choosing to seek care in other places outside of the US to get care affordably and efficiently…what does this say about our US healthcare system?

I am delighted to have Myles Wakeham on the show today. Myles is an Australian who migrated to the USA in 1989 and has since become a multi-millionaire, lives a 100% free and unconstrained life, no job, etc. yet never graduated high school, let alone went to college. He is a self-made business focused technologist, and has made fortune on Bitcoin since 2011, and owns a portfolio of rental properties. Now you may be asking what does this have to do with healthcare?

Myles was one of a few survivors of a massive auto accident in the outback of Australia in the 1990s, which forced him to question life, purpose, and direction. Since rebuilding himself from that, he knows how to handle and mitigate adversity (including taking advantage of medical tourism all over the world for major surgeries), he has honed those skills to live a life unconstrained.

He spends 50% of his time in Arizona, and 50% of his time roaming the world, seeking out new opportunities. He also hosts “The Unconstrained Podcast” in which he teaches the art of Financial Sustainability to his audience. He has a book coming out on the subject as well as audio courseware on Success in Rental Real Estate.

I wanted to bring Myles on because of his unique perspective in navigating the healthcare system as an immigrant. Did you know that 46% of immigrants are uninsured and working to navigate the healthcare system. The goal of this podcast is to meet people where they are at and provide information that empowers them to make smart healthcare choices.

Today we will discuss:

1) Journey as an immigrant through the US healthcare system.

2) 3 issues you see with the healthcare system.

3) How do we make change happen – heroes among us.

Resources:

Healthcare Coverage and Immigrants

How to Navigate the U.S. Healthcare System as an Immigrant

Video TedMed – No longer afraid: an undocumented immigrant's experience in American health care

Be Unconstrained…with Myles Wakeham

Sandy Kibling Get Savvy... Demystifying Healthcare

Sandy is a health care professional having served in numerous roles including physician consulting and working for a large healthcare insurance company. She has worked on the frontline addressing physician and subscriber issues and has heard first-hand the frustration and concern about affordability and navigating a complicated healthcare system.

Sandy’s passion is to create a trusted source with Get Savvy…Demystifying Healthcare a podcast that breaks down the complexity of healthcare and empowers consumers to navigate the healthcare system.