Bill Gates once said, “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next 10. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.” Health care consumerism is evolving from the idea and promise of consumer-driven health plans with HSAs to a more encompassing view (and hope) that we all will become true consumers of health care in all aspects, not just the purchasing of insurance. This means educated consumers will gain access to the tools and information necessary to make informed decisions for the benefit of themselves and their families. Underestimating how this will change in the next 10 years could have an adverse impact on your brokerage – no lulling into inaction allowed.
We have already seen the elements of change that may usher in a new era of consumerism in health care. It is rare for totally brand new innovation to occur (think Ford’s assembly line) – almost all innovation builds off of something that already exists. So considering Gates’ warning, it is important for us to anticipate where the changes will come from. And because the elements of change are already among us, we should be looking for technology partners now that have a vision for the future.
