About Michael Kaufman
Dr. Michael A. Kaufman is a senior health care executive with extensive experience in both Commercial Insurance and Government Payer Systems (including Medicare and Medicaid). His core competencies are in the areas of Business Planning, Regulatory Compliance, Reimbursement Strategies and Healthcare Consumerism. Previously, Dr. Kaufman was the Chief Medical Officer of PacifiCare Health Systems, WellPoint Health Networks, and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc. Dr. Kaufman earned his JD at Harvard Law School and is a Rand Graduate Institute Fellow of Public Policy. He is a graduate of Yale University Medical School and completed his residency in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
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It is Time to Bring Health Back into the Home
Unhealthy behaviors are the most prominent cause of chronic disease and premature death. Home is not only where the heart is, but where we make many of our healthy or unhealthy choices. Why do we engage in personally self-destructive behaviors and how can we overcome our tendencies? This is a complex challenge which will require a long-term commitment to social change.
However, we do know one of the keys. That is for people to believe they are responsible for their own health. This is an empowering concept and each step in this direction is rewarding. Any action, as simple as walking up and down stairs or appropriately taking an over-the-counter pain relief for muscle aches, starts to re-train the individual toward personal responsibility.
It is also important to provide easy access to information that simplifies the process for making healthy choices. The information must be clear and understandable, and subtly engaging and motivating. Simple steps will keep us on the path to more health.
Self-Care is a Concept of Individual Responsibility
Everyone benefits from raising awareness around the issue of self-care. Fundamentally, that occurs in many different ways. The individual benefits because they are empowered and they will realize an improvement in both their health status and potentially their health outcome. Also, it ensures employers and other entities that provide health insurance will potentially reduce overall health care spending and allow us to channel our health care resources on the areas of greatest need.
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