John Oliver Biting Satire

I picked John Oliver as I admire his witty satire and how he managed, as a late-night show host, to bluntly expose our commercial insurers’ unethical practices and how commercial insurers contribute so much to our broken healthcare.

I wish insurers could donate just a portion of their multi billion-dollar profits; it would end a lot of “strife and sorrow” in this world.

JOHN OLIVER (mock disbelief):
“So, your parents decided the best time to uproot your entire life was senior year of high school — that famously calm, uneventful period before adulthood?”

ME (deadpan):
“Yup. Turns out reinventing myself at sixteen is a great way to build character — and anxiety.”

JOHN OLIVER (grinning):
“Then you joined the military, as a vacation from your family… which is possibly the most Canadian way of saying, ‘I needed structure and free dental.’”

ME (smiling):
“Exactly, I had to not be in the same house as my parents. Dad co-signed my contract as I had just turned 17, but it worked — I learned discipline, teamwork, and the courage to drink the instant coffee and something called “grit” I was served.”

JOHN OLIVER:
“And somehow you went from there to nursing, then medicine as a PA, then realizing the insurance system was, and I quote, ‘deeply broken.’ So, you did something about it — which is impressive, because most of us just post content angrily on multiple platforms!”

ME (chuckling):
Yes indeed. I went to Washington DC, met a group of doctors at some advocacy meeting, met representatives, congressmen and senators on the Hill to discuss some of the issues with a very nice group from NC.

I felt very patriotic (I am American after all) and like a superwoman, but this was super short-lived as I realized, nothing was going to happen, or it was going to take a really long time as we were probably outnumbered by the insurers and pharmaceutical companies’ lobbyists 200:1!

At that point JOHN OLIVER changes his tone — humor giving way to empathy and outrage —”That’s pretty amazing”. So, you then founded your tiny company. Then what?

ME:
“Yes- I had found the greatest service offered by a philanthropist, Phil Chrysler, who really did offer hope for people with his healthcare option. I was so happy, I took the ball and rolled with it.

I spread the word in NH which led from 40 to 500+families enrolling with this option over the past 5 years, along with over 200+ small business owners who can offer healthcare benefits to their employees.

Word-of-mouth actually does not have borders so, I helped a few hundred more families and business owners have peace of mind in Florida, Texas, Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine. I feel so grateful and quite exhilarated.

JOHN OLIVER:
“Well, that is pretty amazing and worthy. You are so stealthy: small little company, just disrupting BUCAH who can’t really see you because you are so small.

Just like a little mosquito trying to get you while you are trying to get to sleep and you just can’t get it. Keep it up!

ME: Thank you so much.