A Conversation with Michael Heimall – New HealthWell Foundation President & CEO
This week, the HealthWell Foundation, publishers of Real World Health Care, welcomed its new President & Chief Executive Officer.
Michael S. Heimall, FACHE, is an accomplished executive with experience at some of the nation’s most respected veterans medical centers. He comes to HealthWell after serving as executive director of the Washington, D.C., Veterans Affairs Medical Center, one of the nation’s largest veterans hospitals, with 3,200 employees and $900 million in revenue. He oversaw the operations of six community-based clinics, an academic medical center with 170 inpatient beds, and a 120-bed long-term care center. Prior to his position at the VA Medical Center, Heimall served as CEO of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. Heimall, a 30-year Army veteran, retired at the rank of Colonel.
Heimall spoke about his family’s emotional and difficult journey with cancer and his goals for the future of HealthWell.
What attracted you to the HealthWell Foundation?
Michael Heimall
Michael Heimall: I’ll start by sharing a personal story about my family’s connection to the mission of HealthWell. In 2014, our oldest son was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. At the time he was working three jobs to launch his career as a professional sports broadcaster. He was getting paid by the hour, with no PTO, so when he wasn’t actively working, he wasn’t earning an income.
His treatment regimen required week-long stays in the hospital for chemotherapy, making it difficult if not impossible to work a regular schedule. On top of that, he got an infection between his third and fourth rounds of chemo and spent about five weeks in the hospital. That’s when he really started struggling to pay his bills.
My wife and I considered taking on some credit card debt to help him through this difficult time, but a small Philadelphia-based charity with ties to his undergraduate alma mater essentially wrote him a check to help him pay his bills. For our family to not have to take on an extra financial and mental burden was very important to him as well as to me and my wife, Lynda.
Circling back to HealthWell, when I saw the job posting, I immediately thought back to what that charity had done for our family – that people who didn’t know us gave to us at a very emotional time. My entire family and I agreed that leading HealthWell would be a wonderful opportunity to start the next chapter of my career and give back in a meaningful way.
What do you see as the goals for the future of HealthWell?
Michael Heimall: Two of the most important goals are to sustain HealthWell’s growth while not losing the close-knit teamwork that exists in the organization. Many of HealthWell’s staff have been with the Foundation for many years, and it’s humbling to see their commitment to helping people during their most financially and emotionally challenging times. I’m looking forward to helping HealthWell build upon the last 20 years of success without compromising the values of the organization.
Another key goal moving forward is a continued emphasis on compliance. Donors and patients know, whether they are giving money or receiving assistance, that HealthWell is abiding by the highest ethical and moral standards and following the laws and rules that govern charitable patient assistance programs (CPAPs). HealthWell does this better than anyone else in the CPAP space.
What are your thoughts on financial toxicity and how it can impact those with chronic and serious illnesses?
Michael Heimall: I’ve seen this issue directly impact both our veterans as well as currently enlisted members of the military. Many of our nation’s heroes are relying on food stamps and only getting by day to day. This is a much different scenario than when I joined the military back in the 1980s. Today, those joining the military are a bit older; they’re married, and many have families. They are working for less than minimum wage, which can create a life-altering situation if their family experiences a catastrophic issue or disease. Just like we see with civilian insurance – employer-sponsored, Medicare, and exchange plans – members of the military can experience the same levels of copays that aren’t covered, often putting them in a position to make difficult decisions between their health and their financial future.
Like many Americans, our veterans have worked hard to own a home and build a nest egg, and it is terrifying to think that they may have to give up everything they have worked so hard for to not be a burden on their families. Digging out of a hole like this is not just financially toxic, but it can be mentally and physically toxic as well.
Programs like HealthWell, which help individuals get out from under these unseen medical costs, are incredibly important to the overall well-being of our society.
As HealthWell’s new President & CEO, how will you draw on your experience running large medical centers?
Michael Heimall: Running any large, complex health care organization in the United States requires strong leadership skills and the ability to bring together diverse teams with their own smart skill sets so they can work toward a single mission.
Throughout my career as a health care leader, I have relied on the expertise of my teams to help me make decisions. Although I may not have a ton of direct experience in every area, I do know how to draw out the best in my team, which helps guide me strategically. I will use this same approach at HealthWell to make the best decisions for our donors and our patients.
I am incredibly excited to join and lead the HealthWell team and work together in support of our mission to reduce financial barriers to care.
