One of the true Jolty Joys is spending time with mission-first entrepreneurs who are possessed by both giant dreams and a firm grip on the practical at the same time. Michael Botta – who Adam and I interviewed on Episode #221 – is one of those special people. He is the co-founder and president of Sesame, a start-up that revolutionizing America health care for the many millions who either have no insurance, or have such sky-high deductibles that they might as well have none.
Sesame describes themselves as having built a a new health care system “When do one was looking.: Indeed they have.
Sesame has built a new marketplace that connects thousands of physicians and other healthcare providers directly with patients. That direct connection – and the ability to book immediately, whether online or in-person – delivers world-class medical care for at least half of what the very same services would cost otherwise.
The beautiful part – actually one of many beautiful parts – is that physicians on Sesame can make the same, or more! – than working through the existing system. That’s because insurers – or payers as they are called – and other hands in the trough, take so much money out of the hands of patients and physicians.
Michael grew up in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in New York, and personally knows what it is like to be left out of the healthcare system. That personal experience, blended with this PhD in health economics, led to the vision and reality of Sesame – which he started with his co-founders David Goldhill and John Fontein.
We loved meeting Michael and applaud someone who is taking on something this crazily bold.
GOOD NEWS UPDATE:
Following our interview with Michael, we were delighted to read of a striking new deal between Sesame and Door Dash. Door Dash will be offering Sesame’s “Half Price, Whole Quality” benefits to all those who work at restaurants on the Door Dash platform. It’s part of their new Merchant Benefits program, and it’s great to see that Door Dash has an appetite for innovation. We love that all those who work so hard every day, in America’s restaurants – from the front-of-the-house, to the wait staff, to the back-of-the-house – will be able to take advantage of Sesame’s plans that start at just $5 a month. This is an important step in bringing health care to those who have been shut out of the system. Congratulations to Michael and the team!
