The Long Story (Part 2)

Together, we made up an impressively confident, precocious, and patriotic bunch united by a shared commitment to public service. That belief in the importance of public service shaped my earlier career.

Just a few months after this picture was taken, I interned for the late Senator Diane Feinstein's Los Angeles office. While I was there, Congress voted on some sort of healthcare bill. I don't remember the exact scope of the bill, but I remember the phones. People had *feelings.* The Senator once remarked, "Health insurance is like the third rail of politics. You touch it, you die."

Fast forward to 2009. I saw this dynamic play out again on a much larger scale. I had just moved to Washington, DC and spent time a brief time working in the House of Representatives and for a healthcare lobbyist. This time, I do remember the legislation: the Affordable Care Act. And again, people had *feelings.*

My story is not unique in Washington, DC. How many people arrive in the city bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, thinking they can change the world? Only to find themselves humbled, out-maneuvered, and on the receiving end of personal insults. At this point in the story, many give up. Many turn cynical. That resulting cynicism is likely why few startup founders get their start in government.

It takes so much courage and endurance to bring about change -- especially in healthcare. But my time in government taught me that there's always an opening -- even if it's small. Progress isn't linear. Sometimes, we move forward. Sometimes, we backslide. One of the most important things we can do is to keep moving and to keep fighting. This is especially true in healthcare. Recent regulation gifted us the opportunity to build a new chapter of healthcare centered around the needs of individuals and families, rather than corporations.

At Venteur, we are building this new chapter of healthcare.