“If I had a million dollars, I would do nothing.” ~ Peter, Office Space
We all know that classic scene from Office Space when Peter was asked what he would do if he had a million dollars. I think of that often, and it gives me a chuckle. While doing nothing is my vacation M.O., it’s certainly not the way I am wired on a day-to-day basis.
This occurred to me recently when thinking about the issues in my personal life over the past few months. As I watch my parents’ health decline, I become angrier at the health care system. I could say much more about that, but I will stay focused on the topic at hand to avoid leading you away on a tangent!
So, What Would I Do If I Had a Cool Million?
If I had a million dollars, I would invest in a new business opportunity. (Yes, the entrepreneurial bug has bitten me.)
Specifically, I would start my own home health care business. My rage at the home health care industry has fueled this idea.
In the past few months, I’ve been in touch with ten home health agencies as I try to find help for my parents. I knew that because of my parents’ geographic location I would face some challenges. However, I was shocked at how many agencies do not even pick up their phones or return calls. Out of the ten agencies I contacted, I was able to eventually connect with representatives at seven of them. I learned that two of the companies accept my parents’ insurance and service their location. After several follow-ups with those agencies, one claimed they do not have adequate staffing to help my parents. The other wanted to put a lien on my parents’ house to ensure they got paid.
Ugh!
More and more people are getting older and need assistance. Many wish to stay in their homes rather than go to a rehabilitation hospital or a skilled nursing facility. With a growing aging population, I see a tremendous need for reliable, sustainable home health services. It’s an opportunity I can’t resist exploring, even if only conceptually.
What I Would Do Differently as a Home Health Care Services Provider
The providers I connected with are missing the mark. They fail their customers AND their workers. Here’s what I would do differently:
- Hire qualified staff and pay them well — much better than the $10- to $13-per-hour wage that most agencies pay.
- Provide service to any location within an hour of my company’s headquarters — and pay my staff members for the extra time they spend commuting to those homes.
- Initiate a self-pay model to cut out the insurance game entirely. (Good riddance!)
- Rely on partnerships with family doctors, specialists, and aging agencies for referrals. Naturally, I’d use social media marketing to get the word out, too. These efforts would eliminate the need for costly advertising, allowing my company to offer reasonable rates to our customers.
- Establish a non-profit arm that provides financial assistance to people with low income, economic hardships, or outstanding medical bills.
I am not sure how or if a million dollars will drop onto my lap. Maybe I might manifest the money with this post, harnessing my potential using wisdom from The Secret. Who knows! While I don’t know that I’ll ever have $1 million, I do know that I would invest it into making improvements to make life better for others.
What would you do if you had a million dollars?
