The American healthcare system is often described as the most advanced in the world—yet for many people, it feels inaccessible, confusing, and broken. Costs are high, coverage is inconsistent, and patients often feel overwhelmed navigating insurance networks, medical bills, and treatment options. At the same time, the professionals who serve within this system—physicians, nurses, and frontline care workers—are burning out under the weight of rising demands, tightening budgets, and eroding public trust.
And now, a fresh wave of policy changes is adding new layers of complexity.
With major shifts underway in Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, Medicaid and Medicare funding, and vaccine access policies, the next few years will bring real consequences for patients, families, and clinicians alike. Yet the public conversation often reduces these changes to partisan talking points or political theater, leaving individuals unsure of what they can actually do to protect their health, their finances, and their care options.
That’s why The Unity Forum is proud to host a special conversation on Tuesday, December 16th at 1:00 PM ET with one of the most respected and trusted leaders in American healthcare: Dr. Don Berwick.
You can register to attend the free webinar here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_a9FHFcBAQ9Cf9eXs6egeNg
Dr. Berwick is the founding president of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). A pediatrician by training and a longtime champion of healthcare reform, Dr. Berwick has spent his career advancing ideas that prioritize patient safety, care quality, and dignity for all.
In this live, 45-minute conversation, we’ll talk with Dr. Berwick about the future of healthcare in the United States—and how each of us can navigate it more thoughtfully, effectively, and humanely.
What This Conversation Will Cover
This isn’t a policy roundtable or a campaign stump speech. It’s a conversation for real people—patients trying to afford their medications, parents navigating confusing care options for their families, and healthcare workers doing their best in a system that often fails to support them.
We’ll ask Dr. Berwick:
- How can individuals and families prepare for changes in insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs?
- What should healthcare professionals know and do as financial pressures begin impacting patient outcomes more directly?
- What public policies are worth fighting for to create a system that works better for everyone?
Dr. Berwick will share insights not only from his decades of leadership in national health policy but also from his experience as a physician and advocate. He understands both the system and the people in it.
We’ll also take audience questions, offering a rare opportunity to engage directly with one of healthcare’s leading thinkers.
Why This Matters Now
We’re entering a pivotal moment for the future of American healthcare. As political and economic pressures mount, the choices we make—or fail to make—will shape access, affordability, and quality for years to come.
Patients can’t afford to sit on the sidelines. Healthcare professionals need trusted guidance. And all of us, regardless of political affiliation, deserve a system that is navigable, humane, and sustainable.
This episode of The Unity Forum is designed to meet that need: to create space for clear-eyed, constructive dialogue at the intersection of policy, practice, and personal experience.
Join the Conversation
The Unity Forum is a cross-partisan webinar and podcast series powered by Alumni for Freedom & Democracy, created to foster open dialogue, civic engagement, and practical insight on issues that affect us all.
Register for the webinar at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_a9FHFcBAQ9Cf9eXs6egeNg
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Location: Zoom (link provided upon registration)
The webinar recording will be distributed to those who register.
Let’s come together for a conversation that cuts through the noise—and focuses on what truly matters.
Chris Malone is the host of The Unity Forum. Malone is Founder of Fidelum Group and co-author of the award-winning book, “The HUMAN Brand: How We Relate to People, Products & Companies.”
Dr. Carmen Gonzalez is the director of UW’s CCDE and an associate professor in the department of communication. Photo by Corey Olson.