Below is an article by Executive Insight entitled “Obamacare and the JOBS Act”
Obamacare and the JOBS Act
By: Judd Hollas and Patrick Moss, Executive Insight Contributors
Apr 25, 2014
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provoked massive change within America’s healthcare industry, and its implementation has many people concerned for what lies ahead. Recent polls indicate that 53% of Americans are against the new healthcare laws, but many professionals within the industry see the reform in a positive light. They see it as an opportunity to provide a variety of solutions for the rapidly changing landscape of the country’s healthcare system. Furthermore, as companies emerge in response to the ACA, some are utilizing the US JOBS Act to raise much needed capital through the alternative means of crowdfunding.
Title II of the JOBS Act lifted an 80-year-old ban on general solicitation last September; meaning that companies can now publicly advertise their need for funding in any way they see fit. Most are turning to online crowdfunding portals like EquityNet to harness the networking effects of the Internet by reaching out to potential investors, donors, and lenders. Like the ACA, crowdfunding has its detractors, but entrepreneurs like Craig Brandman, M.D., CEO of StepOne Personal Health, believe that these new legislations have the potential to change how those in the healthcare industry conduct business.
“I think the JOBS act & ACA are going to drive innovation in a big way. Both are highly disruptive, and whenever there’s disruption, there’s opportunity for people to look at the change and be able to provide a solution or resource in a dynamic environment. It’s very hard when there are no outside disruptive influences to displace established behavior,” says Brandman.
StepOne Personal Health’s mission is to deliver a better experience for consumers while easing the burden on an already taxed healthcare system. Their model includes a single electronic destination for consumers trying to understand and make a positive impact on their health.
As Brandman puts it, “StepOne is an integrated, comprehensive resource service. It gives people the opportunity to find out what their health issues are, and provides them with options across the full spectrum of approaches to health and wellness to address those issues.”
“The idea is to provide a personal resource for people that are ready to own their healthcare so they can get information about themselves and an analysis of where they are. They can then get recommendations they can consider implementing, and could potentially be able to address those issues without having to see a doctor. Whenever they do go see a doctor, they’re better informed and can make it a more meaningful interaction,” he added.
StepOne joined the equity crowdfunding platform, EquityNet, late last year to raise capital for their expanding operations.