Way to Go (Part 1).

What do you do when:

The public narrative is toxic.

The policy climate is harsh and polarized.

The marketplace economics are bleak and trending bleaker.

The political calculus sucks.

And consumer backlash seems inevitable.

After reading the front page of last Saturday’s Wall Street Journal, I started thinking about that in connection with a report that the major Affordable Care Act insurance players are looking for double-digit premium increases in 2026.

When the Journal asked the Kaiser Family Foundation to assess the impacts, the sobering answer came back that ACA enrollment is expected to “drop by millions next year.”

So, again, if you’re the square peg jammed into a glass shard-edged, concertina wire-lined maw, and the hammer is coming down fast, what do you do?

My answer: you do not stick with the standard “deliver the bad news and duck and cover playbook” followed by too many companies in highly regulated industries.

Instead, you need to find clarity.

Clarity that helps you avoid a massive hit to brand trust, bottom-line-corroding member churn, and debilitating constraints on your ability to execute.

Clarity that leads you and your leadership team to buy into the fact that honesty and transparency are the only cards to play.

Clarity that reveals a path forward that won’t run you squarely into any of the predictably unpredictable political landmines.

Clarity that requires us to, finally, finally, figure out how to talk about cost.

Clarity that gives you the substance you’ll need to persuasively communicate: efforts that conclusively demonstrate your interests and your audience’s interests are unalterably aligned.

From past experience with plans ranging from Kaiser Permanente to Blue Shield to PPOs, HMOs, and providers around the country, that includes initiatives to cushion rate shock, shape utilization, and ensure people feel heard along the way.

A datapoint of great relevance and high potential: consider going public with a commitment to fight for the affordability-creating federal direct purchase tax credits supported by a full 68% of all voters.

Of course, all the above is easier said than done. As Harry Potter told Griphook, “It’s complicated.”

But it can make a huge difference.

So, okay, there's a smidge of self-interest at work here. But I'd get rolling by looking for people who offer real healthcare expertise, total fluency in public affairs, and a fail-safe record of delivering both clarity and marketing creativity.

Along with, of course, humility.

After all, while actions always speak louder than words, being able to walk the talk has to start with the right talk.

Shall we?