Centering Humanity in Health Care: Reflections with Meena Seshamani, M.D.
By Morgan Kim (C’27)
Imagine a patient with a life-threatening condition who cannot afford the necessary prescription. Without access to treatment, their situation becomes a matter of life or death. Thanks to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation program, which allows Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies to make life-saving medications more affordable for millions of Americans, this is beginning to change.
The program was pioneered by Meena Seshamani, M.D., who joined our Conversations in Health: Global to Local class on February 25, 2025, to discuss the future of the U.S. health system and share her broader perspective on health care and leadership.
As an undergraduate student at Brown University, Dr. Seshamani was struck by how the U.S. health policies were shaped by historical events unrelated to health care. Despite her fascination with policy, Dr. Seshamani found patient interactions to be the most rewarding. This passion led her to pursue a medical degree and specialize in otolaryngology. She paused her residency to joined the Obama administration as a senior executive service member, overseeing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Later, she returned to her medical career to complete her surgical training.
In our discussion, Dr. Seshamani stressed that strong partnerships with local organizations are essential to driving health care reform. She believes that health care is deeply personal and that building trust between patients, physicians, and the health care system is essential. This trust, she explained, requires collaboration with communities directly connected to the populations they serve. Her words reminded the class that everything we do in health care is for people and they must always be at the core of our decisions.
Dr. Seshamani’s insights emphasized the importance of patient-centered health care reform. Her journey from studying health economics to becoming a physician and senior health policy leader illustrates the value of adaptability and perseverance. As a final piece of advice to future Hoya health practitioners, she encouraged us to navigate life following our heart’s desires.
Morgan Kim (C’27) is an undergraduate student at Georgetown University majoring biology of global health. She is a student in the Conversations in Health: Global to Local class.