A conversation at the University of Hawai’i medical school with former Assistant Secretary of Health Howard Koh, MD, MPH, who was instrumental in shepherding the US Affordable Care Act through legislation and into implementation. A physician of Korean-American descent, Dr. Koh helped ensure that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the ACA would address needs of all citizens, including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. Our video interview begins there.
Dr. Koh chats with friends in the JABSOM Auditorium before his talk.
More about Dr. Koh
Dr. Koh, now with the Harvard School of Public Health, spent Nov. 18, 2015 meeting with John A. Burns School of Medicine students and faculty and discussing the ACA, which he calls “a transformative piece of legislation.” Having spent more than 30 years treating patients before serving as Assistant Secretary for Health and Human Services from 2009 to 2014, Koh says working during the Obama administration’s ACA era was a life-changing experience and one he remains proud of.
In addition to discussions about the ACA, Dr. Koh also took part in sessions focusing on leadership in public health and Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Issues.