Meet Our Team: Q&A with Senior Director, Mike McCabe

How did you become interested in working in healthcare, more specifically Medicaid? Why did you choose this path?
I was in technology for quite some time and some of my colleagues felt that my skills would be especially useful in healthcare because of the legacy delivery systems and the architecture of technology that various health systems were utilizing. I applied my knowledge of technology and engineering concepts to healthcare, which for the healthcare landscape was very valuable.

I started as Director of IT in California for Sutter Health and then began working for United Healthcare. I started as Director and worked my way up to VP and then CIO optimizing delivery systems and payment solutions compliance. I ran 15 delivery systems across 15 states for United Healthcare and Medicaid.

I was keen on working in Medicaid because I came from a very large, underserved family. We learned to live without. When I started learning more about Medicaid, it was just a natural interest for me.

What brought you to Sellers Dorsey?
Since technology came very easy to me and still does, while I was busy optimizing delivery systems and payment solutions at United, I began to learn the business aspects of healthcare as well. My boss noticed and said that I belong in business development and sales. They trained me and sent me to executive leadership programs to learn and I mentored under some phenomenal industry leaders that I’m very thankful for. They showed me the “secret sauce” to develop markets and capitalize on relationships and the foundation of a deep understanding of the delivery system and the amount of research and expertise that goes into it. With that knowledge, I had the trifecta of policy, technology, and operations.

I was promoted and ran Business Development western region (15 States) for UnitedHealth. In my career I have been a Health Plan President, a CIO, a Chief Growth Officer, for several larger national payers. After 15 years I started my own consulting firm when Sellers Dorsey Managing Director, Karen Brach and Senior Vice President, Gary Jessee, approached me and asked me to come work with them. I have known Karen and Gary for many years and Sellers Dorsey has an excellent reputation. Unlike its competitors, the Firm has a team of industry-leading experts with unrivaled knowledge, and clients gain guidance from people with 20+ years of experience who have been in their shoes and experienced their challenges. We can identify the root cause of clients’ issues and quickly remediate the problem so they can turn the ship around and have a well-performing system that meets the needs of every member. What I enjoy about Sellers Dorsey is that we share the same goal with the client to ensure that people have access to high-quality healthcare no matter what ZIP code they live in.

What is your special area of expertise?
In addition to technology and business development, what I’m known for that not many others are known for in the industry is building risk-bearing entities for provider-led programs, health systems, or provider groups that want to become a health plan. I’ve built many risk-bearing entities across the country to transform the delivery system with a focus on providers. I understand the roadmap of exactly what it takes for the providers to be able to assume more risk or recover from risk. I’m also an expert in Medicaid procurements.

What is your superpower and what is your kryptonite?
My superpower is data analytics and technology. I can help a lot of healthcare organizations recover. My kryptonite is the people. A long time ago I did drive-alongs with care managers, and this one instance we went to a skilled nursing facility and saw an 8-year-old quadriplegic boy and to see him laughing and having fun and talking to you, it resets your life. He didn’t ask for that condition and he’s making the most of it and he’s happy and loved. It’s wonderful to see that and to know that the work you do is helping people like him live their best, healthiest life.

What do you enjoy most about your role at Sellers Dorsey? What is most rewarding?
It’s rewarding to be able to solve clients’ problems. The genuine gratitude that we receive when we help clients recognize additional revenue or change things around to truly enhance their impact on the communities they serve, is rewarding. The diversification of the types of clients we serve is really nice as well because we can provide a variety of innovative solutions. I’ve been with Sellers Dorsey for two years and I’ve worked with multiple clients and they’ve all been ecstatic with the results we help them achieve.

Pick one – Quality, Equity, Access. Why is improving it important? What does impact mean to you?
Improving equity is important because the healthcare you receive should not be dictated by the ZIP code you live in. If someone lives in an underserved community, we have the social responsibility to serve and ensure they have access to quality care, and unfortunately, that is at times an afterthought. Through the work that we do, we’re able to enhance that healthcare delivery.

What is one fun fact that people would be surprised to learn about you? 
I sang with the Phoenix Symphony choir when I was younger.

What was your very first job?
Being in the United States Navy.

Name your all-time favorite movie or book.
My favorite book is We Were Soldiers. My favorite movie is South Pacific.

Want to learn more about Mike McCabe? Click here to explore more about his role as a Director at Sellers Dorsey!