Here's to Your Health(care)

There’s so much information out there on the ACA, much of it erroneous. If you’re establishing yourself as an expert, make sure you know what you’re talking about.

Growing up on a farm outside of Philadelphia, Novak was one of five children to parents who wanted to raise a family with minimalist organic roots. It wasn't until years later that he discovered that they weren't poor farm kids but the children of an aerospace engineer.

That upbringing led Novak to get a B.S. in animal science at the Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture in 1982. "Unfortunately, I discovered that a career in science was very difficult work for not much pay," laments Novak. So, he obtained an M.B.A. from Temple University in 1985 and later an M.T. from Villanova University.

Novak's first job was with investment banking firm Drexel Burnham Lambert in 1986. "It really was like the movie The Wolf of Wall Street back then," says Novak. "I flew on private jets, wore power suits and had a red Porsche." But after a year, Novak decided to hang his shingle, and he's been self-employed ever since. "I was naïve," says Novak. "I struggled for five years while I built my practice."

"I was one month away from taking the last part of the CPA Exam when I got hit by a drunk driver," recalls Novak. "It took me six years to fully recover, and by that point my experience was outdated. Also, due to the onerous regulations, I had to take every part of the exam again." But the tenacity paid off, and Novak earned his CPA license.

In 1995, long before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) joined the national lexicon, Novak created a website to help his small business clients learn about and obtain health insurance. "You could call it an early version of a health care exchange," he says. Novak developed a health insurance following through his website (MedSave), interviews and appearances. "I got really good at web analytics: determining how people choose websites, how long they stay on a site and other patterns." During its peak, MedSave had approximately 35,000 visitors. In 2006, he was even asked to do recordings for a national HR medical training firm: "The recording contract I always wanted," laughs Novak.

Novak sold MedSave in 2008 and a couple of years later he launched Freedom Benefits, a website that offers health insurance links and information. "It's a low-maintenance resource that gets about 500 visits a day," says Novak.

"Before the ACA, it was the Wild West, with all types of issues on the table," says Novak. "After the ACA, the government really defines health care. It can be a highly emotional topic, and people really do blame the messenger."