Former COO and vice president of New Jersey Blue Shield, David McSweeney, was on the Hawk Hill campus March 25 to give a talk as a part of the Haub Innovation Center Speaker Series, which regularly hosts speakers from a variety of industries.

McSweeney, co-founder and former principal of Healthcare Data Management, Inc. and founder of McSweeney Consultants, spoke about the history of American healthcare insurance and its impact on students looking to enter the workforce after graduation.  

While many new graduates look for a high salary in their first job, few pay attention to the benefits, among which health insurance is often the most important, said McSweeney. Many people outside the insurance industry do not understand the nature of the business, which can lead to surprises when things are not covered.

“Insurance companies don’t take risks,” McSweeney said.

McSweeney’s number one piece of advice: “See what’s underneath the fine print.”

Many students at the talk were there to learn about which healthcare benefits to look for in a job after graduation.

“When we go out into the workforce and get a job, it might be hard for us to understand what kind of benefits they offer,” said Marie Altmann ’23. “So having someone who’s a professional explain to us the good and the bad is helpful when we go to pick our benefits with our jobs.”

Matthew Winarto ’26, said the topic is especially relevant for college students.

“Most college students don’t have [their own] healthcare, or, if they do, it’s not too great,” said Winarto.