Public Startup

In Public Startup, Christopher R. Cogle overturns a stubborn assumption about government and innovation. He explores how Medicaid, long dismissed as bureaucratic, became one of the most consequential laboratories of reinvention in American life - where the margins shape the mainstream, bureaucrats take the real risks, and the safety net acts a scaffold for individuals and the nation itself.

EBOOK

  • “At a moment when trust in public health is under strain, this book is a source of hope."

    - Debra Houry, MD, former Chief Medical Officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  • “An important and timely contribution to how we think about public systems, healthcare, and the future of care in America.”

    - Jessica Lee, MD, former Chief Medical Officer for Medicaid at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

  • “An authoritative and passionate ode to Medicaid—scrappy, inventive, and far more effective than its critics claim.”

    - Christopher F. Koller, former President of the Milbank Memorial Fund

  • “A grounded, real-world account of how Medicaid innovation actually happens. Essential reading for anyone serious about improving care at scale.”

    - Kara Odom Walker, MD, MPH, MSHS, former Delaware State Health Officer and Executive Vice President and Chief Population Health Officer of Nemours Children's Health System

  • “The clearest explanation of how Medicaid works—and why improving imperfect systems matters more than abandoning them.”

    - Mark L. Rosenberg, MD, MPP, Founding Director, US National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

  • “Chris Cogle shows how Medicaid’s dense rules hide powerful levers for improving health—a compelling argument for turning constraint into innovation.”

    - Jeff Brosco, MD, PhD, former Director within the Health Resources and Services Administration

  • “Most public health leaders underestimate Medicaid’s potential. This book should be required reading for educators and practitioners alike.”

    - Claude Earl Fox, III, MD, MPH, former Alabama State Health Officer and Administrator in HRSA

Dr. Cogle smiling profile image taken by Adrienne Fletcher Photography

Photo Credit: Adrienne Fletcher Photography

About Dr. Cogle

Christopher R. Cogle, M.D. is an author, physician-scientist, and public leader. He serves as Professor of Medicine at the University of Florida, Director of the Florida Health Policy Leadership Academy, and Chief Medical Officer for Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration and Florida Medicaid, where he works at the intersection of science, policy, and large-scale public systems..

His work has been recognized by the National Academy of Medicine, the Milbank Memorial Fund, the American Cancer Society, and Harvard Business School. In his forthcoming book, Public Startup, Dr. Cogle draws on his experiences in medicine and public service to explore how creativity, science, and disciplined leadership can transform even the most complex institutions.

Why Public Startup was written.

What if government worked more like a great startup - disciplined, focused, and relentlessly results-driven? If you care about smarter public systems or how big institutions can move with clarity and purpose, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

A new playbook for public impact.

If you’re a policymaker, business leader, entrepreneur, or simply someone who believes government can do better, Public Startup offers a blueprint for a smarter, more effective way forward.