HC Completes Cross-Country Bicycle Trip

A hospital administrator with more than 25 years of executive experience, Andy Leeka served as the chief executive director of the Medical Relief Center built in the Los Angeles Convention Center in the spring of 2020 to absorb some of the overflow of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. He currently serves as the president of Angle Health, a medical insurance startup headquartered in San Francisco. Away from his professional responsibilities, Andy Leeka enjoys skiing, surfing, and bicycling.

While the idea of a cross-country bicycle trip sounds exciting, practical considerations make the trek virtually impossible for most adults. The most obvious obstacle is time. Most people young enough to bicycle across the country can’t get enough time off work to make the trip. Andy Leeka figured out how to do it, however.

With his sights set on Cadillac Mountain in Maine, Mr. Leeka started in late November 2011 from his home in California and rode a total of 409 miles in five days, ending in Las Vegas, where he put his bike into storage and took a flight back home. He returned to Las Vegas in December 2012, got his bike out of storage, and rode 167 miles in two days to St. George, Utah, where he again stored his bike. The third leg of the trip came in April 2013, when he biked 486 miles over six days, ending in Dolores, Colorado.

In this manner, he continued his trip, sometimes storing the bike for just a few months and other times storing it for a year or longer. Some legs of the trip were just a couple of days, while the longest took nine days and covered 641 miles. On the final day of the 12th leg, October 6, 2020, Mr. Leeka rode from Bar Harbor to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Maine, 16.58 miles. Overall, his trip covered 4,604 miles in 68 days in 12 legs spanning nearly 9 years.

Angle Health to Offer All-Digital

Andy Leeka earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and psychology, a master’s degree in organizational management, an MBA, and a master’s degree in public health and health services management. He entered the healthcare industry and quickly rose to top administrative positions. Currently, Andy Leeka serves as the president of Angle Health, a technology-focused medical insurance company.

Angle Health is a startup whose initial focus will be on helping other startups provide their employees with relevant and affordable healthcare benefits. Established in 2019, Angle Health offerings will be ACA-compliant and include all federal- and state-mandated coverage. Additional benefits will include integrated pediatric dental and vision coverage, with optional coverage for adults.

The company anticipates significant savings from a mobile app that will provide members with comprehensive digital access to all elements of their coverage, including telemedicine, prescriptions, and a spending tracker, while reducing administrative overhead costs. The same system will interface with clients’ HR departments to ensure rapid digital enrollment and all-digital invoicing. Further information on Angle Health is available at www.AngleHealth.com.

Santa Monica to Bar Harbor

Andy Leeka is the president and COO of Angle Health, a medical insurance company based in San Francisco. Cycling is something Andy Leeka has a passion for, and he completed a ride across the country, from Santa Monica to Bar Harbor, at his own pace.

The distance between Santa Monica, California, and Bar Harbor, Maine, is roughly 3,300 miles and would take around 50 hours by automobile. The average cyclist could complete this journey in just under 280 hours. Andy Leeka made this trek over a 10-year period, taking a route that spanned more than 4,600 miles and 23 states.

Mr. Leeka completed his marathon over 12 stages, where he would leave his bicycle in storage at the end of each stage. He had to plan this event around his career and family life, and continued on his destination whenever he had some extended free time. The longest stage was just over 600 miles between Pueblo, Colorado, and Kansas City, Missouri, while the shortest was just 167 miles between Las Vegas, Nevada, and St. George, Utah.

What It Means for a Comprehensive Stroke

A resident of La Canada, California, Andy Leeka has spent his career working in finance and management in the medical industry. Andy Leeka spent more than 20 years at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a hospital that features a comprehensive stroke center.

There are various levels of certification that a stroke center can obtain, with comprehensive certification being the highest level available. A center that has earned this certification has proven its ability to treat and manage the most complex cases. A stroke center must meet a number of criteria to earn comprehensive certification, including already having a primary certification. These certifications are obtained through the Joint Commission, the largest provider of certifications in the country.

A comprehensive stroke center must have personnel available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to do everything from imaging to operations. The center must have certain imaging equipment, including CTA, DSA, MRI/MRA, and TCD. There must also be ICU services available and experts in endovascular procedures, neurology, and neurosurgery, along with personnel skilled in treating intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic strokes, and subarachnoid hemorrhages.