Napster founder and former Facebook president Sean Parker candidly revealed what he thinks is one of the best advantages to being rich. He said that because he is a billionaire, he has better access to healthcare. He's correct in that assumption, of course.
The costs of healthcare in the United States has skyrocketed. Many families struggle to keep up with the expense of just having basic health insurance, let alone the enormous personal cost of a catastrophic illness or injury.
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At a recent event in Philadelphia, Parker said:
"So… I'm going to be like 160 and I'm going to be part of this, like, class of immortal overlords. Because, you know the Warren Buffett expression about compound interest — Give us billionaires an extra hundred years and you'll know what wealth disparity looks like."
Life expectancy is increasing and it is predicted to continue to do so. However, because of their ability to afford top of the line healthcare, the wealthy will have an even better chance of outliving everyone else. Parker has a net worth of $7.6 billion.
Parker is, of course, most famous for founding Napster. He then went on to become the founding president of Facebook. He is very outspoken and has a reputation as a big spender. But he is also a philanthropist. He founded the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy in 2016 with a $250 million grant from his charity, the Parker Foundation. The Institute's mission is to accelerate advancements and innovations in cancer research and treatment.
