40 Under 40 - 2025

Rona Li said she lives by a motto widely attributed to healthcare businessman Henry J. Kaiser: “Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.” 

At SCAN Group, Li evaluates startups with an eye for how new ideas can fix longstanding challenges in the healthcare system. She leads the company’s investment portfolio and manages its healthcare delivery services. 

“My goal is to connect capital, creativity and execution,” Li said. 

Li focuses on how investing in provider services can improve experience and care for members of SCAN Health Plan, a nonprofit Medicare Advantage insurer that counts nearly 300,000 members across five states.

During her time at SCAN, its geriatric care provider Welcome Health added three new payer contracts. Its in-home care provider Homebase Medical expanded its footprint to Arizona and services to include chronic disease management, integrated behavioral health and palliative care, among others. And its PACE – or Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly – provider MyPlace Health opened its first care center for older adults, with plans to open its second facility this year.

“Aligning health insurance interests with innovation and care is essential for driving change and improving outcomes,” Li said. 

Li was raised by her grandparents for the first few years of her life. Her grandfather’s sudden death from liver cancer sparked her interest in healthcare. 

“The idea that earlier detection or better care could have extended his time with us turned my regret into motivation to make a difference in healthcare,” she said. 

— Nona Tepper