Manifest Launches to Redesign Healthcare Access and Affordability for Michigan Employers
Rick Abbott and Aaron Friedkin, cofounders of Manifest, come together to announce the new organization.
Grand Rapids, Michigan – July 14, 2025 –
Manifest, a healthcare solutions design studio, officially launched today with a mission to rethink how healthcare should work for the people of West Michigan through a connected ecosystem. The company offers a suite of solutions co-designed with local providers in spaces like cancer care, behavioral health, primary care, and more, that make it easier for employees to access high-quality, affordable care within the community.
“For years, it’s been cliché to say that healthcare is too expensive and it’s unsustainable, but today, it’s undeniably true. Employers are not only struggling to offer benefits—they’re also making workforce reductions. That’s why we’re taking a connected, grassroots approach to address the national crisis of health care affordability and access.” said Rick Abbott, co-founder and CEO of Manifest. “By working directly with like-minded, local providers, employers, and brokers we’re able to offer solutions that meet the unique needs of our community in a sustainable, cost-effective way.”
Manifest is founded by Rick Abbott and Aaron Friedkin, MD, —former Michigan healthcare executives and experienced startup leaders—who share a passion for improving community health by breaking down barriers to care. Manifest enters the market at a time when healthcare costs have reached an unsustainable tipping point while community health continues to deteriorate and faith in traditional systems wanes.
“Transforming health care requires a human-first approach, radical transparency and bold optimism,” said Aaron Friedkin, MD, co-founder of Manifest. “We won’t achieve better health and sustainable costs by relying on the same outdated systems. We believe we can build better—together.”
Through Manifest’s ecosystem of healthcare partners, employers can add solutions for primary care, behavioral health, cancer care, and more, to enable their employees to easily access top local providers for as close to free as possible. Further, Manifest’s solutions are able to coexist with any health plan administrator an employer uses.
For the first time, self-funded employers of all sizes in West Michigan can access high quality care solutions previously only available to the largest employers. This approach underpins Manifest’s vision of democratizing access to high-quality care while helping employers manage health care costs.
Manifest is now partnering with self-insured Michigan employers, high-quality local providers, brokers, and agents who want to transform the healthcare landscape in their community for the better. The company is currently onboarding their first customers and will announce the local providers enabling these innovative solutions in the coming months.