BONUS: Medical Debt and Health Insurance with Andy Schoonover | Medical Insurance, Insurance Alternatives, CrowdHealth

Today’s podcast episode is brought to you by CrowdHealth.

I’m delighted to sit down with Andy Schoonover, co-founder and CEO of CrowdHealth, today. CrowdHealth is a community-powered alternative to health insurance, offering a revolutionary way to pay healthcare bills through crowdfunding. Previously, Andy was CEO of VRI, a healthcare technology company that focused on monitoring patients with chronic conditions out of their homes. He is a proud graduate of the University of Virginia and Stanford University's Graduate School of Business.

Andy and I discuss the scale of medical debt in the United States, including claim denials and at-risk vulnerable populations. We examine the impact of hospital takeovers and the medical system, looking at how insurance companies and hospitals, which are actually oligopolies, drive price increases that directly affect our insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. We discuss how hospitals influence private practice, and how this is actually a microcosm of much larger challenges. Andy also shares his origin story, explains how clinicians need to encourage patients to take care of their health in their 20s and 30s to avoid developing chronic diseases, and clarifies how CrowdHealth works, who it’s for, and how it is a growing response to our broken medical system.

This conversation is particularly important due to the poor understanding of how health insurance works in the United States, while medical debt is becoming a huge issue for millions of Americans today. It may even get you thinking about your own medical insurance and how much coverage you actually receive.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

Why CrowdHealth encourages members to know their metabolic markers

The importance of taking autonomy over your own healthcare

How CrowdHealth works as an alternative to the traditional medical-model insurance system

How CrowdHealth members can decide who they contribute toward

What screening looks like within the CrowdHealth community

Andy describes CrowdHealth’s Exit Diabetes program

How CrowdHealth’s health coaches and care advocates support members