The American health care system is broken We spend more on health care than any other country, yet outcomes are worse and costs keep rising every year Health insurance premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs make many afraid to even go to the doctor. It’s an industry designed to maximize profits for shareholders, not maximize health for patients.
But it doesn’t have to be this way There are ways everyday Americans can fight back against the predatory health care system and get the care they need without going broke That’s what Marshall Allen’s book “Never Pay The First Bill” is all about.
Who is Marshall Allen?
Marshall Allen is an investigative journalist who has spent over 15 years reporting on the health care industry. He has seen first-hand how the profit-driven system fails patients. His book draws on industry insiders and experts to expose the tricks hospitals and insurers use to overbill patients.
The book teaches readers how to avoid getting ripped off and fight back when they do Allen provides tips, scripts and templates for negotiating with hospitals and insurers to get reasonable prices and avoid unfair bills
Shocking Truths About U.S. Health Care
Here are some of the shocking truths Allen reveals about the US health care system:
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Prices are made up and inconsistent. Different insurers pay wildly different amounts for the same procedures. Uninsured patients get charged the highest amounts.
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Hospitals overcharge uninsured patients to make up for lower rates from insurers. Their list prices are often 5-10x higher than what insured patients pay.
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Bills are intentionally confusing, with inflated charges and fake discounts to make you think you got a deal.
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Hospitals often refuse to provide prices upfront. Bills come months later and are purposely vague.
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Insurers deny and delay coverage for expensive treatments, even when doctors deem it medically necessary.
The system is designed to make patients feel powerless. But Allen explains how we can take back control.
How to Fight the Health Care System and Win
Allen provides practical tips for saving money on health care costs and avoiding unfair billing practices. Here is a summary of his main advice:
Never Pay the First Bill
Hospitals’ initial bills are almost always wrong, inflated 2-10x higher than the actual allowed amounts. Never pay it without scrutinizing itemized charges first.
Shop Around for Care
Compare prices between hospitals and stand-alone imaging/surgery centers. Don’t be afraid to ask about costs beforehand.
Negotiate Itemized Bills
Go through itemized bills line-by-line. Challenge inflated charges by comparing against Medicare rates or fair market prices.
Fight Insurance Denials
Don’t take no for an answer. Appeal denials and keep escalating to higher representatives. Enlist doctor’s help advocating.
Request An Audit
If you suspect double-billing or upcoding, ask for an independent audit of your full hospital bill.
Know Your Rights
Learn about protections like the No Surprises Act and statutes of limitations. Use as leverage when negotiating bills.
Try Conciliation Court
Take hospitals to small claims court for bills under $15k. Judges often rule in favor of patients.
The book provides templates to dispute bills, appeal insurance denials and negotiate reasonable payments. Allen also names “good guy” hospitals who charge fair prices to use.
Real People, Real Victories
In addition to expert advice, Allen provides inspirational case studies of ordinary Americans who fought back and won.
For example, he tells the story of a teacher named Scott whose insurance refused to cover a spinal fusion surgery deemed medically necessary by his doctor. After months of appealing, including contacting the state insurance board, Scott got the insurer to pay.
Allen also profiles a woman who audited her $18,000 hospital bill and got it reduced to under $3,000 by catching double-billing errors and inflated drug prices.
These people represent the thousands who have used Allen’s advice to overcome unfair billing and denials. You can fight and win too.
Take Control of Your Health Care
The cards are stacked against patients in the American health care system. Complexity and obscurity allow hospitals and insurers to overcharge and underdeliver. But armed with the right information, we can fight back.
We have power when we know our rights, understand real costs, and negotiate firmly but fairly. Marshall Allen’s book “Never Pay The First Bill” gives you the tactics to be an empowered health care consumer.
Don’t feel trapped by a system designed to take advantage of you. Educate yourself and take back control of your health care. The knowledge to push back is out there.
Never Pay The First Bill – Fight the Healthcare System and Win
What is never pay the first bill?
Never Pay the First Bill is the guerilla guide to health care the American people and employers need. Drawing on 15 years of investigating the health care industry, reporter Marshall Allen shows how companies and individuals have managed to force medical providers to play fair, and shows how you can, too.
Are You struggling to pay medical bills?
But then the bills come – hundreds, maybe thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of dollars. So many Americans are struggling to pay medical bills – unexpected debt that for some leads to financial ruin. Marshall Allen is an investigative reporter, and he’s been digging through medical bills for years.
Can we take back control of our health care?
We can take back control of our health care. When we do, we make things better for ourselves, our families and one another. Award-winning ProPublica journalist and Never Pay First Bill author, Marshall Allen, share tactics and strategies that equip families and employers to save big money with better health care benefits.
When should you pay your first medical bill?
But the principle that we have in the title is never pay the first bill until you have checked it to make sure that it’s accurate and to make sure that it’s fairly priced. And so those are two things that every patient should examine because most medical bills, according to people who review them for a living, contain some kind of an error.
Can companies Force medical providers to play fair?
Drawing on 15 years of investigating the health care industry, reporter Marshall Allen shows how companies and individuals have managed to force medical providers to play fair, and shows how you can, too.
Are you helpless in the health care industry?
The health care industry wants you to think you’re helpless. Every year, Americans spend more on health care and get less for their money -and the industry makes record profits. Layers of complexity make it confusing and discouraging to do anything about it. It seems impossible. But the truth is, we can push back and succeed!
