Navigating the tangled web of traditional healthcare
Every member's journey to CrowdHealth is unique. For Holly and Jonathan Bennett, it included an emergency appendectomy and a deep dive into the healthcare system's flaws through medical coding.
The insurance system, built to keep people dependent and often paying more for subpar care, renders insurance ineffective for many. Living in Savannah, Georgia, Holly & Jonathan experienced this frustration firsthand during her medical coding studies.
"I realized this is why the system is terrible," she expressed, as her understanding of medical coding unveiled the slow, complicated, and incessantly worsening bureaucratic process that seemed more designed to confuse than to help people.
Although insured for nearly two decades, Holly rarely visited the doctor. Yet, the healthcare industry kept billing her a monthly premium for staying healthy, using minimal healthcare resources, and simply living her life.
"I had been paying for insurance for years, and I wasn't visiting the doctor. I just felt like I was wasting that money," she reflected. It turned into a financial burden with no apparent benefit, with insurance costs reaching around $450 a month, and uncertainty about whether the insurance would be there when needed.
Turning the page to a simpler healthcare solution
They discovered CrowdHealth, an alternative to traditional insurance. However, it took around six to seven months to actually join.
"I'd been using insurance for so long. We think we need insurance even when everyone complains about it but takes no action to find better solutions." Once she switched, she found CrowdHealth provided a simpler, more reliable method to handle medical bills and emergencies.
Reliable community funding during Jonathan’s emergency appendectomy
A significant event was when Holly's husband Jonathan needed an emergency appendectomy. Initially, the surgery was quoted at $35,000. But with CrowdHealth's self-pay and crowdfunding model, the cost was reduced to $10,600. Jonathan only needed to pay $500 out of pocket, as the rest was crowd-funded. "At the end of the day, Jonathan only had to pay $500 out of pocket," Holly shared.
The community supported Holly & Jonathan during his medical emergency, a level of support many insurance carriers lack. The harsh reality is, every year, 250,000 insured people declare bankruptcy due to medical bills. It's a stark sign the current system benefits the medical industrial complex, not the individuals it's supposed to protect.
“It's back to how it should be: a doctor-patient relationship. Not doctor-patient-insurance-government-pharmaceutical,” Jonathan said, valuing the direct relationship now possible with his healthcare provider.
They felt free from a system where governments and corporations stand between individuals, their neighbors, and their doctors. Holly also appreciated the communication and support from CrowdHealth during medical emergencies. "Once you get on the app and start submitting, you can figure it out. If I need assistance, there are Care Advocates ready to help you throughout the whole process," she noted.
Holly & Jonathan value the personalized care from doctors recommended by CrowdHealth. One doctor, who only accepted self-pay, provided a more personalized and attentive approach to their healthcare. “It’s way better, I have a relationship with my doctor who is aligned with my long-term health goals and doesn’t just prescribe me a pill.”
Rekindling the doctor-patient relationship
As they continue with CrowdHealth, Holly & Jonathan look forward to a user-centered healthcare experience. Holly shares her positive CrowdHealth experiences with her network, promoting a shift from the old insurance mindset to a more community-driven, peer-to-peer approach to healthcare. This is enabled by the CrowdHealth mobile app, where users can upload bills for crowdfunding.
CrowdHealth's model has given them financial relief and restored their faith in a system that prioritizes member well-being over red tape. With CrowdHealth, they step into a future where healthcare focuses more on providing needed care and support rather than navigating bureaucracy.
This change comes when free market incentives enter healthcare, allowing doctors to do their jobs without corporations and governments getting in the way of the doctor-patient community relationship.
