Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win

I am a college professor and teach a course in health insurance. This book contains everything that everyone should know in dealing with health insurance companies and the health care providers. Marshall Allen does an excellent job of explaining, step by step, what you should do when faced with an invoice for out-of-pocket expenses. It is not only about purposeful fraud, it is also about purposeful incompetence on the part of those in healthcare facilities for creating and submitting the claims. But you are the one who will be penalized. Read this book!

The author works for ProPublica, which is probably the most reputable news and research organization in the country. This book allows consumers to easily understand two things 1) profiteering vs profits and how the medical industry prefers the first 2) how to leverage that realization to renegotiate every healthcare bill you receive because your bill is generally a device to leave you holding the bag after every insurance company, billing adjuster, medical office professional, etc has taken their piece of the pie. By not paying the first bill, consumers maintain leverage. That’s what this book is…consumer leverage.

Before I read this book I always assumed that the healthcare system was on our side. Doctor visits are expensive so pay up. But Marshall exposes the healthcare industry and all the ways we are being ripped off. Within a week of contesting my medical bills I saved $815! This is a MUST READ! Stop getting ripped off and start fighting back.

The moment I heard the interview on NPR with the author of this book, I immediately knew this book was a necessity to own. I purchased the hardcover edition!

Having a survival guide, not for the outdoors, not for a post-apocalyptic landscape, but instead for the godforsaken wilderness of our highly inefficient, defunct, and predatory healthcare system in the U.S. is an absolute must have!

As the author explained in the interview, waiting around for politicians and Congress to fix this broken healthcare system is not a solution. Pretending there is no problem, as many do, will only leave you drowning further down the road. Taking matters into your own hands IS the solution. If enough people follow his instructions it WILL bring about change. People do not have to face bankruptcy due to one hospital stay. If they only knew a bit more about what is going on and how to challenge the system.

It's really heart-breaking that a book like this is needed just to get through life. Each American is really left to their own devices in this country. No one is going to help you but yourself.

I highly recommend this book if you don't want to face bankruptcy from medical bills in your lifetime. The skills you will learn will be invaluable, even priceless.

I like his writing style -reader friendly and is hell of a book on how to armed yourself against as Allen calls them the big bully.
Tips: Read through every bill, the author say 80% of bills contained errors. Get an itemized list of the bill if you don’t agree with it, get codes. That is the language of medical Billings and so much more. He gives great examples of people fighting some becoming experts on fighting insurance.. if the dispute is about thousands of dollar consider hiring an expert patient advocate.
The weak part for me was on what an employer should do, I am not an employer so I skip that part. He has great sample letters at the end to get you started. A really good book on getting educated and being your own advocate. Highly recommend this book. Keep it handy in case you get a bill and you get hundreds or thousands of dollars and you go into shock for the surprise.

Healthcare billing is such a mystery that my wife and I just pay whatever bill they send us, even though we never understand what the heck we're being charged for. This book opened my eyes to the predatory practices of the healthcare industry. Some of the stories were absolutely shocking! But the best thing about this book is it doesn't just blow the whistle on these scams. It gives you tools to fight back and keep from falling prey to these practices. I just got a second copy of the book and I'll be passing it along to friends. Such an important and practical book!

This book offers tips and in-depth reporting that is helpful to all of us who use the American health care system. I have followed Marshall Allen’s investigative reporting at ProPublica on some of these topics. And this book follows up on that work in a way that is useful in-depth reporting and service journalism for us all. I imagine the medical establishment and lobbyists for hospitals, insurance companies, doctors, medical device companies, pharmaceutical giants and others see this kind of reporting and book as a threat. And perhaps they should. Our healthcare system may be world class in some ways but it isn’t serving our people - especially the middle class and low income communities - as it should be when it comes to affordability and waste. I hope the book kicks off community and policy discussions in addition to being a great resources for us as individuals.

I used a sample letter in this book to challenge a $1500 medical bill my mom received. It worked! Turns out there was an issue with insurance and the whole amount got paid by her insurance company. She owed nothing.Lots of helpful info in this book.

My doctor sent me to AdventHealth for a CT Scan and they said my out of pocket cost was $1800. I said that was ridiculous and the woman said, straight-faced, "well, CT scans cost $3000-$6000 and $1800 is the negotiated rate with your insurance; but you haven't met your deductible." I asked if that included the radiologist and she said that was billed separately. Not today lady!

Following Marshall Allen's advice, I found a local imaging center and paid $400 cash including radiologist!!

Marshall Allen introduced me to the Health Rosetta family several years ago. He has done the research on our Wall Street supporting, local community destroying health care system. From tax exempt, for profit hospital chains who pretend to support community employers to pharma to BUCAHS, we are all reminded that WE are the only champions for the patient and the communities where our beleaguered physicians snd care providers serve. This is a great work Marshall. You have given all of us a step by step guide to returning control to patients, employers and physicians.