Hidden Secrets of the Uninsured | Shaun Young | TEDxNewAlbany

Through personal experiences and a passion for his work, Shaun will challenge people to change their perspectives on the 29 million U.S. citizens who do not have health insurance.
Shaun Young is a pharmacist turned entrepreneur with a goal of making healthcare more affordable and easier
for everyone. Having spent nearly two decades at healthcare giants, Shaun has seen how healthcare works from the inside and founded Ardina to bring his expertise to consumers.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@thaliasuarez111]

I don’t have health insurance 😙 this video makes me feel better

[@mable90shaynne]

I don't either

[@JamesTilsley1]

This really makes me appreciate the NHS in the UK, the most I’ve ever paid for healthcare is £9 for a prescription which is the set price for every prescription, or £22 for a dental check up. Kids, the elderly, the pregnant or people with long term health issues get it for free.

[@PinkSparklerToontown]

@Nick Arjoma lol not true

[@PinkSparklerToontown]

@Nick Arjoma also there isn't one nhs for the whole of the uk the English nhs vs the scottish nhs for example. The nhs in England has been dwindling because the English vote for the Tories. All of these lies about waiting times will only apply to England IF that. The nhs in England is still decent and far better than usa at least

[@TruthsofJesus]

Thinking about dropping my insurance and saving $1600 a month

[@navyforeveryoungjean-phili5940]

I just started at a hospital as a registered nurse and i am blown away at how much money is going to be taken out of each paycheck for health insurance. It’s really ridiculous

[@thedog5k]

I’m working on being an RN. Not particularly excited to work again. Americans get to work 40+ hour weeks to watch 25% go to taxes, 25% go to health insurance and savings, and then the rest go to rent and car payments. Boss bought a new Benz tho.

[@alitabaker99]

Love this video. Hits even harder when you're facing these same decisions for yourself.

[@Wickedstickyflowers]

No doubt Do you have free antibiotics

[@georgettecastillion]

Rx discount cards help tremendously with any prescription!

[@scottbushey]

Even when you consider catastrophic risk, all hospitals are responsible to offer services to the uninsured. so you present to the emergency room with an acute abdomen that turns out to be an appendicitis. The hospital schedules for an emergency laparoscopy in a removal of your appendix. The hospitals are aware you don’t have insurance. They will send people to speak with you from their billing department. Ask him about paying cash and the discount for that as well as being insured. The bill is automatically cut down to a third. Let’s just say that it was 50 K for the surgery. Generally most care establishments will give you a bill of about 18,000. You make payments on that every month; whatever you’re able to afford as long as you’re paying. Let’s just say for the sake of this conversation that you’re only able to afford $100 a month. That is a heck of a lot cheaper than paying $1000 a month for your insurance with a $6000 deductible. The same can be said about urgent care.

[@SnackQueen01]

I was in the emergency room for chest pain and I received a bill of over $5000 dollars but without insurance they told me I only have to pay $2700 and later when I didn't pay, they told me that I only have to pay $990. They bill people more if they have insurance. So my bill went from over $5000 to $990.

[@momwifenurselife]

@@SnackQueen01was this recently? Because a friend of mine got bit by a dog recently and her bill was $7000. She even said no to stitches to keep the cost down, but did have to get rabies shots. They didn’t make it any lower because she had to pay out of pocket. Does it depend on the hospital!

[@SnackQueen01]

@@momwifenurselife this happened to me in 2023. I didn't tell them that I had insurance. Once they know you have insurance they don't help you.

[@80sWavrDude]

​​​​@@SnackQueen01yes, the don't pay trick does work, but it destroys your credit if you never pay a dime. It's important to pay whatever you can afford in order to avoid negative credit affects. The hospital eventually sells off your balance to outside companies. They buy your debt from the hospital at a huge discount, and then collect on it at a discounted rate to you. They may only make $200, $500, $1000 bucks or more off it, but they still make a profit, and you get a more affordable bill that you can afford with monthly installments, and it shows as being paid off on your credit report when you pay off that adjusted balance. The fact is, those who pay health insurance get ripped off because despite paying hundreds or thousands a month, the deductibles are so high that you won't go to the doctor unless you're practically dying. The high deductibles are there to keep you from going to the doctor so that the insurer can make huge money off your annual premiums. So, it's like you might as well only pay for healthcare when it happens, and deal with the bills afterward. They can't do anything as long as you are sending them something, anything. Biden passed legislation barring medical bills from affecting your credit as long as you are making payments, no matter how much you have left to owe.

[@allthingsnu4673]

I am an early retiree and have insurance (medical, dental & vision) through my former employer that I pay $317 a month for. I am healthy so it's only the potential catastrophe that I'm concerned about and want to have insurance for. It would have been helpful if Shaun discussed what uninsured people do when they have medical catastrophes like cancer, major surgeries or injuries from a car accident because I'm curious. I agree with him that we should shop around more and take better care of ourselves, in general.

[@SnackQueen01]

Ca*ncer is curable with cheap anti parasitic drugs and with a solution called C D S that the mass media call bleach to keep people away from it. I used C D S and it's not bleach. Watch a documentary called the Universal Antidote on other platforms because this platform censored it. You will ditch your insurance later.

[@xxeldoctorxx]

This motivates me to drop my health insurance. I’d save $160 a month.

[@smileypc44]

😂me from 2023 looking at these rookie numbers

[@michaelcummings212]

I saved 3,000 per month. It was insane

[@ChaceBonanno]

Most ppl don’t wanna risk going without insurance, but too cheap to get expensive insurance. So they get a high deductible plan, end up paying a small premiums, but paying the majority of the healthcare expenses outta pocket and usually never meet their deductible. It doesn’t really cover much unless you can afford high premiums.

[@CharlesLouisRosario]

And also probably pay the same or less if they got out of pocket pricing without insurance. The more I learn, the more I see for the most part it’s deceptive. Of course they’re are exceptions (major accidents, brain surgery etc)

[@dons4665]

I remember being a starry-eyed, “I wanna help the world” professional when I started out as a pharmacist 38 years ago. In that 38 years, I have been immersed in a perpetual classroom that teaches me how abused the healthcare system is. I see nothing but 400 pound people complaining about their copays and running to the doctor for their stuffy nose because they have insurance and not lifting a finger to stay healthy all by themselves. I am now jaded, bitter of heart, and uncaring about the “fix my problem” crowd…which is most of the populace. Fix your own problems by taking an interest in your health and well-being instead of relying on a system to mommy you like some sort of nanny.

[@peace-and-quiet]

Yes. Jaded.

[@govtom4]

Exactly. Bad food, bad air, bad water.

[@solomongrundy1467]

​@govtom4 You're right, the system is making us sick.

[@romeysiamese6662]

I’m 61 I have no health insurance. For the last 10 yrs I’ve been uninsured. I am self pay, if I go to the doctor it usually costs $100.

[@backcountyrpilot]

I don’t have health insurance and pretty much always get a 30%-40% “Self-Pay” discount. Simply ask, and then call other doctors to compare.

[@Jewelliet]

Love this perspective. Thank you.

[@kathyjones274]

To be a good American doesn't mean believing insurance companies,so they can stay in business. Look at how it is in some other countries,not anything like we have in our country. Much better. They are doing great.

[@Yayastickskey]

I think that was an excellent perspective on health care. I admire the speaker for being brave enough to stand on the stage and highlight the benefits of being uninsured, when everyone in society tells you that you need insurance for healthcare. I myself am intrigued and thought about taking the speaker up on the possibility of saving money. The only issue is, for many people health insurance is required, particularly students. I do feel like health insurance nowadays seems almost like an ethical issue. Requiring people to pay into a system, giving them a little to no options, and then when they need to use the Insurance there’s a deductible that requires the patient paper for the health insurance kicks in and pays for the medical expenses. In my opinion, it seems as though this is stripping people hair autonomy in for those living paycheck to paycheck it seems unfair to ask this of them when they are trying their hardest simply to survive. There is one aspect to his point which I must disagree with and that is that being uninsured can be cheaper. Incorporating health insurance into society as a requirement, initially seems monarchial and unfair. However, after my son was hospitalized this year and seeing the bill, I am very thankful I had insurance. We would not have been able to afford the care he received; therefore, I am not taking that risk. This bout of sickness he had was not something that would’ve been covered by antibiotics from our local retail store. He needed intensive care and management by medical professionals, not shopping for healthcare by his mom and dad. If we would have waited and shopped around, he very likely could not be with us today. If we would have decided to take triaging him into our own hands to decide if he was having an emergency or not, he likely would not be with us today. I understand the appeal to cheaper health insurance and the financial need for cheaper health insurance for some individuals. I am going to assume the speaker was discussing having no insurance for an individual and not a family because I myself would not risk my son’s life because it was unaffordable. I would rather him be alive and be put in a hard place financially than the opposite. I thought this was a great talk and great perspective.

[@hiiloveyou5791]

Do people's insurance really pay for stuff??? Mine doesn't

[@4Whopper]

I was deep into the health insurance industry for 20 years. It's a total scam.

[@celticwind4122]

Lol dude said it best. Most problems you can just Google and figure out the problem yourself. Unless something major happens you’re good.

[@ninatoffutt1651]

Healthcare is a right and should be free worldwide

[@sarahmansfield5139]

Who is going to provide it? Doctors have to eat too.

[@thedog5k]

You gonna pay for it?

[@ABetterWayToHealthcare]

Yes, shopping responsibly is a key component. Missed opportunity to discuss medical cost sharing for catastrophic healthcare needs.

[@jaymidiaz5126]

Check out direct primary care physicians mixed with a catastrophic type insurance. Dpc doctors usually charge a monthly fee and then discount everything for you. They also spend more time with you. Mix that with an insurance to cover emergency situations and I more than halved what I would have paid in traditional insurance.

[@brla9116]

My tips for being uninsured at 20 years old my whole life is that if it hurts just deal w it it’s that simple ud rather have the stress of paying that medical bill? Or just deal w ur pain

[@alfonsoramirezelorriaga1153]

Depends on the pain. I had hemorrhoids for the first time at the beginning of the year. I am a healthy person gym 3 times per week not alcohol or smoking. But when the hemorrhoids appeared I was in desperation it is the most horrendous pain that I can imagine. Over the counter pain relief aren't strong enough to relieve that pain. You need to see a proctologist. So this registration period I took the insurance provided for my employer just in case the hemorrhoids came back. I haven't used the insurance so far and pay 200 for my premium. But I know that I have coverage at least.

[@mable90shaynne]

I sat the opposite. Take care of it before it becomes a big deal.

[@chriscookesuffolk]

Grateful I live in the Uk

[@X9523-z3v]

It's all dystopian at this point

[@creativeguyty]

and 7 years later, feels like its getting worst

[@PS27760]

A depression med was $900/mo. I had to quit cold turkey. Same w blood pressure medication.

[@thedog5k]

They don’t even help anyways

[@EthicsBlank]

Shaun's passion for his work in advocating for health insurance for the 29 million U.S. citizens is admirable and necessary. Access to healthcare is a fundamental human right, and medical professionals have an ethical obligation to provide care regardless of a patient’s insurance status or ability to pay. The lack of health insurance can have devastating consequences for individuals and their families, leading to untreated illnesses and unaffordable medical bills. In a just society, each person deserves equal access to healthcare, and it is the responsibility of healthcare providers and policymakers to work towards this goal. Shaun's work challenges us to confront the systemic inequalities that exist within our healthcare system and identify solutions that prioritize healthcare access for all people. This is an important issue that requires continued attention and action from medical professionals and society as a whole.

[@kellyharmon8897]

Im uninsured i just dint go to the doctor. I was in a car accident and they did all theses test and said i have a granular on my lung i don’t have the money to see a oncologist so i didn’t go that was 4 years ago. If you really wanna bring health care down nobody go to the doctor and then they have to drop the price

[@Jewelliet]

Yes!!!!

[@vwgirlbeth]

I'm an uninsured RN with several serious illnesses. I'm really scared.

[@vwgirlbeth]

@Rosemary Terra I got sick and was out too long and lost my job

[@AnImperialGod]

@@vwgirlbeth Wow. The same thing happened to me a week or two ago. I had Doctor's notes and everything. I couldn't work because I was sick and my boss used the extended absence as a reason to make me resign. Although I worked as something else. So sad.

[@Baker.Matthew]

I’m uninsured. I’m vegan, I don’t smoke and I work out carefully. You only get one life with or without health insurance.

[@NationofTyros]

Same here. I only go to the dentist and eye doctor lol.

[@globalprong7341]

So if you break your arm ......I guess you will just workout lol to fix it

[@thundergato84]

@@globalprong7341 I don't know if you realize, but health insurance is expensive. It's offered to me by my job, but it costs $500 per month with a $5,500 deductible. I would be barely living if I paid that amount per month.

[@dunstonmunson8314]

@@globalprong7341 the answer to this is that in the case that someone who does not health insurance breaks their arm they just have it reset and casted like anyone else would..you are under the impression that a person would not be able to have their arm fixed if it gets broken and they are uninsured?

[@angelieavenie5741]

@@thundergato84 and you end up paying for most of the care you need in the year, because they keep increasing the deductibles every year. Insurance is a scam.

[@bFOURdwZEROlf]

Everyone has to be a doctor now.

[@anb4351]

Screw American health care system

[@CB-hi7mf]

I had sepsis. No Dr office would see me cause no ins

[@healinspaces4u]

I love this message, however, I am not convinced that the tests are unnecessary.

[@sindeekaye2223]

Amazing!!!! 👍🏼🙌

[@hiiloveyou5791]

I have insurance and can't afford healthcare😂

[@mable90shaynne]

I don't have insurance. My husband and I are both self employed and everytime I look into options the math doesn't make sense. And the plans don't cover some of the care I need. And I know some people who had their care delayed because of the insurance company not cooperating.

[@angelieavenie5741]

Just lost my job and now learning about medicare and insurance coverage...I am not sure I can live a decent life after paying so much for coverage...what are my options? I am supporting an epileptic brother who needs medical care too....I had a mild stroke and thankfully, just have 3 meds for maintenance and I my health is better. But still, I am 66 years old...not sure if I will still find a good job.

[@jordanminors2660]

Hi Angelie, I believe I can lend a hand in your situation. I own a health insurance brokerage that is licensed in 32 states for Medicare and Marketplace plans. Our services are completely free of charge. If interested, send me an email with your contact information and we will set you for a consultation. I'm typing this 1 month after your post so I hope all is well and I'm able to help. God bless you.

[@explorerofmind]

More for insurance than a house these days.

[@RespectfulComma]

Dr. Young highlighted an issue with insurance. If the cost of having insurance is so much higher than if you were to pay for everything out of pocket, why would the average person pay for health insurance? Bernard Lo discusses in the text, Resolving Ethical Dilemmas: a guide for clinicians, that even when individuals in the US have insurance that they can be underinsured. Being underinsured had consequences such as decreased utilization of health care resources despite paying insurance premiums. With this knowledge, it can be understandable why someone may choose to be uninsured, however, this choice would not work for everyone. Individuals with chronic illnesses would most likely have a difficult time keeping up with out-of-pocket costs. Overall healthcare costs are different for everyone as well as their access and ability to afford it. With decreased ability to access healthcare, outcomes become worse, and our healthcare system fails to help our population. One potential solution would be to have some form of universal healthcare, in which financial barriers are removed, but I am curious if anyone knows how the cost sharing is determined so that individuals with higher needs are taken care of without financial ruin.

[@thedog5k]

Inconvenient truths

[@djand007]

Give a man a fish he eats a meal, teach a man to fish he eats a lifetime.

[@simply_lifeart8396]

Just lost my healthcare due to the increase

[@LOSANGELES3]

I don’t have insurance I haven’t been feeling well for a long time

[@heal-thee9109]

Yeah, you had a Benjamin in your wallet, but what about the man who doesn't have a red cent?

[@alecschester1824]

What would one do if they ended up with cancer or in a bad accident? You can try to be healthy and do all the things but what about the things you can’t control? I have a cost sharing plan (not insurance) and still pay in $1000 a month

[@mable90shaynne]

Well idk about cancer but for emergencies you talk to the billing department and they look at your income. You might get a discount and you might also get it removed as a charity. Payment plans are always an option. I'm 33 with a kid and I haven't had health insurance since I was 18 except for my pregnancy which was through medicaid.

[@Davepacheco1986]

In short, we need Universal Healthcare NOW.

[@PS27760]

I also had to quit taking thyroid medicine. I'm allergic to the synthetic ones.

[@thedog5k]

Does this guy think that being insured never has increased prices? I had my first job in 2018 and had a few since then. I’ve seen so many older people around me including my parents have their health insurance go up and get downgraded it’s insane.

[@jaysant6958]

Wait, nobody does this? I thought what he’s saying is the norm?

[@manie3232]

I don't like health insurance because I'm into natural health and health insurance which I learnt is controlled by the FDA doesn't pay for the modalities that actually get to the root cause.

[@PS27760]

There's always Chapter 7.

[@johnmajor9564]

I am a federal employee and only pay 200 Dollar per month for a top notch insurance. I don’t have to pay anything out of pocket nor are there any caps. So I don’t see the point of not having it.

[@jfausset]

I am glad for you. I have relatives in the same situation as you. They are older and need health insurance, but worked during a time when that kind of benefit was offered at such a price. Those kinds of benefits have either shot up in premiums or evaporated from the private sector. The public sector may be the last holdouts. This TedTalker was spot on. You are in a good position, but it doesn’t mean it will be good for your children and grandchildren and so on. The whole medical system is glutted with waste and excess. This is a good path he is talking about.

[@anthonybarr2549]

Lol I have 4000 deductible and pay $350 a month not everyone has that luxury

[@angelieavenie5741]

That's the beauty of working for the government....private jobs are all about taking more till you're dry.

[@fingerprintsbyrobin]

The point is everyone don't have 200 Dollars lying around to give away every month an don't need to go to the doctor every month. That's the point due! You pay out of pocket every month.

[@DZtoUSA]

Not everyone is a federal employee, if you’re self employed, you may have to pay $480 for premium

[@taylorowens5972]

Don't we get sued by the government for no having health insurance when we file our taxes in USA tho??

[@oliverjones179]

No, you don't get sued. At one point, they would take so much from your taxes, but that stopped several years ago.

[@user-kl4rt2yf1r]

I'm 31, I look like a privileged white guy wearing a Bob Marley shirt and I take look after schizophrenics, the disabled, and criminals, I do not have an official job, nor do I need one and I just lost my insurance for "nonpayment" because these things take time. I wish there was a better option, I couldn't figure out how to sue them for not operating anyway.

[@oldman9843]

Online doctors are cheaper.

[@donnawoods8039]

I have no insurance except for catastrophic which is pretty cheap. I use Good RX for drugs, and most health care providers give me 75% off for paying cash.

[@bhm2270]

Hello, Do you mind sharing your catastrophic coverage provider?

[@SandfordSmythe]

And the 75% is picked up by other patients

[@manie3232]

Health insurance is just like any other product. That is if you don't like it don't buy it. I don't like it because it doesn't pay for the things that actually help keep me health. Health insurance predominately only pays for things that just treat symptoms. Even expensive test are just that. I tell people all the time "testing is not preventing." Many of the worst ailments can be greatly prevented by diet and lifestyle and the treatments are really ineffective such as for cardiovascular disease and cancer. Just do the research.

[@thedog5k]

You get treated so you can actually measure your prevention. Try counting your calories without the nutrition labels.

[@jaysant6958]

Also, isn’t there a penalty for not having insurance?

[@TheBibleListener]

Not anymore. Obama tried it but not now

[@jaysant6958]

@@TheBibleListener Oh yeah I forgot. I think just for me because I live in California & California still does that I think :/

[@HelloWorld-hb7yt]

Now if u don't get insurance. They make you pay penalty

[@SnackQueen01]

How much is the penalty?

[@X9523-z3v]

I haven't seen this. What's your experience?

[@vineryoulks7774]

Thanks obamacare for making insurance the price of a mortgage then wondering why people don't get insurance

[@francoisehembert3243]

You don’t think for a moment that the health insurance companies are not responsible for those prices? In the U S health is a for profit business.

[@emayhand]

Nothing to do with Obamacare at all. The subsidies should be higher but congress can’t get their act together to get it done. Healthcare is a for profit business in the US. Best to do all you can to treat your body like a temple and stay clear of the healthcare grinder for as long as you can. You control what goes into your body. Make better choices to avoid chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol. Vigorous strength training 3 to 4 times a week, drink lots of water and get the required 8 hours of sleep a night.

[@SongbirdAvenger]

Annnnnnd… if you get in a car wreck and need surgery, you’re screwed. Because you didn’t want to pay $200/month for a $7k deductible, you now owe $30,000…

[@windridr66]

Decline surgery.

[@kevinturnr]

Great idea, but nothing will truly be solved until these industries are regulated and realistic options become available ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@PinkSparklerToontown]

Sounds very american

[@kathyjones274]

Vote blue 💙

[@luchackcadler1438]

Ya insurance companies scam fraud, hahaha very funny bias.