My name is Marshall Allen and I am showing Americans how to save big money on health care - and I need your help. 

Our health care system is taking advantage of us financially. Americans spend twice as much per person on health care than the citizens of other developed countries, but still call its high cost their number one financial concern. Medical bills are overpriced and riddled with errors, but if you can’t pay they still come after you. About 1-in-5 Americans have medical debt in collections. And many are delaying necessary medical care because of the cost.  

I spent 15 years as an investigative journalist covering health care, including a decade at ProPublica. I’ve learned that there’s no excuse for these outrageous health care costs. We’re getting hustled. Our health care system is saddling us with overpriced and error-filled bills and the cost of treatment we don’t actually need. The system is wasting our money with its inefficient billing and administrative bloat— and it keeps coming back for more. We’ve trusted the health care industry but it’s actually preying on us financially. 

Bullies Watch Out

It’s time for us to get engaged and fight back. There is a lot we can do about the problem, but we need to be equipped. My new book, Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win, is a how-to guide to help working Americans and employers save big money by hacking the health care system. The book has been a huge success. I’ve been featured on the national NPR shows 1A and Weekend Edition, Good Morning America, ABC News Live and dozens of podcasts. The book is being called a must-read for every American and now I’m turning it into an engaging series of health care financial literacy videos called The Never Pay Pathway (aka NPP). The topics covered include: how to identify and contest errors and overcharges in your medical bills; how to win insurance company appeals; how to avoid care you don't need; how to use hospital financial assistance policies; how to defend yourself in small claims court and much more!

Instant Impact

My book shows employers and working Americans how they can work together to push back against our overpriced health care system. And it’s already showing a tremendous return on investment for the readers who are applying its principles and tactics.

People are STANDING UP FOR THEMSELVES and saving BIG MONEY:  

• Alexcia and her husband fought an insurance company’s denial of their claim that left them on the hook for $78,000 in bills. They successfully contested the denial and were saved from bankruptcy when the bill was reduced to zero. 
• Andy started contesting his bills and within weeks saved $815. 
• Josh sued his dentist in small claims court for $300 because of an unfair bill and won a quick settlement. 
• One Amazon reviewer took my advice and went to an independent imaging center for a CT scan instead of a hospital - saving more than $1,400. 

Empowering All Consumers

Individual patients have so many ways to save money in health care. And when they save, they can actually lower the costs that they and their employers pay for their health plans. I show in my book how it’s already happening, and now we just need to spread the word. 

I need your help turning the empowering information in my book into a health literacy video curriculum. My first campaign to fund these videos was a big success. You can see it here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-never-pa...

I had so many people say they still wanted to contribute that I launched the campaign again. So this is round two. 

How Will We Use These Funds?

This Indiegogo crowdsourcing campaign will fund the production and rollout of The Never Pay Pathway videos. We have recorded more than 15 short, three-to-five minute videos and completed the production of the first one. We need to pay for the production, editing, graphics and animation to complete the series, and ensure they are as engaging as possible.

We will also create a smartphone app that will put this information into the pocket of every patient who needs it. Additional money will be used for advertising and marketing, to make sure we reach a wider audience. 

Will you please join this campaign to take on one of the biggest financial problems facing Americans? Your donation will help equip and empower the hundreds of millions of Americans who are being preyed upon financially by the health care system.

Grateful For You

We have come up with a lot of great rewards (including this fresh AHA swag) for your partnership. Your generosity will make a real difference.

Allen Health Academy Swag (see Perks for details)

Please help protect yourself and others from becoming financially victimized by the health care system.

Thank you for partnering with us!