Brigham Buhler

Now, a lot of times the insurance companies denies the MRI. You have to fight the insurance company. So they delayed your care, delayed your ability to go from person to person. They deny the coverage of the care, okay? And now the last shoe to drop is you finally get the MRI. You finally get the surgery approved. You go out, you interview clinicians.

Now, a lot of times the insurance companies denies the MRI. You have to fight the insurance company. So they delayed your care, delayed your ability to go from person to person. They deny the coverage of the care, okay? And now the last shoe to drop is you finally get the MRI. You finally get the surgery approved. You go out, you interview clinicians.

You find the best and brightest surgeon in your geographic region. This is a spine surgery. It's not something you take lightly. You find the surgeon you want. You set your date for surgery and the insurance company says, no, you're not allowed to use that surgeon. That surgeon is not on our preferred plan. You've got to use this surgeon over here. So you're not getting the best surgeon for you.

You find the best and brightest surgeon in your geographic region. This is a spine surgery. It's not something you take lightly. You find the surgeon you want. You set your date for surgery and the insurance company says, no, you're not allowed to use that surgeon. That surgeon is not on our preferred plan. You've got to use this surgeon over here. So you're not getting the best surgeon for you.

You find the best and brightest surgeon in your geographic region. This is a spine surgery. It's not something you take lightly. You find the surgeon you want. You set your date for surgery and the insurance company says, no, you're not allowed to use that surgeon. That surgeon is not on our preferred plan. You've got to use this surgeon over here. So you're not getting the best surgeon for you.

You're getting the best surgeon for the insurance company's pocketbook and what they could negotiate the rate down to the cheapest reimbursement rate. And then where insult comes to injury, after you've paid all that insurance in all these years, You typically on a surgery have a $10,000 copay or deductible to scare you out of doing the surgery. So imagine being a 26 year old kid.

You're getting the best surgeon for the insurance company's pocketbook and what they could negotiate the rate down to the cheapest reimbursement rate. And then where insult comes to injury, after you've paid all that insurance in all these years, You typically on a surgery have a $10,000 copay or deductible to scare you out of doing the surgery. So imagine being a 26 year old kid.

You're getting the best surgeon for the insurance company's pocketbook and what they could negotiate the rate down to the cheapest reimbursement rate. And then where insult comes to injury, after you've paid all that insurance in all these years, You typically on a surgery have a $10,000 copay or deductible to scare you out of doing the surgery. So imagine being a 26 year old kid.

You're miserable. You've been on opioids. Your genitals are on fire. Now you finally get a surgery done by a doctor. You didn't want to do it. And you pay $10,000 out of your pocket that you're on the hook for. That's why the number one reason for bankruptcy in America is health care.

You're miserable. You've been on opioids. Your genitals are on fire. Now you finally get a surgery done by a doctor. You didn't want to do it. And you pay $10,000 out of your pocket that you're on the hook for. That's why the number one reason for bankruptcy in America is health care.

You're miserable. You've been on opioids. Your genitals are on fire. Now you finally get a surgery done by a doctor. You didn't want to do it. And you pay $10,000 out of your pocket that you're on the hook for. That's why the number one reason for bankruptcy in America is health care.

They've essentially made the hospitals, the MRI centers, the surgery centers, any of the touch points in the ecosystem, subprime mortgage lenders. You don't have a choice as a hospital. You're taking UnitedHealthcare. What are you going to do? Turn around, turn away thousands of patients a month. That's your lifeline to keep your doors open.

They've essentially made the hospitals, the MRI centers, the surgery centers, any of the touch points in the ecosystem, subprime mortgage lenders. You don't have a choice as a hospital. You're taking UnitedHealthcare. What are you going to do? Turn around, turn away thousands of patients a month. That's your lifeline to keep your doors open.

They've essentially made the hospitals, the MRI centers, the surgery centers, any of the touch points in the ecosystem, subprime mortgage lenders. You don't have a choice as a hospital. You're taking UnitedHealthcare. What are you going to do? Turn around, turn away thousands of patients a month. That's your lifeline to keep your doors open.

So you eat the bill of the $10,000 and do your best to get the patient to pay. And so for that patient, now you get your surgery. And in this particular instance, the guy supposedly botched the surgery. He had bad outcomes. And those bad outcomes can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction. It can lead to permanent neuropathic pain.

So you eat the bill of the $10,000 and do your best to get the patient to pay. And so for that patient, now you get your surgery. And in this particular instance, the guy supposedly botched the surgery. He had bad outcomes. And those bad outcomes can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction. It can lead to permanent neuropathic pain.

So you eat the bill of the $10,000 and do your best to get the patient to pay. And so for that patient, now you get your surgery. And in this particular instance, the guy supposedly botched the surgery. He had bad outcomes. And those bad outcomes can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction. It can lead to permanent neuropathic pain.

Not to mention, you know, anywhere from 40 to 50% of patients who have a spine surgery will go back under the knife within 18 months for another spine surgery. Yep. And so you are caught in this feedback loop system where you're perpetually in pain, perpetually prescribed drugs and hoping that you can just get an answer and you can't ever get an answer.

Not to mention, you know, anywhere from 40 to 50% of patients who have a spine surgery will go back under the knife within 18 months for another spine surgery. Yep. And so you are caught in this feedback loop system where you're perpetually in pain, perpetually prescribed drugs and hoping that you can just get an answer and you can't ever get an answer.

Not to mention, you know, anywhere from 40 to 50% of patients who have a spine surgery will go back under the knife within 18 months for another spine surgery. Yep. And so you are caught in this feedback loop system where you're perpetually in pain, perpetually prescribed drugs and hoping that you can just get an answer and you can't ever get an answer.