The Insurance Illusion

If someone constantly filed car insurance claims, their insurer would likely cancel their policy.

Health insurance began in the early 1900s as a way to help people cover hospital bills gradually, kind of like an early version of buy-now-pay-later services like Klarna. Health insurance wasn’t originally intended to cover every minor illness or discomfort the way it’s often used today.

Despite paying between $6,000 and $21,000 a year for health insurance, consumers often find that it still doesn’t cover many basic necessities.

*Anecdote #1: My gynecologist referred me to a top endometriosis specialist, but they didn’t accept insurance, and even if they did, my insurance wouldn’t cover laparoscopic surgery. I ended up paying $30,000 out of pocket just to have them remove as much scar tissue as possible. I still don’t understand why it wouldn’t be covered, or why the doctor wouldn’t take insurance. Do they think I’m just sitting on that kind of money?

Dear actuary,

Why do health insurance premiums keep rising while coverage shrinks each year? Has health insurance become an illusion? Does it promise protection but deliver less and less? Wasn’t its original purpose to ensure that those most vulnerable could actually afford to stay alive?

Respectfully, someone trying to make sense of it all.

Dear health insurance buyer,

Let’s clear up a common misconception: insurance, then and now, wasn’t built around the idea of healthcare equity. Its primary function has always been to ensure doctors get paid promptly for their services without chasing patients down. In essence, it operates like a medical collections agency, and the insurer takes a cut, often a percentage, for guaranteeing that the doctor receives payment.

*Anecdote #2: You’d think insurance would cover my tears: literal ones. I have hEDS, and tearing has been a constant in my life. Most recently, I developed grade 3 abdominal muscle tears that didn’t heal. Because of the complexity of my condition, I need a surgeon skilled in specialized suturing (since my skin doesn’t close properly) and an anesthesiologist experienced with hEDS patients. The estimated bill? Over $2 million after insurance kicks in with a vague $250,000 to $500,000 contribution.

I don’t even understand how that’s a “range.” Every surgeon I consulted, across New York, Minnesota, Arizona, Florida, California, and my home state of Montana, quoted me in the millions. The lowest was $1.7 million. The average? Around $2 million.

The Health Illusion - Revision in process

In the early 1900s, many people died from treatable conditions like fevers, infections, or even minor injuries because they couldn’t afford to see a doctor. Medical care was largely reserved for the wealthy, and most physicians served only affluent families. Doctors often trained at elite institutions like Harvard or Oxford, and many came from upper-middle-class backgrounds themselves; admission often depended more on personal connections than merit.

*Each anecdote is a composite, drawing from the shared, lived experiences of people I've connected with, illustrating the widespread nature of these issues.

WIP: Where Do I Fit Into All This?

For over a decade, I’ve been passionate about researching and sharing insights that help people living with metabolic and rare (NORD) diseases. But lately, I’ve felt the pull to do more; to go beyond written posts and actually start breaking down the systems that impact our health, wallets, and lives.

So I’m finally doing it. I’m launching a new chapter through my YouTube channel, where I’ll unpack the broken systems we’re all navigating. I’ll be interviewing both advocates and those working within these systems. I’ll also be documenting my own experiences with medical tourism; why I’m choosing to go abroad for treatment instead of spending astronomical amounts in the U.S., and exploring what that means for access and affordability.

And here’s something I’m especially excited about: I’ll be spotlighting new tech in the healthcare space, innovations that could fundamentally change how care is delivered and boost consumer purchasing power. Whether it’s AI in diagnostics, decentralized clinical trials, or alternative payment models, I’m exploring tools that have the potential to return agency to the people who've been sidelined by the system for too long. Real change starts by inviting everyone back into the conversation.

Each video will be paired with a companion article here on the site, where I’ll dive deeper into the themes of wellness, finance, and politics. This is a work in progress, but it’s real, it's driven by lived experience, and it’s fueled by a fierce determination to reimagine what healthcare could be, for all of us.