Denied Kid's $8K Surgery: My Bitcoin War on Broken Healthcare | Andy Schoonover

Nov 18, 2025

In this discussion, Andy Schoonover, founder and CEO of CrowdHealth, shares his journey into alternative healthcare after facing a shocking $8,000 bill for his daughter's ear surgery, which insurance denied. He reveals how CrowdHealth empowers members with direct-pay medical care, cutting costs by up to 50%. Andy critiques the perverse profit motives of insurers and hospitals, highlights the potential of Bitcoin for financial transparency, and breaks down how his community-driven model offers a viable fix for the failing U.S. healthcare system.

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ANECDOTE

Denied $8K Ear Surgery Sparked CrowdHealth

Andy paid an $8,000 bill for his one-year-old daughter's 15-minute ear surgery after insurance denied it as "medically unnecessary."
That denial motivated him to create CrowdHealth in 2021 as an alternative to fiat insurance bureaucracy.

INSIGHT

Perverse Incentives Drive Medical Inflation

Insurance and hospitals both profit when prices rise because of perverse incentives like the medical loss ratio.
That alignment drives higher premiums and denials rather than cost containment.

ADVICE

Require Small Copay To Prevent Abuse

Require small patient skin-in-the-game (e.g., $500) before community funding to discourage abuse.
Use community contributions to fund remaining costs and enable immediate direct payment.

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