Exploring the Benefits of Health shares for Physicians and Patients Alike

About Melissa Blatt

At one point, Melissa, a New York University film graduate, was on her way to become a prominent filmmaker. After spending several years in Hollywood working on various films and TV shows, she decided to step into the world of business development and marketing, changing the course of her future. For more than two decades, she has had professional and personal experience in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and New York in business development and marketing for diverse industries. She managed to execute innovative marketing campaigns throughout her career, helped companies increase their customer base, and drive unprecedented growth. Quite different from the world of filmmaking, what led Melissa to launch her first start-up in healthcare?

The Emergence of an Affordable Healthcare Solution

The capitalist world doesn’t treat millennials and Gen Z differently, and Melissa understands the tide is changing for self-employed professionals and independent contractors.

Melissa left the competitive corporate world to make a difference in people’s lives. And this is where Melissa’s Indipop journey begins. Indipop, which stands for Independent Population, was launched from her own struggle to find affordable healthcare when she went out on her own. She was quoted extremely high deductibles in traditional healthcare and with mediocre coverage. She knew she wasn’t alone; there are 57 million just like her who are challenged with finding affordable care and either pay higher rates or go without healthcare.

She did find a solution; they are called healthshares, a different approach to managing medical needs with fair medical pricing, concierge care, and typically an open network to see your favorite doctor or specialist. “Our goal is to save you time, money, and frustration. Indipop provides high-value plans that are researched and vetted, carefully identifying plans we would buy ourselves and entrust with our own health and wellbeing.” Says Melissa.

Healthshares: A Different Approach To Managing Medical Needs

Healthshares differ from traditional insurance in that instead of a premium and deductible; you become a member of a “community” or “pool” that shares the cost in a medical need. “At a low monthly rate, you can avail the services of a professional concierge team,” adds Melissa. Healthshares come with a wide range of options for individuals to cater to fit their needs within a budget. As a member, you may choose your Member Responsibility Amount (MRA) or (IUA) Initial Unshareable Amount. This MRA/IUA depending on the health plan is the amount you are responsible for if a medical need occurs; they range from $1,000-$2,500 up to 3x’s per year. People can also opt for traditional copays in one of the indipops plans offered as well.

COVID-19 and Rise of Telemedicine

Amidst the peak COVID-19 pandemic crisis, nobody wanted to leave their house or wait in urgent care to seek medical help. “You had to find a more convenient, safe, and efficient way to communicate and interact with patients,” said Melissa – CEO and Founder of Indipop. Over the past year, we have found many of the members of indipop enjoy the ease of meeting with a doctor via telehealth. Healthshares typically work with a concierge team that leverages telehealth to help keep monthly memberships affordable and provide quality care.

Healthshares: 24/7 Concierge Support

Healthshares provide a “care team” to help guide you to the best route for your medical need. Your first call or action will be to use the phone or the healthshare app to discuss your medical need. The team then navigates the best care at the right cost.

The concierge team is one of the perks with a heathshare and can help you save mountainous medical expenses throughout the year. For instance, if you want a medical opinion, you can reach out to the concierge team for 24/7 telehealth assistance. It is perfect for individuals who want a modern, diverse, and practical way to save medical costs.

The Need for a Modern Healthcare Approach

In a little over a year, there was a continuous spike in attraction towards healthshares. Many self-employed professionals are searching for an affordable option with access to see their doctors and have additional benefits like discounted dental and vision programs.

Heathshares are an alternative option to traditional insurance that many individuals, families, and small business owners are unaware of. But Melissa cautions not all heathshares are created equal, and there is not a one-size-fits-all. She advises, read the guidelines, explore the services, take time to understand how the healthshare works, what is included, and what you are responsible for when the expected and unexpected medical need occurs.

Melissa notes that healthshares are getting mainstream popularity because it works. “People deserve a straightforward and affordable approach to take care of their monthly healthcare needs,” it also helps that it is always open enrollment 24/7 365 continues Melissa.

Healthshares: Different Plans, Different Features

When it comes to healthshare, it’s more than just about leveraging telemedicine. Interestingly, in all four plans offered through indipop, there are numerous unique features. For instance, a healthshare plan can serve as a health savings account and provide an electronic vault to store your medical records. There are other added benefits for mental health and dental and vision discounts as well. Melissa is focused on featuring plans that have stellar reviews and offer unique features in a healthshare.

Healthshares: Consideration of Your Key Requirements

What’s more, is that it provides consistent and open support to people. You are more than an ID card, but a human needing medical care. For a majority of families they save 20-50% annually, making a significant impact on their overall healthcare expenses. Each plan offers various services, which makes healthsharing so practical for families and individuals who want to save on high medical costs.

Melissa is tirelessly dedicated to helping self-employed people meet their healthcare needs responsibly and affordably. Whether you are a freelancer, solopreneur, gig worker, or own a small business, indipop can help you find a healthshare plan that will work for you, your family, or your team.