{"schema_version":"bf_book_companion_v1","release_id":"20261010T034321Z-reviewed-full-unique-works","book":{"amazon_purchase_url":"https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593190009?tag=bookfrontie00-20","asin":"0593190009","authors":["Marshall Allen"],"book_id":"9780593190005","canonical_url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/never-pay-the-first-bill-9780593190005","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780593190005.jpg?v=699d4b73c5c1396f","description":"From award-winning ProPublica reporter Marshall Allen, a primer for anyone who wants to fight the predatory health care system--and win. Every year, millions of Americans are overcharged and underserved while the health care industry makes record profits. We know something is wrong, but the layers of bureaucracy designed to discourage complaints make pushing back seem impossible. At least, this is what the health care power players want you to think. Never Pay the First Bill is the guerilla guide to health care the American people and employers need. Drawing on 15 years of investigating the health care industry, reporter Marshall Allen shows how companies and individuals have managed to force medical providers to play fair, and shows how you can, too. He reveals the industry's pressure points and how companies and individuals have fought overbilling, price gouging, insurance denials, and more to get the care they deserve. Laying out a practical plan for protecting yourself against the system's predatory practices, Allen offers the inspiration you need and tried-and-true strategies such as: Analyze and contest your medical bills, so you don't pay more than you should Obtain the billing codes for a procedure in advance Write in an appropriate treatment clause before signing financial documents Get your way by suing in small claims court Few politicians and CEOs have been willing to stand up to the medical industry. It is up to the American people to equip ourselves to fight back for the sake of our families--and everyone else.","forthcoming":false,"isbn13":"9780593190005","publication_date":"20210622","publisher":"Penguin Publishing Group","slug":"never-pay-the-first-bill","subtitle":"And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win","title":"Never Pay the First Bill"},"discovery":{"categories":{"all":[{"bisac_code":"BUS033040","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Health Insurance","score":0.7567,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"BUS070170","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Healthcare Industry","score":0.7426,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"BUS070130","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Pharma & Biotech Industry","score":0.7008,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"hint":[{"bisac_code":"BUS033040","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Health Insurance","score":0.7567,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"BUS070170","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Healthcare Industry","score":0.7426,"source":"bisac_hint_model"},{"bisac_code":"BUS070130","confidence_band":"medium","label":"Pharma & Biotech Industry","score":0.7008,"source":"bisac_hint_model"}],"publisher":[{"bisac_code":"BUS070170","confidence_band":"high","label":"Healthcare Industry","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"HEA028000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Healthcare Issues","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"},{"bisac_code":"MED036000","confidence_band":"high","label":"Health Policy","score":1,"source":"onix_publisher_code"}]},"genres":[{"label":"Health Insurance","score":0.7567,"slug":"health-insurance"},{"label":"Healthcare Industry","score":0.7426,"slug":"healthcare-industry"},{"label":"Pharma & Biotech Industry","score":0.7008,"slug":"pharma-biotech-industry"}],"reader_fit":["Readers seeking practical ways to challenge medical bills and insurance denials","Americans and employers wanting to push back against health-care practices"],"related_lists":[],"series":null,"similar_books":[{"authors":["Liran Einav","Amy Finkelstein"],"book_id":"9780593421239","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9780593421239.jpg?v=1fd0d3016c3f131c","score":0.6567,"title":"We've Got You Covered","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9780593421239"},{"authors":["David W. Johnson","Paul Kusserow"],"book_id":"9781394286454","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781394286454.jpg?v=828764f0cf70c2a8","score":0.644,"title":"The Coming Healthcare Revolution","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781394286454"},{"authors":["Otis Webb Brawley, MD","Paul Goldberg"],"book_id":"9781250015761","cover_image_url":"https://img.bookfrontier.com/9781250015761.jpg?v=f6280ccfff037a8a","score":0.642,"title":"How We Do Harm","url":"https://bookfrontier.com/books/9781250015761"}],"topics":[{"evidence_refs":["keyword:self help books"],"label":"Self","score":0.1238,"slug":"self"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:health books"],"label":"Health","score":0.0682,"slug":"health"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:business books"],"label":"Business","score":0.0401,"slug":"business"},{"evidence_refs":["keyword:personal finance book"],"label":"Personal","score":0.0282,"slug":"personal"}],"what_you_get":["Themes: Health-care consumer advocacy, Medical billing disputes, Insurance denials.","Themes: Self, Health, Business.","Reading lane: Health Insurance and Healthcare Industry."]},"llm_signals":{"confidence":0.95,"pacing":"unknown","reader_fit":["Readers seeking practical ways to challenge medical bills and insurance denials","Americans and employers wanting to push back against health-care practices"],"themes":["Health-care consumer advocacy","Medical billing disputes","Insurance denials"],"tropes":[]},"source_presence":{"amazon":true,"book_detail":true,"goodreads":true,"llm_signals":true,"similarity_seed":true},"stats":{"amazon_ratings_count":0,"goodreads_ratings_count":579,"goodreads_reviews_count":105,"quality_score":0.9022}}