See Chad on Good Morning Arizona here.

by Alexcia Hawkes   Aug 24, 2009

Naming your own price for health insurance seems like something a game show would be titled, but its something the No Insurance Club is striving to do on a daily basis.

Yes this sounds a little strange but Chad Harris the CEO of the No Insurance Club has come up with a way to make paying for insurance a lot easier. As of right now the No Insurance Club is active in 10 states: New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arizona, California and Washington. Within those states there are doctors that offer preventative services.

With a one time fee (Singles: $480, Couples: $580, Families: $680) you will get 12 annual doctor visits, blood test and other preventative testing. Now these prices might seem pretty high but here is a perfect example as to why this price is pretty reasonable. A 24 year old female who is healthy pays 85 dollars a month for insurance from her job. Now if you add that up for the year its $1,020 and this price does not include any co-pays you would have to pay or any prescriptions you might need. With the No Insurance Club, there are no co-pays for doctors visits and you don't have to get a physical before enrolling. So if you have any pre-existing conditions that's cool. You can still enroll with no penalties. Another plus about the No Insurance Club is the money that you pay goes directly to the provider. There is no middle man or any extra fees that you might have to pay if you were going through a insurance company. This is a win-win situation.

Now there are some challenges, but all that does is leave room for improvement which Chad was eagerly willing to explain. This is strictly a preventative insurance plan. It does not cover any ER visits, no kinds of surgery or any form of rehabilitation. These challenges are soon to be fixed with a new and upcoming program that Chad and the staff at the No Insurance Club have been working on. This program will create the demand for much needed medical services all over the country through a brief TV show hosted by a former Ms. Arizona to be debuted September 1, 2009. It will put a humorous spin on the health crisis we are going through and give millions a chance to name their own price for health care services. Chad offers this example: If 1000 people are at risk for heart disease in a particular area, Chad talk to the local doctors, let them know of the demand. Now you would be able to get a heart calcium scan, 64 slice 3D image of your heart with a print out and 20 minutes with a heart specialist. This test is normally $200, but now its $99.

The question arose about whether Senior who use Medicare/Medicaid were able to use services like the one just described. But due to regulations and other rules, those people that are utilizing Medicare/Medicaid are not able to participate in services that are offered. Chad hopes that with new reform this can change and more people will be able to participate.

Chad Harris describes the No Insurance Club as Wellness System rather than the Sickness System that we have now. He says that the system we have now feeds off of our illnesses rather than trying to prevent them in the first place. With the new program that is coming down the pipe Chad hopes to greatly expand the services that can be offered and put the power of health care back in the hands of regular people.

Visit the No Insurance Club Website for more information

by James King  Aug 18, 2009

In case you've been living on Mars for the last several months, the nation is in the midst of an intense debate over healthcare. Sick of it yet (no pun intended)? Well, a Mesa man claims to have the solution: Don't bother getting health insurance at all.

Chad Harris, chief executive officer for Mesa-based No Insurance Club, says that his company holds the solution for healthcare in this country; paying for a certain amount of care upfront.

"What spawned it was people wanted to have a fixed price for a certain basket of visits -- once a month, say -- and certain baskets of services -- like strep, EKG, cholesterol, physicals -- all bundled for one price per year," Harris says.

Harris says annual "packages" offered by the clinic are often less expensive than a monthly insurance premium, and that there are no co-pays or deductibles.

The plan actually is pretty inexpensive. An individual only pays $480 a year for 12 visits, and families pay $680 for 16 visits. The package includes immunizations and blood work, and offers prescriptions through a contract with Pharmalink for less than $4.

The "No Insurance Club" Web site actually makes it seem more like you're buying car insurance than medical coverage, and uses the slogan: "No co-pays, no deductibles, no premiums. Pre-existing condition? NO PROBLEM!"

Hard to believe: a doctor who sees terminal cancer as "no problem!"

Unfortunately for Harris, he's too late. We already have a "No Insurance Club" in America; It consists of roughly 20 percent of the population.

by Corey Rengel

PHOENIX -- Healthcare town halls have become the center stage for debate here in the Valley and across the country. But there’s little arguing people want to find a way to save money.

“No one has ever organized a Priceline, Travelzoo, or Amazon for health care until now,” said Chad Harris, No Insurance Club director.

No Insurance Club is a Mesa-based company that helps the uninsured find reasonably priced health care.

Starting next week, the company will launch a new website, called Healthcare Crisis News, to expand their services.

“We're never gonna ask you your name, address, or phone number. We just want to know if you’re male or female, what zip code are you in, and what offers you're interested in,” said Harris.

Based on your zip code and healthcare interests, a range of medical bargains will be mailed to you three times a week.

Harris listed several examples where patients could save: a heart scan that would normally cost $1,900 could only be $99; the cost for a mammogram can be cut in half from $140 bucks to $70; and the cost for a blood test could drop from $200 to just $15.

“That's what it's all about: actually showing the true price from the provider to the patient and letting the market decide,” said Harris.

Along with lower prices, Harris said the site will also provide an entertaining look at healthcare news using a format similar to The Daily Show on Comedy Central.

by Deborah Mitchell   Aug 25, 2009

An Arizona-based company called the No Insurance Club is offering a no-frills option to health insurance for people who want basic, preventive health care. The company was founded by Chad Harris and Sam Sannoufi, a Gilbert physician, and opened for business in January 2009.

For a yearly fee of $480 for single people, $580 for couples, and $680 for families (regardless of size), those who Join the No Insurance Club get 12 doctor visits (16 for families) and services such as flu shots, discount prescriptions (generics), physical examinations, blood tests, and other preventive testing. Participants in this Club have no co-pays for their doctor visits, and no physical is required before enrolling. People who have a pre-existing condition can sign up with no questions asked.

What is notable is what the Club does not cover: emergency room visits, catastrophic illnesses, hospitalizations, visits to specialists, surgery, brand name prescriptions, and rehabilitation, among other services. But for some people who cannot afford the high premiums of the health insurance plans on the market, but who believe they will utilize the services offered by the No Insurance Club, this may be the option - albeit a temporary one perhaps - they are looking for.

The No Insurance Club is active in ten states, including Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Each of these states has participating physicians who offer preventive services. An advantage for physicians who participate in the program is that they are paid directly by the Club instead of having to wait for reimbursement from an insurance company, and they get more per patient visit than they do from people who have health insurance.

The No Insurance Club health insurance option obviously is not for everyone. But for individuals and families who know they will use the limited services covered by the plan (especially doctor visits for children), enrolling in the Club, even for one year, could cover the gap until a more suitable health insurance option comes along.

SOURCES:
East Valley Tribune, Jan. 13, 2009
No Insurance Club website
East Valley Tribune, 1/13/09