Jennifer:
All right, let’s start very basic. Who are you, and what is Indipop?
Melissa:
I’m Melissa Blatt, founder of Indipop. “indipop” stands for the independent population, people who don’t receive healthcare through an employer. We’re self-employed, contractors, small business owners, or companies looking for alternatives to traditional insurance.
Originally, indipop focused on individuals like me. But as traditional insurance has become more expensive over the past decade, more small businesses have started looking for other options too, so we’ve expanded to support them as well.
Jennifer:
Very cool, how did you get started?
Melissa:
My journey started in 2019 when I became self-employed. I had worked in business development and marketing, and I wanted the freedom to choose the clients I worked with instead of being tied to one company.
It was exciting, until I realized I was on my own for everything, including healthcare.
I didn’t think it would be a big deal. I’d seen the commercials for healthcare.gov and thought, “Okay, I’ll just go into the marketplace and pick a plan.” Easy.
It was not easy. AND… I had total sticker shock. I was projecting about $75,000 in earnings that first year — respectable, but not high enough to qualify for subsidies. The plan I could afford was a Bronze HMO with a $9,000 deductible.
That deductible is what really got me.
With an HMO, you have to go through your primary care doctor for referrals, and sometimes your specialist options are limited. So, I was looking at paying a monthly premium for what felt like a subpar plan, and still being on the hook for $9,000 before coverage really kicked in.
That was my breaking point. I thought there has to be something else out there.
And I want to be clear; I did not come from the healthcare world. I wasn’t a broker. I didn’t have a license. I didn’t have a background in insurance. I was just a person facing a problem and trying to solve it.
Jennifer:
And aren’t the best businesses born out of those kinds of real-life challenges?
Melissa:
Exactly. What I discovered was that it wasn’t just my problem; it was a problem for 57 million other self-employed people and small business owners.
And the funny thing? When I started talking about it, people would kind of laugh and say, “Yeah… we know.” I was like, how did I not know this sooner?
So, I did what I do best, I researched. I networked. I met with industry professionals.
At first, I kept getting shown the same thing over and over again: traditional ACA plans — the metal tiers — Bronze, Silver, Gold. Just different versions of the same structure.
Then I was introduced to an entirely different model.
Jennifer:
Yes, and I want to spend some time on this, because someone asked me about it the other day, and I honestly didn’t know how to explain it.
Melissa:
Healthcare in general is complicated; I like to explain it this way.
If you’re from New York, you know yellow cabs. You step outside, throw up your hand, and hopefully a cab pulls over. That’s how it’s always been done.
Then Uber came along.
Suddenly you’re using an app; someone’s driving their own car, it felt unfamiliar. I wasn’t an early adopter. The first time I used it, I sat in the front seat because I felt so weird about it. I thought, this is like a cab… but not a cab.
But both models get you from point A to point B. They just operate differently.
That’s how I think about traditional insurance versus healthcare memberships.
Traditional insurance, especially through healthcare.gov, determines your rate based on your earnings, employment status, age, and location. You pay a premium, you have a deductible, and the structure has variables, so someone in NY will be quoted a different rate than someone in Des Moine Iowa.
What Indipop curates is a different model: healthcare memberships.
With a healthcare membership, you join a large community that shares medical costs. Your rate isn’t determined by your income, and there are no government subsidies involved. It’s more like a subscription, similar to any app you pay for monthly. That same person in NY is paying the same rate in Des Moines. And if the New Yorker moved to Miami, they would still have the same monthly payment.
But the biggest difference is how rates are calculated. These communities pool members together and use statistical modeling. They know, on average, if they bring in 100 new members, how many might have babies, break a leg, or face a serious illness. That shared risk is what determines pricing.
Now and this is important there are hundreds of these programs out there. indipop acts as a curated marketplace. We evaluate and select the ones that meet specific criteria for stability, transparency, and member experience.
The ones we’ve chosen have been remarkably stable. In six years, the largest annual rate increase we’ve seen was about 5%.
Compare that to traditional insurance increases of 16% to 42%; some people have even seen their premiums double.
That difference is what made me realize this wasn’t just a personal solution. It was a business.
Jennifer:
WOW!
Melissa:
So that’s one of the big differences, instead of a premium, you have a membership contribution. And with that contribution, you get access to different levels of services and benefits.
For example, we have one option that’s perfect for a 26-year-old coming off their parents’ plan. Maybe it’s a young guy who says, “I barely go to the doctor. I just want something in place in case I break my leg.” That starts at about $156 a month with an out-of-pocket amount of $1,250. That’s pretty doable.
Then we have more robust options that include urgent care visits, routine labs, $50 copays for imaging, and you don’t have to meet a deductible before those benefits kick in.
What I really love about this model is the transparency and predictability. You get a much clearer picture of the true cost of care. This model uses fair medical pricing across the U.S., based on your zip code.
Jennifer:
Who doesn’t want that?
Melissa:
Exactly. A dermatologist in Manhattan is going to cost more than one in my Des Moines, Iowa example; that’s just reality.
Everything is based on reference-based pricing. Some benefits are included, and some are self-pay. That’s why we also offer Health Savings Account (HSA)-compatible options if that makes sense for you or your business.
Another major difference and this is a big one, is there’s no traditional deductible.
For anyone who doesn’t live in insurance land, a deductible is what you pay before insurance starts sharing costs. So, if you have a $5,000 deductible, you pay that first before insurance kicks in.
In the health share model, it’s typically called an IUA — an Initial Unshareable Amount. I like to call it your patient responsibility amount. It’s the portion you pay before the community begins sharing the cost.
These are straightforward usually in increments like $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000.
Here’s why I like this better than a traditional deductible: a deductible resets every calendar year. So, every January, you start over. With a health share, the IUA follows the medical need, not the calendar year.
Let’s say you break your leg skiing in December. You pay your IUA. Now it’s January and you’re still in physical therapy. You don’t have to pay that IUA again because it’s the same medical need.
You’re not getting hit twice for the same issue. And people really appreciate that.
Jennifer:
I love that. And honestly, even setting aside the high prices and random increases in traditional insurance, just having transparent pricing knowing what something costs and what’s included, feels huge.
I’ve been trying to get a medication covered recently, and I’m thinking, “If you don’t cover this one, what do you cover?” It feels like there should just be a list somewhere.
Melissa:
Right. And that’s where understanding cash pricing becomes really important.
A lot of people are discovering that if they pay out of pocket, it’s actually cheaper. Tools like GoodRx can help with prescription discounts. People realize, “Wait, if I pay cash for my allergy shots, it’s cheaper than my copay.” Or “If I pay for an MRI at an imaging center, it’s $300 instead of $850.”
The true cost of medical care is often much lower in the cash-pay world than what you see through insurance.
That’s where an HSA can be powerful. You fund it, and then you use it for routine care, urgent care visits, labs, and basic services as a self-pay patient.
And here’s the thing: most doctors have a self-pay rate. And it’s usually lower than the contracted rate they have with insurance.
Jennifer:
It’s funny, I just had an associate say, “I can’t believe it’s cheaper for me to pay my doctor without insurance than it is with insurance.” They felt like they were getting dinged because they had coverage.
Melissa:
Yes. I hate to use the word “punished,” but that’s how it can feel.
You’re working, paying taxes, participating in society, and your healthcare is still incredibly expensive.
Now, some people think, “Fine, I’ll just get a catastrophic plan and pay cash for everything else.” But if you really read those plans, the deductibles are often $10,000 or more, and then you still have a max out-of-pocket, what we call the MOOP.
So first you meet your deductible. Then if there’s coinsurance, you keep paying until you hit that max out-of-pocket. Most people don’t fully understand that structure.
The reason this alternative model resonates is because life is unpredictable. Appendectomies aren’t scheduled. Broken legs aren’t planned. You still want protection for the “what if.”
With health shares, you can often choose your IUA. The higher your IUA, the lower your monthly contribution. It gives people flexibility.
Now and this is important, if you start researching this on your own, you’ll find a lot of different programs. Each health share has its own guidelines. And those guidelines matter.
For example, one of the memberships we work with has a six-month waiting period for conception. If you join while pregnant or conceive within the first six months, it is not shareable, meaning it is not eligible for that IUA, and you would be responsible for paying the medical fee.
Why? Because this is a community fund. If someone joined while already pregnant and delivered three months later, they’d be drawing heavily from the fund before contributing to it.
Not all of our memberships function this way. We do have one option where pregnancy can be shareable as long as you are not pregnant in the month you join.
That’s why understanding the guidelines is critical. You don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s where guidance makes all the difference.
Jennifer:
The number of acronyms alone is overwhelming. When my husband and I were navigating the marketplace, just figuring out where we fit, what was applicable, what happens if you have a pre-existing condition or need a specialist, it’s a lot.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t need a specialist at some point in their life.
So beyond “educate yourself,” how does the average person actually navigate this? Many of us came from corporate jobs where it was handed to us: “Gold, silver, or bronze? This is what comes out of your paycheck.”
What’s a good first step, not just about Indipop, but about understanding your healthcare options in general?
Melissa:
You can use AI, by the way. I’ve done it.
Just be careful not to input protected health information or private data. But AI can help you break down your existing plan, compare pros and cons, and even help decipher your Blue Cross Blue Shield Gold plan if that’s what you have.
That said, it’s wild that you almost need a degree to understand your insurance plan.
Jennifer:
Or AI for that matter!
Melissa:
I just heard from a family member same doctor, same insurance company and something that was covered last year suddenly wasn’t covered this year because the provider was now considered out of network.
It’s confusing. I call it the “network shuffle.” Every year it’s, “Is my doctor still in network?”
Continuity of care matters for patients and for providers.
And on the provider side, especially independent doctors, they often face cash flow issues waiting for reimbursements. Many didn’t go to medical school to push paperwork or fight for low reimbursements. I’ve read that doctors spend somewhere between 27% and 42% of their time on paperwork.
That’s huge.
A lot of providers we’ve spoken with actually like this model. And when they partner with indipop, we’re not biased toward one plan; we’re there to talk through someone’s actual health priorities.
Do you want robust benefits? Are you okay with a mid-range monthly contribution? Are you looking for the lowest monthly possible?
Everyone is different. Everyone values different things.
I also think healthcare is moving in a different direction than traditional insurance. People want more than one annual preventive visit.
And here’s an irony: if you go to a preventive wellness visit and start talking about something outside of what’s coded as “preventive,” the provider might stop you and say, “Don’t say more, or I’ll have to code this differently and you’ll get charged.”
Preventive care should be the space where you can lay everything out. Instead, sometimes people feel like they have to censor themselves.
Jennifer:
It’s so sad that this is what it’s become.
We’ve all heard stories of doctors saying, “I didn’t hear that — let’s move on,” just to protect the patient from being charged. Or writing something down strategically so it helps with medication approvals later.
I’ve personally had to reapply for a prescription every single year — a medication I’ve been on for 20 years. I have to justify it annually.
Melissa:
That’s the hardest pill to swallow.
When an insurance company denies something, your doctor says you need and your doctor is saying, “I’m her doctor. I know what’s best” that’s incredibly frustrating.
What I love about the membership-based model is that these organizations act as medical advocates. They’re not insurance companies looking for reasons to deny care.
If your doctor says you need something, they’re asking, “How do we make this happen in the most affordable way?”
That advocacy piece is a big difference.
Jennifer:
Since 2020, when we first met, the workforce has changed dramatically. There are more 1099 workers, more independent contractors, and fewer traditional W-2 roles with benefits.
So, people are weighing their options: open marketplace versus something like indipop.
Are there situations where someone is better off going to the open market instead of this model? For example, I have a friend with two kids, even if the marketplace is more expensive. Is there anyone you’d say, “We’re not the better fit for you”?
Melissa:
Yes. We’re very transparent about that.
If someone is currently pregnant, traditional insurance is usually a better fit. Some cost shares will help negotiate cash-pay maternity rates, and those can sometimes be lower than a $25,000 deductible on insurance, but there are risks and unknowns. In that situation, insurance often makes more sense.
Chronic conditions in the first year are another consideration.
Each cost share has what’s called pre-membership guidelines or a look-back period. Remember, this is a community fund. If someone joins knowing they need a major surgery in the first year, that expense typically isn’t shared.
So, if you know you have a large medical event coming up in year one, you need to factor that in.
That said, not everything counts as pre-existing. For example, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure if medically managed, are often not considered pre-membership conditions. But you have to look at each membership’s specific guidelines.
We’ll walk people through that. We’re very upfront. If you just had surgery and there’s a chance of complications or follow-ups, we might say, “Wait until you’re fully cleared before joining.”
The last thing we want is for someone to get a surprise bill. That’s not why we started indipop.
We started it because this was an option I didn’t know existed and most people don’t know about it. Our role is to educate, guide, and match.
We’ve built matching tools on our website that factor in geography, age, and priorities. For example, we may have seven membership options in New York but only four in California. Rates vary by age. Some people want the lowest monthly. Some want robust benefits. Some need HSA compatibility. Some want virtual-only providers.
We even have a dedicated virtual care option which is especially helpful for people in rural America who may not live near urgent care centers or hospitals.
Access matters. And flexibility matters.
Jennifer:
As someone who moved from New York City to a rural area, I’ve seen firsthand how different healthcare access can be. The closest hospital to me is considered a high-cost rural facility. There’s one five minutes away, and then others about an hour away, and those are still classified in a certain way. At one point I remember thinking, “So… am I just not allowed to go to the hospital near me?”
Melissa:
In an emergency, you absolutely are.
Almost all insurance plans and the health share model too recognize that if it’s life-threatening, you go to the nearest hospital. Period. Emergencies are treated as emergencies.
Jennifer:
Right. But the fact that you even have to think about it…
Melissa:
You shouldn’t have to second-guess calling an ambulance. And yet I’ve heard people say, “Maybe I’ll wait. Maybe this will pass. Should I really call?”
Where have we gotten in healthcare that someone with chest pain is debating whether to seek care because of cost?
When access is limited or expensive, people delay care. A sinus infection becomes something worse. A UTI becomes chronic. And then where do they end up? The ER — which is the most expensive place to receive care.
When care is accessible and affordable, people actually use it appropriately. And in my opinion, that helps unburden the entire system.
Jennifer:
You’re right. When I was in New York, the number of people in the ER for flu symptoms or preventive-type issues was wild. That creates longer waits for people who are there for serious issues — broken bones, flare-ups, real emergencies.
You can’t control human behavior. Most people don’t love going to the doctor — probably except for me. I would get my teeth cleaned every quarter if they let me.
Melissa:
I have to go next week, not my favorite thing to do.
Jennifer:
I know, I’m a little unhinged about it.
Is there anything I didn’t ask you that you want people to know about you or indipop?
Melissa:
To sum it up: indipop is a marketplace for curated, membership-based healthcare. It’s a different model than traditional insurance.
We guide you. We match you. And we don’t disappear after you enroll, we offer ongoing education and resources.
Not all cost shares are the same. And this model is not the best fit for everyone. For some people, traditional insurance is better. For others, this feels more empowering, more predictable, and more affordable.
One thing people struggle with at first is that we’re not an HMO or a PPO. It’s an open network. That sounds “too good to be true” to some people. But because it’s based on reference-based pricing, it works differently.
This isn’t the model where you just get an ID card, find a network, and go. It’s more of a concierge-style approach, but without VIP pricing. There are medical advocates helping you navigate a massive healthcare system and keep your costs as close to zero as possible.
If you’re willing to lean into the guidance to accept the help, that’s when people really see the difference.
They see it with prescriptions.
They see it with imaging centers versus hospital-based imaging.
They see it when they compare the cost of a colonoscopy in a hospital versus an outpatient center sometimes five times the difference.
A lot of people overpay simply because they don’t know they have options.
Jennifer:
I think that’s the key point.
If you’ve had a traditional corporate career in a major city, your exposure to healthcare decisions may have been limited. You picked gold, silver, or bronze. It came out of your paycheck. You went to the doctor.
But the moment something changes — you move, you become self-employed, you lose a job, and COBRA kicks in — suddenly you’re on your own.
And COBRA prices? That’s a wake-up call.
I think educating yourself proactively regardless of where you get your coverage is one of the smartest things you can do.
You inspired me from the day we met. Not just because you started a company in an industry you had no background in, but because you saw a need and decided to solve it.
You’re passionate about this model. And you’re honest about who it’s right for, and who it’s not. You’re not just pushing a product.
I’m so grateful for you and for this conversation.
