GENERATION. NOW SHE’S TAKING ON THEIR
MEDICAL DEBT.
MEDICAL DEBT. >> GOOD MORNING, MY LOVELIES.
I HOPE Y’ALL ARE HAVING A GREAT
DAY TODAY.
DAY TODAY. >> GOOD MORNING, MY LOVELIES.
>> I SEE YOU OUT THERE
STRUGGLING BUT I SEE YOU
SUCCEEDING EVERY MORNING SHE
SENDS MESSAGES OF POSITIVITY TO
300,000 TIKTOK FOLLOWERS.
>> I SAY YOU’RE AMAZING.
GO OUT THERE AND SHOW THE WORLD
HOW YOU SHINE.
IT REALLY RESONATED WITH PEOPLE.
>> INSTA-POT ADVENTURES.
>> SHE’S KNOWN FOR HOW TO ON
BASIC LIFE SKILLS.
>> FIRST THING, ITALIAN BREAD.
>> OR GIVING HER CAT A FLEA
BATH.
BATH. >> I’M LITERALLY A MOM AND I’M
TRYING TO IMPART ALL OF MY
KNOWLEDGE ONTO THE TIKTOK KIDS.
EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE I
WILL TEACH YOU.
IF I KNOW IT, I’LL TEACH YOU.
>> SHE SHOWED ME HOW TO UPDATE
MY TIKTOK GAME.
>> HOW MANY VIDEOS DO YOU DO A
DAY.
DAY. >> AT LEAST FIVE TO TEN A DAY.
>> THE VIDEO THAT GOT HER THE
MOST ATTENTION IS THIS ONE,
TEACHING FOLLOWERS HOW TO DEAL
WITH MEDICAL DEBT.
>> YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM,
YOU GET A BILL FOR $1,000.
>> LAST YEAR 137 MILLION
AMERICANS REPORTED MEDICAL
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND 65% OF
AMERICANS SAY UNEXPECTED MEDICAL
BILLS ARE THEIR TOP CONCERN.
SHAWNA IS TRYING TO CHANGE THAT
ONE MINUTE AT A TIME.
HER KEY TIP, ASK FOR AN ITEMIZED
BILL THAT SHOWS EVERY CHARGE.
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT EVA DID.
SHE SAID SHE WENT TO THE ER LAST
MARCH.
MARCH. >> THEY DID BLOOD WORK AND
ULTRASOUNDS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
WAS GOING ON.
THAT’S WHEN THEY FOUND OUT I HAD
CYSTS THAT HAD RUPTURED.
THAT WAS KIND OF IT.
IT WAS PRETTY SIMPLE.
I WENT HOME.
BUT THEN I GOT THE BILL.
>> AFTER INSURANCE AND
DEDUCTIBLE PAYMENTS, EVA STILL
OWED MORE THAN $1,000.
>> I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO, HOW
AM I GOING TO PAY THIS OFF.
AFTER SEEING SHAWNA’S VIDEO, EVA
ASKED FOR THIS ITEMIZED BILL.
SHE WAS STUNNED BY THE RESPONSE.
>> WHEN I OPENED IT, I REREAD IT
FOUR TIMES BECAUSE I DIDN’T
BELIEVE IT.
BELIEVE IT. IT SAID ZERO.
THEY HAD CANCELED OUT OVER
$1,000.
$1,000. >> HER MESSAGE FOR SHAWNA.
>> SHE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO ALL OF
THAT BUT SHE DID BECAUSE I TRULY
THINK SHE CARES ABOUT PEOPLE AND
HEMG PEOPLE
HEMG PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE.
HELPING PEOPLE. >> WHETHER OR NOT ARE THE
TYPICAL AMOUNT OF MONEY PEOPLE
ARE MESSAGING YOU THAT THEY
SAVED.
SAVED. >> THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
>> EVERY TIME DOES IT FEEL JUST
AS AMAZING.
AS AMAZING. >> EVERY TIME.
EVERY SINGLE TIME.
EVEN IF I ONLY HELPED PEOPLE
SAVE $50.
SAVE $50. >> I SAVED MY FAMILY A TON OF
MONEY.
MONEY. >> WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU GIVE TO
PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH DEBT.
>> DEBT DOES NOT EQUAL DEADBEAT.
THESE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
THEY PROBABLY HAD A HEALTH
CRISIS THEY WEREN’T ANTICIPATING
AND NOW THEY HAVE ALL THIS
MEDICAL DEBT.
MEDICAL DEBT. THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO WORK.
THEIR INSURANCE MAY NOT HAVE
COVERED IT.
COVERED IT. NO ONE SIGNS UP FOR IT.
YOU JUST NEED TO BE
COMPASSIONATE TO THOSE PEOPLE.
>> SHAWNA TELLS ME SHE INSISTS
SHE’S NOT A MEDICAL
PROFESSIONAL.
PROFESSIONAL. SHE TELLS PEOPLE SHE CAN ONLY
ANSWER QUESTIONS BASED ON HER
EXPERIENCE.
EXPERIENCE. SHE USED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR.
WE REACHED OUT TO THE HOSPITAL
EVA WENT TO.
THEY SAID THEY COULDN’T COMMENT
ON THE BILL BECAUSE OF PRIVACY
LAWS.
LAWS. THEY DO PROVIDE PROGRAMS TO
EXTEND ASSISTANCE TO
UNDERINSURED PATIENTS IN THE
FORM OF PARTIALLY OR FULLY
INSURED PATIENTS.
INSURED PATIENTS. >> TIKTOK OR I WOULD NEVER GO TO
TIKTOK.
TIKTOK. WHY IS THAT MEDIUM ATTRACTIVE TO
A YOUNGER AUDIENCE ESPECIALLY
FOR HELP ON BILLS.
THAT’S NOT SOMETHING THEY WOULD
GO TO.
GO TO. >> TIKTOK SKEWS YOUNGER IN THAT
AGE RANGE.
AGE RANGE. SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF A TIKTOK
MOM FILLING THE VOID FOR KIDS
WHO MIGHT NOT BE GETTING LIFE
SKILLS.
SKILLS. >> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
BESIDES ASKING FOR AN ITEMIZED
BILL CAN YOU DO AS A PATIENT TO
TRY TO CUT THAT MEDICAL BILL?
>> HER FIRST PIECE OF ADVICE,
SHAWNA SAYS, TRY TO AVOID THAT
MEDICAL DEBT.
MEDICAL DEBT. THAT MEANS IF YOU DO END UP IN
THE ER, ASK WHAT KINDS OF TEST
THEY ARE RUNNING ON YOU, KNOW
YOU HAVE RIGHTS AND CAN REFUSE
CARE.
CARE. IF YOU KNOW YOU’RE NOT PREGNANT,
HEY, I DON’T NEED THAT TEST BUT
STITCH UP MY ARM OR DO THESE
OTHER THINGS.
OTHER THINGS. >> WHAT IF YOU’RE ALREADY IN
DEBT AND AGEIES ARE CALLING
YOU.
YOU. >> THE IMPORTANT THING IS ASK
FOR ORIGINAL BILL WITH YOUR
SIGNATURE AND A LIST OF CHARGES.
IN SOME CASES -- IN ALL CASES,
IF THEY CAN’T COME UP WITH THAT
AND YOU’RE IN COURT, THAT BILL
WILL GET TOSSED OUT.
ALWAYS ASK FOR ALL THE ORIGINAL
STATEMENTS TO SHOW YOU WHAT
YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING.
DON’T FORGET, YOU CAN ALSO
NEGOTIATE.
NEGOTIATE. THAT’S IMPORTANT, TOO.
>> I WOULDN’T HAVE EVEN THOUGHT
TO ASK FOR AN ITEMIZED BILL AND
TESTS YOU DO OR DO NOT NEED.
>> BEFORE YOU GO, WE HEAR FTC IS
TAKING AN ACTION AFTER AN
INVESTIGATION ON THE THIRD HOUR
INTO DETOX TEAS.
>> THIS IS INTERESTING.
LAST SUMMER WE BROUGHT YOU THE
STORY ABOUT DETOX TEA ADS ON
INSTAGRAM.
INSTAGRAM. THEY WERE PROMOTED BY BIG NAME
INFLUENCERS.
INFLUENCERS. THE FTC REACHED A PROPOSED
SETTLEMENT WITH ONE OF THOSE
COMMENTS.
COMMENTS. THEY ALLEGE THEY USED DECEPTIVE
CLAIMS THAT THE 30-DAY DETOX
WOULD HELP LOSE WEIGHT AND FIGHT
CANCER.
CANCER. FAILED TO DISCLOSE INFLUENCERS
WERE BEING PAID TO PROMOTE THE
PRODUCT.
PRODUCT. AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT THEY
ARE GOING TO PAY A $1 MILLION
FINE AND SENDING A WARNING
LETTER TO INFLUENCERS.
>> WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO USE
THAT STUFF, DO THEY GET ANYTHING
BACK?
BACK? >> AT THIS PART, NO.
THAT’S PART OF THE FINE.
YOU BUY IT.
YOU COULD CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD