NEW YORK, NEW YORK – From 2022 to 2023 the average increase of drug prices in the U.S. was 15.2%, … More higher than the inflation rate, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Photo by Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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Bitcoin has made inroads into finance, energy, and even politics. Now, a growing number of healthcare companies are embracing it.<\/p>\n
Not only as a hedge or a balance sheet asset, but also as a guiding philosophy and potential infrastructure layer. The move may seem unlikely, given healthcare\u2019s deeply regulated and bureaucratic nature. But that\u2019s precisely the point.<\/p>\n
For companies like CrowdHealth and Semler Scientific, Bitcoin’s appeal isn’t speculative. It\u2019s structural. In a sector inundated with reverse incentives, opaque pricing, and costly middlemen, Bitcoin offers transparency.<\/p>\n
The Current U.S. Healthcare System <\/strong><\/p>\n The U.S. healthcare system is worth roughly $5 trillion<\/a>, averaging over $17,000 per person. Even with the high costs associated with health insurance, claims are often denied<\/a>.<\/p>\n Andy Schoonover, founder and CEO of CrowdHealth, experienced this firsthand. His insurer refused<\/a> to pay an $8,000 bill for his daughter\u2019s ear tube surgery, despite doctors deeming it medically necessary.<\/p>\n Soon after, he dropped his insurance and began building a cash-pay model that eventually became CrowdHealth. A peer-to-peer platform where members fund one another\u2019s healthcare needs.<\/p>\n In this process, he found a natural audience among bitcoiners.<\/p>\n Bitcoiners Circularity in Healthcare <\/strong><\/p>\n Schoonover, who told Forbes in an interview he holds roughly 80% of his liquid assets in Bitcoin, says the overlap wasn\u2019t accidental.<\/p>\n \u201cBitcoiners understand incentives,\u201d he said. Schoonover believes that as patients dig deeper into the healthcare system, it becomes clear that hospitals, health networks, and government policies often work against patients\u2019 best interests. A pattern quickly recognized by bitcoiners.<\/p>\n CrowdHealth allows members to pay a monthly fee, directly contributing to each other\u2019s care. In return, they avoid premiums and networks.<\/p>\n Schoonover said their model has grown to over 10,000 members.<\/p>\n CrowdHealth is leaning further into Bitcoin by letting users invest unused healthcare funds into bitcoin. The long-term vision, according to Schoonover, is Bitcoin circularity in healthcare.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we can build bitcoin circularity within healthcare we believe that will go a long way in normalizing bitcoin as a medium of exchange,\u201d Schoonover said.<\/p>\n Unlike insurance, CrowdHealth doesn\u2019t guarantee payment. However, Schoonover claims that the community fully funds over 99% of eligible bills.<\/p>\n Applying Bitcoin\u2019s Philosophy to Strengthen Healthcare and Finance<\/strong><\/p>\n While CrowdHealth integrates Bitcoin at the user level, Semler Scientific takes a top-down approach. The publicly traded medtech company adopted Bitcoin as its primary treasury reserve asset in 2024, becoming one of the first healthcare companies to do so.<\/p>\n For Semler chairman Eric Semler, Bitcoin represents resilience, scarcity, and alignment, traits sorely lacking in the healthcare system.<\/p>\n \u201cBitcoin is monetary freedom,\u201d Semler told Forbes. \u201cWe\u2019re freeing people medically through early detection, and Bitcoin helps us stay strong financially.\u201d<\/p>\n The company\u2019s core product, QuantaFlo<\/a>, is an FDA-cleared diagnostic tool for vascular disease. It enables early detection of cardiovascular issues, allowing for timely and potentially life-saving interventions.<\/p>\n Semler emphasized the importance of early detection and noted that healthcare could benefit from adopting principles found in Bitcoin\u2019s design, such as decentralization, transparency, and reducing reliance on middlemen.<\/p>\n Turning to Bitcoin in Healthcare as a Strategic Asset<\/strong><\/p>\n In an interview with Forbes, Eric Semler of Semler Scientific explained that their Bitcoin strategy isn\u2019t just about protecting cash in an inflationary environment. It\u2019s about owning the digital future. The company is exploring ways to mine Bitcoin creatively and integrate value into its shareholder model.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in acceleration mode,\u201d Semler said. \u201cWe\u2019re not just buying Bitcoin, we\u2019re adding value to our value.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2023, Semler became active in the company his father had founded. He joined the board to improve capital allocation and saw Bitcoin as the obvious next step, following Michael Saylor\u2019s Strategy<\/a> concept.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a last resort in the best way.\u201d Bitcoin offered a neutral reserve asset with no counterparty exposure or political entanglements, making it a good fit.<\/p>\n