Two financial institutions have tapped automated lending service provider Vine Financial within the past month. The $227 million HSLC and the $224 million Triad Bank started working with the fintech to boost commercial lending. According to Bank Automation News’ Transactions Database, which tracks emerging technology selected or acquired by financial institutions, Austin, Texas-based Vine also […]
Singer Sean Kingston was sentenced to three and a half years in prison Friday after being convicted of a $1 million fraud scheme in which he leveraged his fame to dupe sellers into giving him luxury items that he then never paid for.
Kingston, whose legal name is Kisean Paul Anderson, and his mother, Janice Eleanor Turner, were convicted in March by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud. Turner was sentenced to five years in prison last month.
Before U.S. Judge David Leibowitz handed down Kingston’s sentence, the singer apologized to the judge in the South Florida courtroom and said he had learned from his actions. His attorney asked if he could self-surrender at a later date due to health issues, but the judge ordered him taken into custody immediately. Kingston, who was wearing a black suit and white shirt, removed his suit jacket and was handcuffed and led from the courtroom.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton described Kingston as someone addicted to his celebrity lifestyle even though he could no longer afford to maintain it.
“He clearly doesn’t like to pay and relies on his celebrity status to defraud his victims,” Anton said Friday.
The federal prosecutor described a yearslong pattern by Kingston of bullying victims for luxury merchandise and then refusing to pay.
“He is a thief and a conman, plain and simple,” Anton said.
Defense attorney Zeljka Bozanic countered that the 35-year-old Kingston had the mentality of a teenager — the age he was when he vaulted to stardom. The attorney said Kingston had almost no knowledge of his finances, relying on business managers and his mother.
“No one showed him how to invest his money,” Bozanic said. “Money went in and money went out on superficial things.”
Bozanic said Kingston has already started paying back his victims and intends to pay back every cent once he is free and can start working again.
Leibowitz rejected the idea that Kingston was unintelligent or naive, but the judge said he gave Kingston credit for accepting responsibility and declining to testify rather than possibly lying in court. That was in contrast to Kingston’s mother, whose trial testimony Leibowitz described as obstruction.
Kingston and his mother were arrested in May 2024 after a SWAT team raided Kingston’s rented mansion in suburban Fort Lauderdale. Turner was taken into custody during the raid, while Kingston was arrested at Fort Irwin, an Army training base in California’s Mojave Desert, where he was performing.
According to court records, Kingston used social media from April 2023 to March 2024 to arrange purchases of luxury merchandise. After negotiating deals, Kingston would invite the sellers to one of his high-end Florida homes and promise to feature them and their products on social media.
Investigators said that when it came time to pay, Kingston or his mother would text the victims fake wire receipts for the items, which included a bulletproof Escalade, watches and a 19-foot (5.9-meter) LED TV, investigators said.
When the funds never cleared, victims often contacted Kingston and Turner repeatedly, but were either never paid or received money only after filing lawsuits or contacting law enforcement, authorities said.
Kingston, who was born in Florida and raised in Jamaica, shot to fame at age 17 with the 2007 hit “Beautiful Girls,” which laid his lyrics over Ben E. King’s 1961 song “Stand By Me.” His other hits include 2007’s “Take You There” and 2009’s “Fire Burning.”
Retirement should be your time to relax and enjoy life. But if you’re like many American seniors today, you might be feeling the pinch of rising costs. Healthcare expenses that seem to climb every year and inflation eating into your fixed income can be a lot to manage.
Here’s something you might not have considered: If you’re 62 or older and own your home, you could be sitting on a financial solution. A reverse mortgage might help you turn your home’s equity into the retirement security you deserve.
With so much confusing information out there, how do you know whether it’s right for you? Let’s break down everything you need to know about reverse mortgages so you can make the best decision for your situation.
Think of a reverse mortgage as the opposite of your regular mortgage. Instead of making monthly payments to the bank, the bank pays you, while you continue living in your home.
A reverse mortgage, officially called a home equity conversion mortgage (HECM), lets homeowners 62 and older access their home’s equity without selling or making monthly mortgage payments. The HECM reverse mortgage is the most common type of reverse mortgage, representing about 90% of all reverse mortgages.
Here’s how it works: You receive money based on your home’s value, your age, and the current interest rates. The loan balance grows over time, but you don’t have to pay it back until you move out permanently. Your home must be your primary residence. This isn’t for investment properties.
Today these loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and regulated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). That means you get important protections that weren’t available in earlier reverse mortgage products.
Before you can get a reverse mortgage, you’ll complete a counseling session with a HUD-approved agency. This isn’t just red tape; it’s designed to make sure you fully understand how the loan works and whether it’s your best option.
Not all reverse mortgages are the same. Here are your main choices.
This is the most popular option and the only government-backed reverse mortgage. HECM loans come with standardized terms and strong consumer protections. For 2025, the max claim (the amount the FHA will insure) is $1,209,750.
With an HECM, you’ll pay a mortgage insurance premium, which is currently 2% upfront and 0.5% annually. While this adds to your costs, it provides crucial protection: You or your heirs will never owe more than your home is worth when the loan comes due.
These are private loans for expensive homes that exceed HECM limits or have other circumstances that do not fit HECM guidelines. They have fewer regulations but may offer higher loan amounts. Consider this option if your home is worth significantly more than the HECM limit and you need access to more equity. These products also have lower age limits, lending down to age 55.
Unlike a home equity loan, where you get money but start making payments immediately, a reverse mortgage gives you access to equity without monthly payments. Yes, interest rates are typically higher than traditional mortgages, but you’re not making any payments while living in your home.
Let’s talk about the real benefits that matter to you.
If you’re currently paying a mortgage, imagine what getting rid of that monthly payment could do for your budget. That immediate cash flow relief can make a huge difference in your quality of life.
You’ll still need to pay property taxes, homeowners insurance, and the costs of maintaining your home. But no more mortgage payments while you live in your home as your primary residence.
Many retirees find themselves “house rich but cash poor.” If your home is worth $400,000 but your savings account is running low, a reverse mortgage lets you access that wealth without moving.
You can receive your money as:
– Monthly payments to supplement your income
– A lump sum for major expenses
– A line of credit for future needs
– Any combination of these options
The money isn’t taxable income, so it won’t affect your tax bracket or Medicare premiums.
Unlike some financial products with restrictions, you can use reverse mortgage proceeds for anything:
– Pay off credit card debt or other loans
– Cover rising healthcare costs
– Make your home safer and more comfortable as you age
– Help your children or grandchildren
– Create an emergency fund
– Take that trip you’ve always dreamed about
If watching your 401(k) balance swing with the stock market keeps you up at night, your home equity offers more stability. Real estate generally appreciates over time, and an HECM line of credit grows if you don’t use it, giving you a hedge against inflation.
Let’s be upfront about the costs involved. Typical fees include:
– Origination fees
– Mortgage insurance premium (2% upfront, 0.5% annually)
– Standard closing costs (appraisal, title insurance, etc.)
– Possible monthly servicing fees up to $35
Interest rates are usually 1% to 3% higher than traditional mortgages. Since you’re not making monthly payments, the interest compounds and your loan balance grows over time.
Here’s an example: If you access $200,000 at 6% interest, your loan balance would grow to about $358,000 after 10 years if you don’t make any payments.
Keeping your reverse mortgage in good standing means:
– Living in your home as the primary residence
– Staying current on property taxes and homeowners insurance
– Maintaining your home in good condition
– Paying HOA fees and other property charges
Missing these obligations can put your loan in default, so make sure you can handle these responsibilities in the long term.
When the loan comes due (typically when you pass away or move out permanently), your heirs have options:
– Pay off the loan and keep the home
– Sell the home and keep any remaining equity after paying off the loan
– Walk away and let the lender handle the sale
Your family will never owe more than the home is worth thanks to FHA insurance. The insurance covers the difference if the loan balance exceeds the home’s value.
A reverse mortgage will reduce the inheritance you leave behind. But it might also help you live more comfortably and independently, which could be precisely what your family wants for you.
Here are the basic requirements to be eligible:
– At least 62 years old (both spouses if married, though there are protections for eligible non-borrowing spouses)
– Own your home or have significant equity
– Live in the home as your primary residence
– Meet FHA property standards
Additionally, lenders will evaluate your income and credit to ensure you can meet ongoing obligations. This includes reviewing:
– Social Security, pension, and investment income
– Credit history (less strict than traditional mortgages)
– Ability to pay property taxes, insurance, and maintenance
If you don’t quite meet the financial requirements, you might still qualify with a “set-aside” that reserves part of your loan proceeds for future property expenses.
Property requirements: Your home must meet FHA standards for safety and structural integrity. Single-family homes, two- to four-unit properties (if you live in one), approved condos, and qualifying manufactured homes are all eligible.
You might be a good candidate if you:
– Plan to stay in your home for many years
– Have significant home equity but limited savings
– Struggle with monthly expenses on a fixed income
– Want to eliminate your current mortgage payment
– Need financial flexibility for healthcare or emergencies
Consider alternatives if you:
– Plan to move within the next five years
– Want to leave the maximum inheritance to your heirs
– Can qualify for a less expensive home equity loan
– Have family members who can provide financial support
A reverse mortgage isn’t your only choice. You might also consider:
– Downsizing to a less expensive home
– A home equity loan or line of credit, if you can afford the payments
– Renting out part of your home for income
– Government assistance programs for seniors
– Family help or loans from adult children
The bottom line? A reverse mortgage can be a valuable tool for retirees. It offers no monthly mortgage payments while accessing your home’s equity, a unique benefit not available anywhere else.
But it’s not right for everyone: The costs are significant, and it will reduce what you can leave to your heirs. That’s why it’s so important to understand all your options.
At American Pacific Mortgage, we’re here to help you understand how a reverse mortgage might fit into your retirement plans. Our experienced team can walk you through the numbers, answer your questions, and help you make the right decision for your situation.
Ready to explore your options? Contact us today for a no-obligation consultation. Let’s see if a reverse mortgage loan can help you live the retirement you’ve earned.
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Kylan Darnell became an overnight celebrity in the TikTok niche that documents the glitzy, ritualistic recruitment process for sororities. As a 21-year-old rising senior four years later, she’s taking more of her sorority life offline.
Darnell has until now been the embodiment of RushTok, a week-long marathon that has teens at schools around the country meticulously documenting their efforts to land a cherished spot in a sorority during the colorful, girly and enigmatic recruitment process known as rush week.
Reactions to the content that once catapulted her to fame — depicting her life as a Zeta Tau Alpha member at the University of Alabama — had become so negative that it was affecting her mental health, she said.
“This year it was just like a whole different level of hate,” Darnell said.
Citing a need to protect prospects from harassment, many sororities have made similar moves, issuing a de facto ban against talking to the press or posting on social media during rush week at Alabama, where almost 13,000 students participate in the nation’s largest on-campus Greek life.
Across the country, rush is typically a 10-day event where “prospective new members” try out sororities through rounds of activities prescribing a strict slate of outfits and etiquette. In the lead-up, girls often submit “social resumes” and letters of recommendation from sorority alums.
Participation often requires an eye-opening price tag.
After spending sometimes tens of thousands of dollars on outfits, makeup and plane tickets, each of this week’s 2,600 recruits paid $550 to participate. It’s non-refundable if they don’t get picked. If accepted, they’ll pay an average $8,400 a semester to live in the sorority house, or $4,100 if they live elsewhere, according to the Alabama Panhellenic Association.
The pressure can be so intense that an industry of consultants now helps girls navigate the often mysterious criteria for landing a desired sorority. Some charge up to $10,000 for months of services that can begin in high school.
Throughout rush, many events are invite-only. At any point, girls can get a dreaded call informing them they’ve been dropped — that a sorority is no longer interested in letting them join. Matches are finally made on bid day as prospects rank top choices and sororities make offers.
Morgan Cadenhead, now 20, gained such an audience on RushTok despite being dropped that she covered most of her tuition with income from social media. Then came the social cost as she was slammed online for criticizing Greek life. Now the marketing major — featured on Lifetime’s “Sorority Mom’s Guide to Rush!” — said she’s looking for offline work.
A fixation with rush was renewed when sororities resumed in-person recruiting after the pandemic.
Social media became flooded with “outfit of the day” and “get ready with me” videos showing sorority members and recruits in well-lit rooms, sometimes flaunting exorbitantly priced designer wear or pieces purchased on Amazon, always precisely curated.
Alabama’s Greek life got attention before, when its traditionally white sororities racially integrated, accepting their first Black members in 2013. Targeted by protests following allegations of racial discrimination, the university agreed with the Justice Department in 2016 to encourage diversity. Today, Black students outside of traditionally Black sororities and fraternities represent 2% of the total Greek membership, the university website says.
Meanwhile, online attention to rush has led to books, a polarizing documentary and the reality television series, widening the appeal of sororities in the South in particular, according to Lorie Stefaneli, a New York City-based consultant who flies to Tuscaloosa each year for rush.
Stefaneli coaches girls from around the country, and about a third of her clients enroll at Alabama. She says many are drawn by the vibrant depictions of sisterhood, showing female friendships that can ensure girls feel seen and supported.
“That’s the reason why a lot of them want to go to Alabama, is because they see it on TikTok,” Stefaneli said.
If they gain enough followers to become social influencers, RushTok participants can earn ad revenue and brand deals. Darnell’s posts brought her financial independence, more than covering the $58,000 it costs her annually to attend Alabama from out-of-state.
Rush can be fun and help girls build confidence, but it’s also an “emotional rollercoaster,” especially for girls who feel they need to reveal themselves to a massive audience, Stefaneli said. She answers phone calls at all hours of the night during rush week.
“I’m literally a therapist, I’m talking these girls down from a ledge,” she said.
Numerous incoming freshmen told The Associated Press this week that they were expressly prohibited from speaking with the media or even posting about rush at Alabama. Darnell said the most selective “Old Row” houses will automatically drop prospects who do.
“Now a lot of girls just come to the university to be influencers,” she said. “It kind of gets in the way of sisterhood.”
Some incoming freshmen — including Darnell’s 19-year-old sister Izzy, with a vast social media following of her own — have chosen to post anyway, satisfying a demand that can reach millions of views within days.
Izzy Darnell — who wouldn’t share her choices for sorority ahead of Saturday’s bid day — said her older sister’s acumen has equipped her to navigate criticism and potentially predatory business deals. But she worries about how other girls might handle the fame and money.
“I just fear what some girls will do because they think they have to,” Izzy Darnell said.
Over the last few years, I’ve encountered several major issues with medical billing. It’s made me quickly understand how to dispute your medical bill, get errors corrected, and reduce your payment.
First, I was incorrectly billed for the wrong procedure – one that cost almost 10x more than the one I had. Second, I had a procedure done at one location, and again at a second location, with the second location charging almost double the first.
The fact is, I don’t “use” a lot of medicine. If these errors happen with this frequency – looking at my bill history, I put the error rate at roughly 2% – it’s likely impacting others as well.
I wanted to put this ultimate guide for disputing a medical bill together so that you know exactly what to do if you think your medical bill is outrageously prices or plain wrong.
As I mentioned before, I had both an incorrect billing issue and an “outrageous” pricing medical billing issue. I as able to resolve both successfully, and I learned a lot along the way.
Here’s what happened to me:
In my first encounter with disputing a medical bill, I was charged for a surgery I never had! I had broken my ulna (wrist bone) and gone to urgent care. At urgent care, I got an x-ray, and they discovered it wasn’t a bad fracture. As such, they put me in a wrist brace and sling, gave me some pain meds, and said I would be fine but let it heal for 6 weeks.
No cast, no surgery, nothing major.
But when the bill came, it was for $8,500! How could my urgent care visit and x-ray cost $8,500 was beyond me.
In the end, I discovered that the medical billing code was 1 digit off – meaning they billed me for a broken ulna surgical repair (actual surgery to repair the bone) versus a broken ulna non-surgical consultation. One error in medical billing send the price from about $800 for the urgent care visit and x-ray to $8,500.
I’ve had two CT scans in my life – and for some reason, one was double the price of the other. The first CT scan was at one office, and it ended up costing $600. My doctor booked my second appointment at another office (due to scheduling), and the bill for this one came back at $1,200. For the same thing!
In this case, there was no billing error – just outrageous pricing. After a few phone calls and discussions, asking the right questions, and talking to the supervisor, I was able to get the bill reduced by 50% – to the same cost as the other procedure.
Before we dive in on the step-by-step way to dispute a medical bill, there are some general notes I want to cover first.
When disputing a bill, it’s important that you do your research and understand what happened and what’s going on. That way you can help troubleshoot the problem without passing blame. Customer service reps will be much happier to work with you if you adapt this approach.
Second, realize that mistakes will happen. Even if 99.999% of medical bills are done correctly, there will still be errors. People still process these. Be sympathetic up front to this.
Third, take diligent notes of all your conversations and encounters throughout the process. You should record conversations if possible (and allowed), and get things in writing. At a minimum, I recommend:
If you’re mailing documents or doing any written correspondence, I recommend:
Finally, when disputing a bill, it’s important that you ask about the due date of the bill. You want to ensure that collection on the bill is paused or suspended while the bill is being disputed. If they don’t do that, ask that the due date be extended out a period of time. This is especially important because medical bills can end up on your credit report and hurt your credit score.
The bottom line is you don’t want this company to send you to collections while you’re disputing their bill.
The first thing you get (typically before your medical bill even arrives) is your explanation of benefits from your insurance company. I would venture that 95% of people throw these away and don’t even know what they are for.
Next, your actual bill will come in the mail.
It’s so important that you review BOTH your medical bill AND explanation of benefits. This could be the first sign of something wrong.
First things first:
The Explanation of Benefits is a document provided by your insurance company the explains your insurance benefits as it pertains to a bill.
While every company lays out their Explanation of Benefits differently, you will usually see something like the following:
Most explanation of benefits forms will also include information about your deductible, co-pay, co-insurance, and more.
If a procedure is not covered, the explanation of benefits will also typically have a code or error, with a short explanation as to why it’s not covered. To get more information, you typically have to call.
Here’s an example:
Now that you understand what the explanation of benefits it – you need to compare it to your bill. Your bill should exactly match the explanation of benefits. This could be your first sign of an error!
In some cases, I’ve seen medical bills that forget to apply the “plan discount” and so the patient is billed a higher amount than the Explanation of Benefits states. This is why it’s essential that you compare the two.
However, some companies may combine multiple bills into one. For example, I received the following bill for $192.00:
However, at first, I only saw this Explanation of Benefits:
As you can see – my Explanation of Benefits was $24 short of what they billed me. However, upon closer inspection, they combined two Explanation of Benefits into one bill (this EOB and the EOB from above for $24). The company clearly billed my insurance company two separate times, but only billed me once.
However, if you receive your EOB and your bill, and you believe something is wrong, you need to get a more detailed picture.
Once you’ve gone over your Explanation of Benefits and Medical Bill and you believe there is a problem, you need to request a detailed line-item bill. You can typically do this by calling the medical billing department listed on your statement, or in some cases, you can go online and print it.
What you’re looking for is a detailed bill that lists out everything:
Here’s an example:
As you can see, when you have a procedure done, you can have a LOT of billing codes for the same event. If you have a hospital stay, the list could be huge.
But it’s on this list that you’ll be able to spot any errors in billing. The CPT Billing Code is key. To review your bill, you want to search for the billing code listed on your detailed bill.
For example, CPT Code 85025 is a blood test to check white blood cell count and more. There are multiple websites that allow you to search CPT codes, but I’ve found search to work best. Especially because it will find discussions around these codes for medical billing issues.
In my case, it’s where I discovered I was billed for the wrong procedure. I was billed for Ulna Surgery, when I didn’t have a surgery, but just an examination. There was a 1 digit error in the code which resulted in a 10x medical bill.
However, just finding the error is only the start of your medical billing dispute.
Once you’ve figured out what the issue is, it’s time to start making some phone calls. The first stop is simply calling the medical billing department’s customer service line and talking to them.
I know this sounds crazy, but you have to start here. So many people want to jump to lawsuits, when they haven’t even started to address the problem with people who can potentially fix the issue.
Depending on the issue (either incorrect billing or a price dispute), you will want to take one of two approaches.
In the case of an error, simply tell the representative that you’ve found an error and would like to dispute it. Ask what the process entails.
Typically, the customer service agent will tell you:
Going back to the beginning of this article – make sure you document this in detail. Confirm with the agent what part of your bill is on hold – is it the total balance or just the disputed item. If it’s just the disputed item, you need to make sure you pay the rest of your bill on time.
If you’re simply calling to dispute a price or total amount of the bill, the customer service agent may be able to help you.
When I first called the billing department to dispute the price of the CT scan, I made it come across as this was a burden to pay double what I had previously paid. Without even skipping a beat, the agent on the phone said she could immediately reduce my bill by 20% if I made the full payment on the phone with her.
From doing my research on this article, this seems to be a fairly common practice with medical billing. In exchange for something immediately, most companies will offer a serious reduction in price.
However, just like every call center and customer service center, medical billing departments have supervisors too. And if you can speak to a supervisor and explain your story a bit, you might have better luck securing a bigger discount on your medical bill.
For my story, I was able to get them to match the price of the procedure, effectively giving me a 50% reduction on my medical bill.
If you’re covered and using your insurance to pay for a medical procedure (or at least part of it), a great way to make progress on disputing your medical bill is to also file an appeal with your insurance company.
This can really work in your favor if there is a medical billing error (like I had with the ulna surgery that never happened). You see, your insurance company doesn’t want to ever pay more money than they have to. If you discover an error, even if they’ve already paid it, they might be incentivized to go back to the medical provider to resolve it as well.
That helped me a lot in my case. My insurance company still had to pay more money than they should have when it came to my broken wrist. They opened a dispute on their end, after I had opened a dispute on my end.
If you were incorrectly billed for a procedure and not only are you having to pay a lot of extra money, but your insurance company is too, they will want to know about it. And, it could help you get the entire situation resolved.
Depending on your medical provider, they may have a patient advocate that could help you reduce your bill, help expedite resolution of errors, and more. Patient advocates are usually found in hospitals and large medical provider networks (like HMOs) that serve a lot of patients.
These people are exactly what they sound like – people who advocate on behalf of the patient. If you’re not getting resolution (or things are taking longer than promised) with the billing customer service department, getting a patient advocate involved can be very helpful.
Patient advocates are also typically empowered to give discounts to bills as well. Even if it’s not error related, they could help in times of hardship. They also have great connections to resources that can also help you if you can’t afford your medical bills.
The next step if you can’t find a resolution to your medical billing dispute is to loop in your state regulators. Insurance is handled at the state level by a State Insurance Commissioner. While laws vary from state to state, most states have departments that are willing to help consumers in their states navigate the complexities of health insurance.
When you contact your state insurance commissioner for disputing a medical bill, it’s essential that you have all of your paperwork and documentation in order.
You will typically need to fill out an official complaint form, and you can then attach your own documentation to support.
If there is a true medical billing error not being resolved, this is where you can clearly state the error, the CPT codes that were inaccurate, what the codes should have been, and the potential estimated difference in price.
If your claim is simply being denied by your health insurance, this is also the appropriate place to dispute that request. In some states (like California), there is a specific request for an Independent Medical Review to determine if you should be covered.
Finally, the last step, if you’re still not getting resolution on your medical billing dispute is to seek legal counsel. You will want to find an attorney that specializes in medical billing disputes.
Most attorneys will do a free call to determine if they can even be of assistance to you and if you potentially have a case. They will also tell you what the costs might be. It could get expensive.
To find an attorney:
Disputing a medical bill and reducing your payment can be stressful and frustrating. Navigating a complex bureaucracy, having the threat of creditors coming after you if you don’t pay, and simply the time it takes to get anything done make this one of the most unpleasant experiences a consumer can face.
I wanted to share a few reminders though.
First, don’t worry about your doctor. In many cases, doctors don’t get involved in billing at all. They don’t know if you paid or didn’t pay. And they aren’t suffering from you not paying your bill. Realize that your doctor’s number one priority is simply your health.
Second, don’t worry about your credit report. These disputes take time (a lot of time). And in some cases, you might see your bill turned over to creditors or reported on your credit report. Luckily, the laws have been changing in consumers favor. Last year, new rules made it so that medical debt cannot be posted to a credit report until it’s at least 180 days past due. And if it is paid and/or resolved, it must be removed from the report.
So, if you’re disputing your medical bill, don’t let your medical provider hold your credit report over your head.
If you’ve successfully disputed your medical bill, or lowered your payment, we’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment and share your story below for others to know about!
Editor: Clint Proctor
Reviewed by: Chris Muller
The post Ultimate Guide To Disputing A Medical Bill And Reducing Your Payment appeared first on The College Investor.
Update 8/16/25: Available again for 2025.
Update 8/18/24: Available again for 2024.
Direct link to offer
Miles aren’t elite qualifying unfortunately. Might still be useful for anybody that highly values miles.
Hat tip to Parts_Unknown-
You trust your phone to get directions, your car to drive itself, and your search engine to answer your questions, but when it comes to AI in medicine, is that level of trust justified?
Here’s the thing: AI tools like ChatGPT are creeping into healthcare in ways that may sound helpful, but without proper oversight, they could be dangerous.
Take a recent story, for example. A 60-year-old man in New York was hospitalized after following dietary advice from ChatGPT, resulting in a severe case of hyponatremia. The man trusted the AI’s suggestion of a low-sodium diet, which led to dangerously low sodium levels in his blood.
Now. This isn’t your regular oopsy daisy. There are lives involved, reminding us that AI, no matter how smart it seems, isn’t a replacement for professional medical advice. Let’s take a closer look at why we need to be cautious when using AI in medicine.
Here’s a trap we’ve all been tempted to fall into: trusting AI tools like ChatGPT as medical experts. It’s easy, right? They process massive amounts of data in seconds, so they must be reliable, right? Well… not exactly.
Look, AI pulls from a ton of sources, but not all data is equal. Some of it is outdated, wrong, or just plain misleading.
Think about it this way: it’s like Googling your symptoms and reading a bunch of random articles. You don’t know what’s trustworthy and what’s not. With AI, it’s even trickier because there’s no one there to say, “Hold on, that’s not right.”
Here’s the kicker: AI doesn’t understand context like you do. Sure, it can give you recommendations, but it doesn’t know the patient in front of you. It doesn’t know their history, their lifestyle, or what else might be going on in their life. That’s where your expertise comes in. You don’t just follow guidelines, you interpret, you connect the dots, and you make decisions based on the whole picture. AI? It’s still a step behind in that department.
A study by Mount Sinai found that AI chatbots can easily spread false medical info, putting patients at risk. So, while these tools can help, they’re far from perfect, and they definitely shouldn’t replace the judgment of a real-life doctor.
If you think it’s not that bad, here’s something to really think about: AI chatbots can be manipulated to spit out false health information. A study from Flinders University showed just how easy it is for AI to spread misinformation.
And if you’re thinking, “Well, I’d never trust AI over a doctor,” you’re not alone. But what happens when a patient does? They trust AI, and that misinformation can have real, harmful consequences.
And don’t get me started on the mental health space. Or managing chronic illnesses. Those areas are already tough enough because of the lack of clear, reliable info. When AI gives the wrong advice, it makes things worse, not better.
We’re living in a world where misinformation spreads faster than truth. And with AI, it’s not just a few people being misled by a viral post on social media. It’s millions of people who could trust AI recommendations blindly. AI doesn’t have the critical thinking skills to differentiate between good data and bad data. You know this. But the average patient doesn’t.
This isn’t just some small issue. It’s a massive public health risk. A study by Harvard Medical School and the University of South Australia found that AI can be programmed to mislead millions. And right now, we don’t have the proper safeguards to stop it. So we need to be careful about how we use AI in medicine, and how we let our patients use it.
Let’s talk ethics, since AI in medicine isn’t just a tech issue; it’s also an ethical one. Now that we know how AI can help spread medical misinformation on a much larger, much faster scale. What do we now do about it? How do we make sure AI benefits patients and doesn’t put them at risk?
Well, the problem is… It’s not the AI itself. It’s how we’re using it. Are we really ready to trust machines with decisions that affect human lives? And if we are, what happens when things go wrong? Who’s responsible?
Some doctors are already using unsupervised AI in their practices, making clinical decisions with the help of these tools. AI is still unproven. Without proper validation, AI could be leading doctors down dangerous paths.
It may not have the full picture of a patient’s history, or it could miss key details. And that’s something we can’t afford to overlook.
Beyond just making decisions, AI brings up other big questions, like who owns the data and who’s responsible if it all goes wrong. AI is still new in healthcare, and we need to get ahead of the ethical issues. We can’t just dive in without thinking through the risks.
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AI could definitely revolutionize healthcare, but just because a tool is advanced doesn’t mean it’s infallible. We’ve got to approach it with a healthy dose of skepticism and caution because patient safety and good medical practice will always trump convenience.
Here’s the bottom line: AI should complement, not replace, the expert judgment of medical professionals.
Now, if you’re considering AI in your practice, ask the right questions:
By getting clear on these, you can make better decisions about how AI fits into your practice and keep patient care at the forefront. So, let’s keep our heads in the game, stay vigilant, and always remember: AI isn’t perfect, and neither are we. But together, with the right tools and the right approach, we can still deliver excellent care.
If you want to learn more about AI and other cool AI tools, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter! We also have a free AI resource page where we share the latest tips, tricks, and news to help you make the most of technology.
To go deeper, check out PIMDCON 2025 — The Physician Real Estate & Entrepreneurship Conference. You’ll gain real-world strategies from doctors who are successfully integrating AI and business for massive results.
See you again next time! As always, make it happen.
Peter Kim, MD is the founder of Passive Income MD, the creator of Passive Real Estate Academy, and offers weekly education through his Monday podcast, the Passive Income MD Podcast. Join our community at the Passive Income Doc Facebook Group.
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