Clark Stinks! & Your Insurance Said NO? This Little-Known Appeal Could Save Your Life

It’s time for "Clark Stinks!" Christa reads the latest "Clark Stinks!" submissions and Clark responds. Also, when your health insurer denies coverage for a treatment, procedure, or medication, don't assume that's the final answer. Clark explains a little-known consumer right that could help you overturn a denial: an external appeal reviewed by an independent third party. While many patients appeal insurance decisions, very few take the next step when they're denied again. Clark shares why persistence matters, how the appeals process works, and why insurers often reverse decisions when consumers push back. For serious illnesses, these denials aren't just about money—they can be a matter of life and death. Learn how to fight back, when to appeal again, and how an independent review could force your insurer to pay for care it initially refused to cover. All this and more on the June 26, 2026, episode of The Clark Howard Show. Submit your opinions or questions: https://clark.com/clarkstinks/ https://clark.com/ask/ https://clark.com/about-consumer-acti... 00:00 - Intro 01:23 - Clark Stinks - Do You Ever Truly Own Your Home if Property Taxes Never Go Away? (Pete, California) 02:47 - Clark Stinks - Is Privacy.com Still a Good Solution for Managing Recurring Payments? (Daniel, North Carolina) 04:22 - Clark Stinks - Why You Should Always Carry a Backup Debit Card When Traveling Abroad (Elaine, Florida) 07:11 - Clark Stinks - Are Chewy and Cross-Border Vet Care the Secret to Lower Pet Medication Costs? (Rich, Washington) 09:52 - Clark Stinks - Are Christa’s On-Air Interjections Becoming Too Distracting? (AJ, California) 10:14 - Clark Stinks - Are Smartphones Really the Problem—or Is Social Media to Blame? (Chris, Arizona) 12:10 - Clark Stinks - Should Medicare Supplement Holders Be Using SilverSneakers Benefits? (Jim, Virginia) 12:57 - Clark Stinks - What Investors Need to Know About Callable CDs Before Building a CD Ladder (John, Florida) 17:25 - Your Insurance Said NO? This Little-Known Appeal Could Save Your Life 22:45 - Ask Clark - How One Listener Won a 7-Month Insurance Appeal Over a $6,000 Cancer Test (Steve, Washington) 24:41 - Ask Clark - How Do You Negotiate a $250 Lab Bill After Insurance Denies Coverage? (Lydia, Colorado) 24:09 - Ask Clark - Why Did a Larger Life Insurance Policy Cost Almost the Same as My Old One? (Dan, Georgia) Clark.com: Advice You Can Trust: SUBSCRIBE:    / clark   Listen To The Clark Howard Podcast: https://clark.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3lrwhe2... iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/8-the-... Follow Us for More Money Tips: Website: https://clark.com/ Podcast: https://clark.com/podcasts/ Newsletter: https://clark.com/newsletters/ Instagram:   / theclarkdotcom   Facebook:   / clarkhoward   Need Consumer Advice? The Consumer Action Center is a free resource for advice on money and consumer issues. Call 636-49C-LARK (636-492-5275) and a member of Team Clark will assist you as soon as possible. The Consumer Action Center is available Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. If you found this video valuable, give it a like. If you know someone who needs to see it, share it. Leave a comment below with your thoughts. Add it to a playlist if you want to watch it later. Our Promise to You: At Clark.com and ClarkDeals.com, we do not get paid for endorsements or reviews of any product or service, nor do we allow advertisers to place paid content on our sites. More information: https://clark.com/ad-disclosure/