Know your health insurance | Ishaanvi Vemula | TEDxBolingbrook Youth

About this video

What good is health insurance if you don't know how to use it? Most Americans have health insurance, but many still don't know how to use it confidently, so in this talk, Ishaanvi Vemula explores how confusion about coverage, costs, and healthcare options prevents people from getting the care they need, and why health insurance literacy may be just as important as health insurance itself. Through research, real-world stories, and practical solutions, she argues that understanding healthcare should be a basic life skill, not a specialized skill. Ishaanvi Vemula is a junior at Metea Valley High School passionate about using technology to address real-world challenges. She developed InsureLit, an inclusive mobile app that simplifies complex health insurance policies, earning recognition in the 2025 Congressional App Challenge. Ishaanvi is also actively involved in Model United Nations, VEX Robotics, and Girls Who Code. In her TEDx Youth talk, she explores why understanding insurance is essential today for both insured and uninsured individuals, and how clearer systems can help people make informed decisions about their health. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx