Where Healthcare Gets Real, Relatable and Finally Makes Sense

Let’s face it: healthcare today can feel like a maze. One moment you’re walking into a clinic for a simple concern, and the next, you’re knee-deep in paperwork, billing codes, and a bill you never saw coming.

Sound familiar?

You're not alone and you're in the right place. Welcome to Urgent Care Unscripted, the podcast that cuts through the confusion and gives you the honest, behind-the-scenes look at how urgent care actually works brought to you by the people who live it, breathe it, and are changing it.

Meet Your Hosts: Muhammad Zaman & Barbara Ronalter

This isn't just another health podcast hosted by outsiders.
Urgent Care Unscripted is led by two seasoned professionals who are deeply embedded in the world of patient care.

Muhammad Zaman: Owner, AFC West Haven

A forward-thinking healthcare entrepreneur, Muhammad isn't your typical clinic owner. He's laser-focused on quality, accessibility, affordability, and community-first care. He's built AFC West Haven to be more than just a walk-in clinic; it's a place where people feel seen, heard, and respected. Muhammad brings business insights and a big-picture view of where healthcare is headed.

Barbara Ronalter: Head of Operations, AFC West Haven

Barbara's story began with nursing but her curiosity led her deeper. With over eight years in the healthcare field, she became fascinated by the systems that hold healthcare together: scheduling, staffing, patient flow, insurance coordination. Today, she oversees operations at AFC West Haven, working tirelessly to make clinics run more efficiently for both the care teams and the patients.
Her philosophy? Happy staff = better care = healthier communities.

Together, Muhammad and Barbara have seen it all and they’re not afraid to talk about it.

Why Urgent Care Unscripted?

Because people deserve to know:

• When to go to urgent care vs. the ER
• What to ask before agreeing to treatment
• Whether their insurance will cover it
• And why two patients might get billed two different prices for the same visit

Healthcare shouldn’t feel like a guessing game. And yet, most patients walk out of a clinic with more questions than answers.

This podcast series exists to change that.

Episode Spotlight: Who Decides What You Pay?

In our very first episode, we dig into one of the most misunderstood aspects of healthcare which is billing.

Who sets the price when you walk into an urgent care?
Is it the front desk staff? The medical provider? The urgent care itself?

Nope.

Meet Expert Guest: Sondra Dubuque, CMRS

A Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist with decades of experience, Sondra has helped thousands of patients understand and navigate the tricky world of insurance and billing. In this episode, she breaks down:

✅ Who actually determines the cost of your visit (spoiler: it’s usually the insurance company, not the provider)

✅ What your EOB (Explanation of Benefits) really means

✅ How to spot red flags in medical bills and avoid paying more than you should

✅ What services are commonly not covered, even if you think they are

✅ How to advocate for yourself with providers and insurers without getting overwhelmed

No Jargon. No Sales Pitch. Just Real Talk.

What makes Urgent Care Unscripted different?
We're not here to sell you a product. We're not here to speak in medical code or throw around acronyms you've never heard before.

We’re here to make healthcare human. And that is by explaining how it works in plain English, and giving you tools to make more confident decisions.

Whether we’re:

• Explaining the difference between walk-in care, primary care, and ER care
• Talking about travel vaccines and what insurance will cover abroad
• Breaking down the most common billing mistakes
• Or answering questions like "Should I have gone to urgent care or just waited it out?"

We do it with clarity, compassion, and a whole lot of real-world experience.

Because Your Health Deserves Clarity

If you’ve ever:

• Delayed care because you weren't sure what it would cost
• Felt blindsided by a medical bill
• Gotten different answers from your doctor, insurer, and billing department
• Or just want to feel confident navigating the healthcare system.

Then this podcast is for you.

We’re not here to scare you. We’re here to prepare you.

Listen Now & Subscribe

Urgent Care Unscripted is your new favorite listen for healthcare conversations that matter.
Because when you understand your care, you take control of your health.

Now streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms.

Healthcare shouldn't be a mystery.
Let's pull back the curtain together.

Subscribe to Urgent Care Unscripted
Because the best care starts with real understanding.