Dan Weissmann
Creator and Host, An Arm and a Leg
About
Prior to creating An Arm and a Leg, Dan was a staff reporter for Marketplace and Chicago’s WBEZ. His reporting has appeared on outlets including 99 Percent Invisible, Planet Money, Reveal, Code Switch, and NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Before working in audio, he spent many years as a print reporter, frequently musing, “Audio seems like where the real fun is. How do I break into that?” His work reflects sophisticated reporting, an engaging narrative voice. Dan has a knack for snappy, accurate breakdowns of complex subjects, from urban segregation to the economics of America’s largest crop to the engineering miracles that turned the Chicago River into a sewer. Dan lives in the beautiful village of Skokie, Illinois, with his beautiful family.
Podcasts
Stories
-
A ‘payday loan’ from a health care behemoth
What happens when a single company runs the most U.S. health insurance plans, owns a network employing more doctors than anyone else, and starts to get into the business of loaning money to doctors?
-
A $229,000 medical bill goes to court
Before her surgery, a hospital told Lisa French she would end up owing them $1,337. After insurance paid them — more than they’d expected to get — the hospital billed her $229,000. And sued her for it.
-
A doctor’s love letter to ‘the People’s Hospital’
What if we had a decent, publicly-funded health system — available to everybody, with or without insurance? We’ve got one, says Dr. Ricardo Nuila. It’s where he works
-
Like pulling teeth.
Insurance bites, but we've learned a bunch here.
-
Quick update from Arm and a Leg HQ
... and a preview of what's coming up
-
Credit Where It’s Due
A lot of medical debt will be coming off of credit reports. We weren’t convinced it was such a big deal. Turns out, we were wrong
-
Sick Note, pt. 2: Dang
Dan’s COVID hung on there for a while, kept him SUPER tired. Yoinks. Back in a couple weeks!
-
Sick Note: Dan has COVID. (He's fine, but ...)
He's kinda tired. Back in 2 weeks with a full episode!
-
Fighting for the Right to Help
It’s illegal to advise someone who’s being sued for medical debt. (Unless you’re a lawyer.) As in, you could go to jail. Two New Yorkers are fighting to change that.
-
Swimming with sharks
Pharma and insurance companies play devious, clever games, competing for dollars. They’re sharks! And they want to eat us alive.
