An Arm and a Leg
An Arm and a Leg is a podcast about why health care costs so freaking much and what we can (maybe) do about it.
If you’ve ever been surprised by a medical bill, you’re in good company. But as our team of seasoned journalists has learned from years of reporting — you’re not always helpless. We don’t have all the answers, but we’ll offer you tools and big picture insights with plenty of humor and heart.
An Arm and a Leg is co-produced with KFF Health News and distributed in partnership with KUOW.
You can support An Arm and a Leg by donating at armandalegshow.com/support/
Show Credits: Created, hosted, and produced by Dan Weissmann with senior producer Emily Pisacreta and engagement producer Claire Davenport, edited by Ellen Weiss. Audio wizard: Adam Raymonda. Music by Dave Winer and Blue Dot Sessions. Bea Bosco is the consulting director of operations. Lynne Johnson is the operations manager.
Episodes
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Staying on Medicaid seems tougher than it should be
The word “nightmare” came up a lot when we talked with a Tennessee mom.
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The Hack
A cyberattack against a giant gets us thinking about antitrust.
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One last tip before 2024
Mini-ep: What some hospitals won't tell you
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When hospitals sue patients (part 2)
What if they just… stopped?
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When hospitals sue patients (part 1)
Why do they do it? There isn’t much money in it.
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Paging Dr. Glaucomflecken: Presenting “The Nocturnists - Conversations: Will & Kristin Flanary (The Glaucomfleckens)”
Plus a good-news update from us (and John Green).
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Credit Card, Please
A listener’s doctor wanted her credit card info up front — before her appointment. She wondered: Do I need to give it to them? We did too.
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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?
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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.
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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
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Like pulling teeth.
Insurance bites, but we've learned a bunch here.
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Quick update from Arm and a Leg HQ
... and a preview of what's coming up