The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
Health care ā and how much it costs ā is scary. But youāre not alone with this stuff, and knowledge is power.Ā
An Arm and a Leg, a podcast about these issues, is co-produced by host Dan Weissmann and Ā鶹ŮÓÅ Health News. Previously, Weissmann was a staff reporter for Marketplace and Chicago’s WBEZ. His work also appears on “All Things Considered,” Marketplace, the BBC, 99% Invisible, and “Reveal” from the Center for Investigative Reporting.
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The high price of lifesaving tuberculosis drugs makes them inaccessible to many who need them most. On this episode of āAn Arm and a Leg,ā hear how a decades-long global fight to reform drug patents is helping to lower the cost.
Pharmaceutical patents can drive up the costs of lifesaving medications. Hear what author and YouTube star John Green is doing to make tuberculosis drugs more accessible to the people who need them most.
The No Surprises Act has helped rein in out-of-network medical bills, but ground ambulances are a costly exception. Hear why this service can still hit patients with big bills and what to do if you get one.
Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, are companies that negotiate the prices of prescription drugs. Hear about their role in raising drug prices and the ongoing efforts to regulate this complex industry.
What do you do when a medical provider asks you to provide a credit card upfront? In this episode, we hear advice about your options in this situation.
UnitedHealth Group is the largest health insurer in the United States. And it keeps growing. This has led some health care experts to call for antitrust regulation of this ābehemothā company.
What should you do when your search for an in-network mental health care provider comes up empty? Abigail Burman has some expertise to share.
Lisa French was told her surgery would cost $1,337. But the hospital sent her a bill for $229,000, then sued her. The case went all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. The courtās ruling could have major implications for determining a āreasonable priceā in health care.
Could a charity hospital founded by a crusading Dutch playwright, a group of Quakers, and a judge working undercover become a model for the U.S. health care system? In this episode of the podcast āAn Arm and a Leg,ā host Dan Weissmann speaks with Dr. Ricardo Nuila to find out.
One listener tried to dispute a $1,300 āfacility feeā with the treating hospital, his insurer, a bill-mediation service provided by his employer, and finally a debt collector. He didnāt win, but he learned valuable lessons about advocating for hospital discounts.
A listener sued a hospital in small-claims court and lost but felt as if sheād won. Now, she wants to encourage more people to take their bills to court.
Can a medical provider youāve never heard of send you an outrageous bill? Sure. Can you fight back and win? Yes, sometimes you can. Hereās how to do it.
The editorial team of āAn Arm and a Legā looks back on the reporting that hit close to home over the past year, including insulin pricing and prenatal testing.
A car crash left a woman in need of oral surgery, but her health insurance wouldnāt cover it. Her ongoing fight shows podcast host Dan Weissmann the weird way insurance treats teeth and reveals a big problem in the Obamacare marketplace.
A video producerās quest for health coverage led him to create a video about insurance terminology. That video now has over a million views. Hereās how he did it.
Privacy concerns and coverage limits have long made insurance an unreliable option for abortion access. For decades, abortion funds have been stepping in to help people pay for what they see as essential health care.
For many Americans, itās open enrollment season for 2023 health insurance. One listener asked: If you donāt have a job and are too old to be on your parentsā plan, does it make sense to rely on charity care? This episode breaks it all down.
California put up $100 million to produce its own insulin. How did this plan come to be, and what might stand in the stateās way?
In this episode, Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for KHN, guides listeners through decades of dealings between Congress and Big Pharma.
A nonprofit that trains people to apply for charity care has started teaching others how to negotiate with hospitals and debt collectors to lower the amount they owe.
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