First Aid Kit is going weekly

Hey there —

Dan here, big news: You’re about to see a lot more of this newsletter.

Because: There’s SO much to share, and we finally have the capacity to share it.

A little background: We started First Aid Kit in response to the question we got most often from Arm and a Leg listeners: “Can you write down some of the useful tips and info from the show, please? I don’t have a pencil and paper with me on the treadmill [or in the car, or while I’m doing the dishes].”

I loved writing First Aid Kit, and loved how you responded to it. But honestly, it became a struggle for me to actually publish First Aid Kit regularly because making the podcast is a very full-time job. (A great one, but very full-time.)

So we’ve got a big backlog of useful information that we haven’t shared here yet.

And: You’ve probably noticed, the new administration and the GOP Congress seem eager to make major changes. There will be a lot to keep up with going forward.

So, how are we going to make this work? WE’VE BROUGHT IN SOMEONE ELSE — SOMEONE AWESOME — TO DO IT!

Introducing First Aid Kit’s new writer, Claire Davenport.

You might have heard my name before in the show credits. I worked with the team last summer as an intern, and I’m now back as An Arm and a Leg’s engagement producer and First Aid Kit’s lead writer.

A bit about me. I’m 28 and live in Brooklyn, NY. I’m a health care journalist. And like many of you, I’ve had my own fair share of health care fights due to some chronic, long-standing health issues.

I’ve spent A LOT of time arguing with insurance on the phone, standing in line at CVS, and scrambling to find in-network specialists who have appointments available. It can all be so draining and time-consuming to manage, and the treatments are costly.

Juggling all of that has been an education, so when I heard about a chance to work on An Arm and a Leg, it felt like a calling. Using what I learned from my journalism degree to understand why health care costs so much, and giving people actual tools to fight back? Heck yeah.

During my internship, I listened to every episode of the podcast and read every installment of this newsletter — and afterwards, I compiled a digest of the most important, strategic lessons I’d learned.

When my roommate ended up with a big medical bill, I shared those lessons with her — and we’ve used them to fight back against some bogus charges. And when it was time for her to pick a new insurance policy, these lessons once again came in handy.

I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned here, and pass along insights the An Arm and a Leg team continues to uncover.

And: Since we’re not the only ones covering this beat, we’ll bring you links to the best tips we find elsewhere.

For instance, just last week, the Wall Street Journal published a big story with some surprising good news: when people appeal denials by insurance, they usually win — along with a five-step how-to. (These are gift links. If they expire, you can also listen to a good summary on their Money Briefing podcast and read the transcript here.)

Some big takeaways:

• Up to three-quarters of insurance claim appeals are granted! This is important, because so few people appeal. Often someone makes a simple mistake along the way leading to the denial, like your doctor putting in the wrong code, which is pretty easy to fix.

• You actually have better luck winning an appeal if you file it yourself, instead of asking your doctor. If you’re doing it yourself, familiarize yourself with what your plan covers, read through the denial letter, and see if there are any inconsistencies.

• If your insurance says the treatment isn’t “medically necessary” or disputes the diagnosis, throw everything you can at them. Present them with scientific evidence of a treatment’s efficacy and letters from your doctors. And: if your first appeal is denied, keep escalating — and copy the attorney general, regulators, and even the CEO of the company on your communications!

We’ve covered fighting with insurance before in First Aid Kit (here’s part 1 and part 2), and on the podcast (most recently with a story on a new AI tool that can help you appeal denials), and it’s a topic we’ll definitely be coming back to.

Some other fun, personal tidbits

I also love to write about the (sometimes overlapping) wellness industry, along with local New York happenings. In my spare time, when I’m not attempting to close out all my computer tabs, I like to listen to history podcasts and hang out with my chatty kitty, Mira.

And I happen to have a sweet tooth for newsletters. (I may or may not be subscribed to upwards of 30.)

I’m extra excited to write this one. Because we all need it.

As Dan always says: Not gonna lie, we can’t win them all. But we don’t have to lose them all either. For better or worse, we’ll never run out of material.

And as he wrote in the very first installment of this newsletter:

Having a first aid kit is not the same as having access to a trauma center — which, honestly, is what a lot of us need in this world — but it’s a hell of a lot better than what most of us have (terror and confusion). This is your First Aid Kit.

Share what’s in your kit

As we bring you more First Aid Kit, we want to hear from you! Earlier this month, we asked you to tell us what you’ve had to do to get your prescription drugs at prices you can deal with.

We’re definitely still asking: Have you ever found yourself looking at what a prescription would cost, and wondering: What the heck am I going to do here???

What did you do? You can submit your stories here or share this form with anyone you know who might have one: https://armandalegshow.com/drugs/

That’s all from me for now – until next week.

— Dan and Claire