Half-million Cook County residents have their medical debt forgiven (WBEZ, Reset)

Hey there, Last year, we talked with tech worker Holden Karau, who had built an AI-powered tool to fight denials by insurance companies with the slogan “Make your insurance company cry, too!” Since then, more tools have cropped up. A few months ago, an episode of The Nocturnists (a podcast made by and for health care workers) looked at a company called Claimable. So

Hey there, Dan started An Arm and a Leg with the idea that we’re better equipped to face America’s broken health care system together. And this newsletter builds on that idea, sharing the most-useful nuggets, winning strategies, and useful resources we cover on the show. And we couldn’t have asked for better company on that journey. Since we brought this newsletter weekly,

Hey there, In a way, every year is the worst year yet to buy insurance, because rates go up every year. So each year is always cruddier than any year before. But this year is especially awful. The rate hikes on employer-based plans are the highest in 15 years, and on the Obamacare side it’s even worse. Price hikes there

Hey there, Back when we reported our Prescription Drug Playbook series about how to avoid sticker shock at the pharmacy counter, one piece of advice came up again and again: If you rely on specific meds, you need to do some homework when it’s time to pick next year’s insurance plan. And that time has come, friends — whether you’re

Hey there — So much to share this week, including a new podcast episode out today, but let’s start with a story that reminded me of this year’s Prescription Drug Playbook. This one’s from a listener — my friend Tim. Tim’s doc prescribed a basic antibiotic — and the pharmacist said the charge would be $100. Tim was like, WTF? A basic antibiotic, not