First Aid Kit Archive • An Arm And a Leg

First Aid Kit

Our newsletter sums up and shares the practical lessons we’ve learned about surviving the health care system, financially.

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What to do — and expect — if there’s a mistake on your credit report

New reporting from ProPublica reveals a gap in help.

The Big Picture

New episode: The Supreme Court case that could slow generic drugs

This week, the Court hears a big case about drug patents.

Chatbots haven’t totally nailed fighting medical bills

Plus: Is your doctor using an AI scribe?

Avoiding Ripoffs

Help: My doctor is billing me by text?

Don’t click to pay — do this instead.

The Big Picture

New episode! Why drugs cost so much, 101: Medicine monopolies

The backroom deal that set the rules, and the boardwalk guy who brokered them.

Discount dental care, medical debt update, and other stories

What we've been chattering about.

Prior Authorization: Lessons, Strategies and Stories

And a hilariously-gross video, if you dare.

The Big Picture

New episode: How two Americans picked insurance — or didn’t

Their take? “Not workable.” “You just have to laugh.”

Why did insurance really deny your claim?

With this tool, you could find out — and fight back.

Navigating Insurance

$31K deductibles on ACA plans?

The Trump administration is proposing them, and more.

The Big Picture

February 26, 2026

The EpiPen and Food Allergies (from Drug Story)

How a lifesaving — and notoriously expensive — drug came to be.

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For topic-specific deep dives and recommended reading, check out our Starter Packs or use the search bar below to explore our site.

More of our reporting

Starter Packs

Jumping off points: Our best episodes and our best answers to some big questions.

Explore our Starter Packs →

How to wipe out your medical bill with charity care

Our guide to an under-the-radar but essential resource for wiping out medical debt.

How do I shop for health insurance?

Picking a health insurance plan can be super confusing. Here's our best advice.

Help! I’m stuck with a gigantic medical bill.

Don't freak out. We've laid out tips to help you manage your medical bills.

The prescription drug playbook

The high cost of prescription meds in the US is a crisis: one in four adults say they’ve skipped taking a prescription in the past year because of cost.

Help! Insurance denied my claim.

Insurance denies lots of claims, and people give up. But the majority of people who appeal win. Here's the best of what we've published so far to help you.

See All Our Starter Packs

If you don't know where to start or are just getting to know us, we recommend you start here.

Podcast Episodes

Our show about why health care costs so freaking much, and what we can (maybe) do about it.

Explore the podcast →

The Supreme Court case that could slow generic drugs

The Supreme Court hears a case about "skinny labels" — a legal carveout used by generic drugmakers — that has major stakes for patients.

Why drugs cost so much, 101: Medicine monopolies

How a street-smart patent lawyer helped shape a grand bargain between brand-name and generic drug companies — and the unforeseen consequences he's determined to fix.

‘Not workable’: How two Americans picked a plan this year — or didn’t

Featuring: An attorney with a kid who plays polo and a third-generation skateboard-shop owner.

February 26, 2026

The EpiPen and Food Allergies (from Drug Story)

How a lifesaving – and notoriously pricey – drug came to be. From journalist Thomas Goetz.

February 5, 2026

NYT’s Ron Lieber: ‘These people are not going to win’

When NYT columnist Ron Lieber's wife got an unexpected insurance denial 36 hours before surgery, he started asking: why does this happen? And how can we better arm ourselves in advance?

See the Episode Archive

One of the most enraging, terrifying, depressing parts of American life made entertaining, empowering, and useful.