“Refreshing”

November 26, 2019

What a refreshing look at health care in the USA! Instead of a politics focus, this show takes the listener on a journey with compelling stories from citizens who are dealing with our often-convoluted health care system on a daily basis. Dan Weissmann, the host, does a marvelous job of keeping this podcast about potentially terrifying and depressing topics upbeat, hopeful, and informative. Highly recommend!

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Latest Episodes

Keep listening for info on why health care costs so freaking much, and what we can (maybe) do about it.

November 6, 2025

Some things that didn’t suck in 2025 (really)

October 23, 2025

This health economist wants your medical bills

October 9, 2025

We love this listener’s project — and your response

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Starter Packs

Our Starter Packs are full of useful information and actionable advice on all things healthcare.

How to wipe out your medical bill with charity care

Most hospitals are required by law to provide financial assistance (AKA “charity care”) to a portion of their patients. And more people qualify than know about it.

How do I shop for health insurance?

Picking a health insurance plan can be overwhelming. Here’s our best advice.

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

Don’t freak out. We’ve created a guide to help you manage.

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.

First Aid Kit

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

November 6, 2025

New episode: What DIDN’T suck in 2025

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

October 31, 2025

Medicare: Big pitfalls to avoid, part deux

Hey there — Ermahgerd, Medicare is confusing. Or as John Oliver said in a recent Last Week Tonight segment on Medicare Advantage, “On a scale of one to Inception, it is basically Tenet. And I don’t say that lightly.” So yeah, like we said in our last Medicare installment, there’s so much important stuff to know before enrolling — and it’s wayyyy

October 23, 2025

New episode: Why this economist wants your medical bills

Hey there — We’ve got a new episode out today, and a new way you can pitch in with a big project. When health economist Vivian Ho asked us to help her gather data for a new study, I wanted to hear her out. A disclosure: Vivian’s been a donor to this show — not a make-or-break donor, but a

October 16, 2025

Medicare: Big pitfalls to avoid, part 1

Hey there — Our first podcast episode about Medicare — covering things to know before signing up — had a subtitle: “This one kind of blew our minds.” There is so much to know — so many potential pitfalls and complications. And it left me thinking: “I’ll need to do some serious planning, years before I turn 65.” So: please

October 9, 2025

It’s official: This is our favorite project of the year

Remember Thomas Sanford, the fourth-year medical student who created a one-page resource for dealing with medical expenses? With help from some of you, he’s got a new draft — and a plan to keep making this tool better and better — hopefully with help from even more of you. That virtuous cycle — and its potential to keep growing —

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