“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.

How to Fight a Health Insurance Denial With a Little-Known Tool (from ProPublica’s Paper Trail)

The Prescription Drug Playbook (Full Version)

The Chatbot Will See You Now: Big Tech In Therapy (from Organized Money)

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Starter Packs

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

Tell me a story about someone being awesome

It takes skills, patience, and guts to take on the health care system. We could all use a little inspiration.

Help! I’m in collections for medical debt.

So, a debt collector is chasing you over a medical bill. It happens to the best of us. And as we’ve learned, you have rights when it does.

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.

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.

Mailbag! Getting nickel-and-dimed at your annual

Hey there — We’re back with another reader question — this time about why it might look like you got double billed for a routine physical. Plus, two follow-ups on stories we’ve covered before: An update on Oregon’s fight against corporate-owned medical clinics. New reporting on drug copay assistance programs and the sneaky way insurers claw that money back. Q: My

Podcast feed drop: A tool everyone needs to hear about

In your Arm and a Leg feed this morning: an episode of Paper Trail, a new podcast from the investigative journalism powerhouse, ProPublica. This episode taught us about an insurance industry term that we just had to share: external review. Knowing it could one day be the key to reversing an unfair insurance denial. An external review allows you to tap an expert from outside your insurance

New Starter Pack: People being awesome

Hey there — We’re back with a brand new Arm and a Leg “Starter Pack” — plus some Obamacare news. Last month, the federal government issued its annual update to Obamacare rules and regulations— an 1,100+ page set of terms that will affect how much plans cost, what’s in them, and how you sign up. In March, before the rules

Mailbag! Mysterious fees and the semantics of “charity care”

Hey there — This week we’re answering a couple reader questions that landed in our inbox recently. One is about those dreaded and increasingly common “facility fees” that show up on your medical bills. The other is about why we keep using the word “charity” even though it makes people’s skin crawl. Plus, we’re introducing our team’s newest member: summer

Series reboot: “The Prescription Drug Playbook”

Hey there — Last year, we set out on a mission: Collect all the best advice about what to do when your drugs cost more than you can afford. We asked you — our listeners and subscribers — for your experiences. Your responses helped us map a whole landscape of potential options: drug coupons, discount pharmacies, assistance programs, and even

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