Why healthcare in the U.S. is so complex, costly and confounding (WBEZ, Reset)

Last year, we reported on the Trump administration’s gutting of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, the federal watchdog that among other things protects Americans from unfair or predatory medical debt collection and credit reporting practices. Since then, we’ve been watching the fallout. The CliffsNotes: The Trump administration scrapped a Biden-era CFPB rule that would have removed medical debts from credit reports nationwide.

Hey there — Something big is happening in the world of drug prices tomorrow… and we have a new episode out now covering everything you need to know about it. The Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in a case you may never have heard of — but one that could have a big impact on how long it takes for expensive

Not every news story pitching some “game-changing” or “dystopian” AI tech is worth your time. But this week, a couple stories stuck out to us about navigating somewhat more mundane uses of AI in health care, and we wanted to share our takeaways. First: what you should know about those AI scribes in the exam room. And then, a new

Hey there — In February, we got a note from a listener in Georgia named Katherine whose husband was battling an infection that involved multiple hospital stays and at-home care — and multiple rounds of billing. And they started getting some of those bills in a new way: by text. With a click-to-pay link. And *without* some other essentials: …

Hey there — We’re always asking: Why do drugs cost so freaking much? In surveys, more than 20 percent of people in the US report having to skip their meds because of the cost. How did that happen? There are a bunch of reasons, to be sure — and we’ve looked into a lot of them. And of course there’s the most obvious