An Arm and a Leg

Health care — and how much it costs — is scary. But you’re not alone with this stuff, and knowledge is power. “An Arm and a Leg” is a podcast about all these issues, and its second season, is co-produced by KFF Health News.

Listen and Subscribe to “An Arm and a Leg” on iTunesPocket CastsGoogle Play or Spotify.

When A Doctor’s Screen Time Detracts From Face Time With Patients

Electronic health records can help reduce medical errors, but when not used well they can strain the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Wei Wei Lee, an internist with the University of Chicago Medicine, has developed strategies to make sure tech is a tool, not a barrier.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: Real Lessons Doctors Can Learn From Fake Patients

Are physicians asking patients the right questions in order to provide good care? Laser-focused on biomedical symptoms, some doctors miss the psychosocial factors that can be a barrier to good health. In Episode 7 of the podcast, we hear about a creative study that uncovers how some medical errors happen.

I’m A CPAP Dropout: Why Many Lose Sleep Over Apnea Treatment

An estimated 18 million American adults have sleep apnea. The go-to treatment — a CPAP machine — offers a healthy restful night’s sleep, but many people struggle to use it. As many as 50% of patients stop using the device.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: Journalist Learns The Hard Way That CPAP Compliance Pays

Check the fine print. When you get a prescription for expensive medical equipment, you may need to follow the doctor’s orders — to the letter — to get your health insurance company to pay up.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: The Full Story Of Insulin And Its Cost ― No Sugarcoating It

Skipping meals. Rationing medicine to make it last. The high cost of insulin has pushed some people with diabetes to make hard choices. Hear about insulin’s backstory and the hacks that might make it affordable.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: Forget The Shakedown. To Get Paid, Hospitals Get Creative.

An unexpected hospital bill can bust the family budget. That leaves lots of people with bills they can’t pay. Turns out, that’s a crisis for hospitals too, and some are getting creative about collecting debt.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: Expecting A Baby And Unexpectedly Dropped By Insurer

Health care — and how much it costs — is scary. But you’re not alone with this stuff, and knowledge is power. “An Arm and a Leg” is a podcast about these issues, and its second season is co-produced by KHN.

Coming Soon: ‘An Arm And A Leg’ Season Two

Health care — and how much it costs — is scary. But you’re not alone with this stuff, and knowledge is power. “An Arm and a Leg” is a podcast about all these issues, and its second season, co-produced by Kaiser Health News, starts on June 4.