To Get Health Insurance, This Couple Made a Movie
On this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” hear how a couple wrote and directed a short film, starring one of them — just to maintain health insurance through the actors union.
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, a podcast about these issues, is co-produced by host Dan Weissmann and KFF Health News. Previously, Weissmann was a staff reporter for Marketplace and Chicago’s WBEZ. His work also appears on “All Things Considered,” Marketplace, the BBC, 99% Invisible, and “Reveal” from the Center for Investigative Reporting.
Listen and Subscribe to “An Arm and a Leg” on iTunes, Pocket Casts, Google Play or Spotify.
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‘Your Money or Your Life’: This Doctor Wrote the Book on Medical Debt
Season 10, Episode 5What happens when you can’t afford the health care you need? On this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” hear from emergency medicine physician and historian Luke Messac about the history of medical debt collection in the United States.
John Green vs. Johnson & Johnson (Part 2)
Season 10, Episode 3The high price of lifesaving tuberculosis drugs makes them inaccessible to many who need them most. On this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” hear how a decades-long global fight to reform drug patents is helping to lower the cost.
John Green vs. Johnson & Johnson (Part 1)
Season 10, Episode 2Pharmaceutical patents can drive up the costs of lifesaving medications. Hear what author and YouTube star John Green is doing to make tuberculosis drugs more accessible to the people who need them most.
How a Surprise Bill Can Hitch a Ride to the Hospital
Season 10, Episode 1The No Surprises Act has helped rein in out-of-network medical bills, but ground ambulances are a costly exception. Hear why this service can still hit patients with big bills and what to do if you get one.
Wait, What’s a PBM?
Season 9, Episode 9Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, are companies that negotiate the prices of prescription drugs. Hear about their role in raising drug prices and the ongoing efforts to regulate this complex industry.
Credit Card, Please
Season 9, Episode 8What do you do when a medical provider asks you to provide a credit card upfront? In this episode, we hear advice about your options in this situation.
A ‘Payday Loan’ From a Health Care Behemoth
Season 9, Episode 7UnitedHealth Group is the largest health insurer in the United States. And it keeps growing. This has led some health care experts to call for antitrust regulation of this “behemoth” company.
Mental Health ‘Ghost Networks’ — And a Ghostbuster
Season 9, Episode 6What should you do when your search for an in-network mental health care provider comes up empty? Abigail Burman has some expertise to share.
A $229,000 Medical Bill Goes to Court
Season 9, Episode 5Lisa French was told her surgery would cost $1,337. But the hospital sent her a bill for $229,000, then sued her. The case went all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. The court’s ruling could have major implications for determining a “reasonable price” in health care.
A Doctor’s Love Letter to ‘The People’s Hospital’
Season 9, Episode 4Could a charity hospital founded by a crusading Dutch playwright, a group of Quakers, and a judge working undercover become a model for the U.S. health care system? In this episode of the podcast “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann speaks with Dr. Ricardo Nuila to find out.
Wrestling With a Giant: How to Dispute a Hospital Bill
Season 9, Episode 3One listener tried to dispute a $1,300 “facility fee” with the treating hospital, his insurer, a bill-mediation service provided by his employer, and finally a debt collector. He didn’t win, but he learned valuable lessons about advocating for hospital discounts.
She Sued a Hospital and Lost — But Felt She’d Won
Season 9, Episode 2A listener sued a hospital in small-claims court and lost but felt as if she’d won. Now, she wants to encourage more people to take their bills to court.
Can They Freaking Do That?!? (2023 Update)
Season 9, Episode 1Can a medical provider you’ve never heard of send you an outrageous bill? Sure. Can you fight back and win? Yes, sometimes you can. Here’s how to do it.
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‘An Arm and a Leg’: The Year in Review, From Prenatal Testing to Insulin Pricing
The editorial team of “An Arm and a Leg” looks back on the reporting that hit close to home over the past year, including insulin pricing and prenatal testing.
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‘An Arm and a Leg’: Getting Insurance to Pay for Oral Surgery Is Like Pulling Teeth
A car crash left a woman in need of oral surgery, but her health insurance wouldn’t cover it. Her ongoing fight shows podcast host Dan Weissmann the weird way insurance treats teeth and reveals a big problem in the Obamacare marketplace.
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‘An Arm and a Leg’: He Made a Video About Health Insurance Terminology That Went Viral
A video producer’s quest for health coverage led him to create a video about insurance terminology. That video now has over a million views. Here’s how he did it.
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‘An Arm and a Leg’: When Insurance Won’t Pay, Abortion Assistance Funds Step In
Privacy concerns and coverage limits have long made insurance an unreliable option for abortion access. For decades, abortion funds have been stepping in to help people pay for what they see as essential health care.
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‘An Arm and a Leg’: No Money, No Job, No Health Care? Not Always.
For many Americans, it’s open enrollment season for 2023 health insurance. One listener asked: If you don’t have a job and are too old to be on your parents’ plan, does it make sense to rely on charity care? This episode breaks it all down.
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‘An Arm and a Leg’: Checking Up on California’s DIY Insulin Project
California put up $100 million to produce its own insulin. How did this plan come to be, and what might stand in the state’s way?