An Arm and a Leg

An Arm and a Leg is a podcast about why health care costs so freaking much and what we can (maybe) do about it. If you’ve ever been surprised by a medical bill, you’re in good company. But as our team of seasoned journalists has learned from years of rep

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Recent Episodes

Why Health Insurance Actually Sucks (Season One, episode 6)

Posted December 4, 2018 • 00:16:20

Turns out, insurance companies allow — even encourage — crazy price-gouging by hospitals. For example, the leg brace Blake needed was available...

So, Robin Hood’s got an approach to medical bills. (Season One, episode 5)

Posted November 27, 2018 • 00:15:27

The health-care system — especially the financial side — can feel like a Medieval torture device. So maybe it fits that workers from Renaissance...

Why you (and I) will likely pick the wrong health-insurance plan (Season One, episode 4)

Posted November 20, 2018 • 00:18:36

Because as smart economists recently proved) it is super-confusing, and most of us can’t do the math. But! We found glimmers of hope. So don’t be...

3. How one drug got its $500,000 price tag. (With 99 Percent Invisible– Season One, episode 3)

Posted November 13, 2018 • 00:24:31

The answer involves a suburban housewife, a 1970s TV star, and a Las Vegas maker of popcorn and nacho cheese sauce. Also: Wall Street. Produced with...

All the Marbles: One woman’s epic quest for health insurance (Season One, episode 2)

Posted November 13, 2018 • 00:19:07

Laura Derrick takes a drug that costs more than $500,000 a year. So when her family was going to lose their insurance, she made crazy sacrifices…...