An Arm and a Leg podcast

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 reporting — you’re not always helpless. We don’t have all the answers, but we’ll offer you tools and big picture insights with plenty of humor and heart. An Arm and a Leg is co-produced with [KFF Health News] (https://kffhealthnews.org/) and distributed in partnership with [KUOW] (https://www.kuow.org/) . You can support An Arm and a Leg by donating at [armandalegshow.com/support/] (https://armandalegshow.com/support/) Show Credits: Created, hosted, and produced by Dan Weissmann with senior producer Emily Pisacreta and engagement producer Claire Davenport, edited by Ellen Weiss. Audio wizard: Adam Raymonda. Music is by Dave Weiner and Blue Dot Sessions. Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations. Lynne Johnson is our operations manager.

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 reporting — you’re not always helpless. We don’t have all the answers, but we’ll offer you tools and big picture insights with plenty of humor and heart. An Arm and a Leg is co-produced with [KFF Health News] (https://kffhealthnews.org/) and distributed in partnership with [KUOW] (https://www.kuow.org/) . You can support An Arm and a Leg by donating at [armandalegshow.com/support/] (https://armandalegshow.com/support/) Show Credits: Created, hosted, and produced by Dan Weissmann with senior producer Emily Pisacreta and engagement producer Claire Davenport, edited by Ellen Weiss. Audio wizard: Adam Raymonda. Music is by Dave Weiner and Blue Dot Sessions. Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations. Lynne Johnson is our operations manager.

 

#157

Some more things that didn’t suck in 2025

Hey, first! If you value what we do, this is the best-ever time to [support our work] (htt... more

11 Dec 2025

32 MINS

32:15

11 Dec 2025


#156

How to pick health insurance — in the worst year ever

Hey, first! If you value what we do, this is the best-ever time to [support our work] (htt... more

20 Nov 2025

30 MINS

30:02

20 Nov 2025


#155

Some things that didn’t suck in 2025 (really)

Hey, first! If you value what we do, this is the best-ever time to [support our work] (htt... more

06 Nov 2025

24 MINS

24:14

06 Nov 2025


#154

This health economist wants your medical bills

Economist Vivian Ho has been researching the US health care system for four decades. These... more

23 Oct 2025

20 MINS

20:02

23 Oct 2025


#153

We love this listener’s project — and your response

A listener named Thomas Sanford wrote to us earlier this year, asking for help with a litt... more

09 Oct 2025

10 MINS

10:48

09 Oct 2025


#152

Will we be able to afford insurance in 2026?

For the first time, our senior producer, Emily, has to sign up for Obamacare. And it turns... more

18 Sep 2025

29 MINS

29:01

18 Sep 2025


#151

The Insurance Warrior battles a $61 billion company (from 2021)

Hey first! We need your help: Financial help. Donations from listeners power this show, an... more

28 Aug 2025

23 MINS

23:44

28 Aug 2025


#150

A wild health insurance hustle

When a New York couple purchased a health insurance plan from a telemarketer, everything s... more

07 Aug 2025

30 MINS

30:20

07 Aug 2025


#149

The great American drug shortage isn't an accident, it's artificial (from Organized Money)

As a follow-up to our series [The Prescription Drug Playbook] (https://armandalegshow.com/... more

18 Jul 2025

39 MINS

39:06

18 Jul 2025


#148

The Prescription Drug Playbook, Part Two

In February, we asked you, our listeners, to share the tips, tricks, and tactics you&rsquo... more

30 Jun 2025

27 MINS

27:40

30 Jun 2025


#147

Trailer: The Prescription Drug Playbook

Too many of us get sticker shock when we go to pick up our meds. We asked our listeners ho... more

24 Jun 2025

01 MINS

01:29

24 Jun 2025


#146

The Prescription Drug Playbook, Part One

In surveys, one in four Americans report having to skip their medications due to cost. We ... more

12 Jun 2025

26 MINS

26:07

12 Jun 2025


#145

Could this mathematician’s formula fix US hospitals?

What do the KGB and the former CEO of Cincinnati Children's Hospital have in common? At di... more

22 May 2025

32 MINS

32:11

22 May 2025


#144

A longtime expert puts 2025-so-far in perspective

With news blasting from Washington like a firehose, it feels impossible to take it all in ... more

01 May 2025

25 MINS

25:30

01 May 2025


#143

Why ‘The Pitt’ is our fave new drama

People who work in real-life emergency rooms have raved about how accurately the new drama... more

10 Apr 2025

22 MINS

22:55

10 Apr 2025


#142

Winning a two-year fight over a bogus bill

A few months ago, we got a note from a listener named Meagan, who wanted to thank us. She ... more

20 Mar 2025

23 MINS

23:40

20 Mar 2025


#141

A medical-debt watchdog gets sidelined by the new administration

A federal agency called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — CFPB for short &m... more

27 Feb 2025

19 MINS

19:31

27 Feb 2025