Free Daily Podcast Summary
An Arm and a Leg: Daily Summaries Delivered
by 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 and distributed in partnership with KUOW. You can support An Arm and a Leg by donating at 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.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 weeks ago56 min
The Chatbot Will See You Now: Big Tech In Therapy (from Organized Money)
One place you might assume is safe from prying ears is your therapy session. But as more therapists struggle to negotiate with insurers, they’re turning to tech middlemen like BetterHelp and Headway that promise to take care of the insurance admin and match them with patients. And these companies are sometimes recording and transcribing your sessions — and then turning around and sharing that data with social media companies and investors. And there are concerns that these confidential discussions could be used to train the next generation of chatbot therapists. So this week, we’re bringing you an episode from our pals at Organized Money, a show about corporate consolidation and monopolies, where they speak with Linda Michaels, a psychologist and co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network, about the tech companies sneaking into your therapy sessions and how we got here. And they share some good news: How one state, Illinois, passed a law in 2025 that could be a national model for encouraging more therapists to stay in-network, and ultimately, reduce reliance on these platforms. For more on mental health coverage: Check out our episode about Abigail Burman, an attorney and expert on mental health “ghost networks” — lists of providers that turn out to be filled with inaccuracies, making it difficult for patients to get in-network care. Plus we have a whole guide from Burman on “ghostbusting” — AKA, getting your insurance to cover your mental health care. That’s in our First Aid Kit newsletter. Here’s a transcript of this episode. We’ll be back with more Arm and a Leg in a few weeks. Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. Of course we’d love for you to support this show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 27, 202618 min
The Supreme Court case that could slow generic drugs
It’s a case you’ve (probably) never heard of: This week, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Hikma v. Amarin — a legal battle that could impact how much you ultimately pay for prescription drugs. Here’s why the case matters: As soon as a generic version of a brand-name drug comes to market, its price typically drops by half. Within 10 years, by more than 75%. Meaning: the sooner we have access to generics, the less we pay at the pharmacy counter. But one of the fastest legal pathways for generic companies to get their drugs to market may be about to get a lot narrower – depending on how the court rules later this year. Amarin, a brand-name drugmaker, has accused Hikma, a generic company, of encouraging doctors to infringe on their patent for a drug called Vascepa. The case revolves around the legal concept of skinny labels: a carveout in drug patent law that allows generic companies to bring drugs to market when one of the brand-name drug’s patents has expired, but others haven’t. And it raises the (unexpected) question of whether it’s OK for a generic drug company to call their product the generic version of something. Legal experts help us unpack the nerdy details – including how this case came to be, and what’s at stake for both generic drug companies and anyone looking forward to one day paying less for an expensive brand-name drug. Want to learn how these drug monopolies work – and came to be in the first place? Check out our previous episode: Why drugs cost so much, 101: Medicine monopolies Here's a copy of this episode's transcript. Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. And of course we’d love for you to support this show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Apr 9, 202634 min
Why drugs cost so much, 101: Medicine monopolies
We’re always asking: Why do drugs cost so freaking much? And it’s a complicated question. There are a bunch of reasons — to be sure. But in our reporting over the years, like our stories on insulin and tuberculosis drugs, experts cited one big reason over and over again: The pharmaceutical industry wages sophisticated legal battles to keep monopoly control over their best selling, most lucrative drugs — blocking generic competition, and increasing their prices along the way. How did it come to be this way? In this first episode of a new series – what we’re calling An Arm and a Leg 101 – we’re doing a crash course in the history of the drug patent system. And the rags-to-riches story of one amazing guy is going to help us do it. Al Engelberg got schooled in the Art of the Hustle at a young age, collecting dimes at an illegal bingo game on the Atlantic City boardwalk. Later, he’d put those street smarts to use as he sat at the negotiation table in Washington D.C., hashing out the details of a law that would usher in the generic drug industry as we know it. Then made millions from the rules he helped write. And as he admits, his legacy is mixed. On the one hand: The rules Al Engelberg helped write — a grand bargain between generic drugmakers and patent-holding brand pharma companies— unleashed the power of generic drugs to save Americans money. Nine out of ten prescriptions written today get filled with a generic. On the other hand: In the process of making his fortune, Al Engelberg discovered loopholes, gaps, and perverse incentives in that grand bargain. Gaps that allowed brand and generic drugmakers to profit by keeping generics for many hit drugs off the market. So we now spend more than ever on medicine — and more than 20 percent of Americans report skipping their medication because they can’t afford it. Al Engelberg, now 86, has spent the last 30 years — and millions of his own dollars — trying to close those gaps. “I live in a world — a pharma world — where half the people think I’m dead, and the other half wish I was,” he tells us. You can read more of Al’s story — plus his prescription for fixing the crisis of high drug prices — in his book, Breaking the Medicine Monopolies: Reflections of a Generic Drug Pioneer. And you can hear our earlier reporting on drug patents here: John Green vs. Johnson & Johnson (part 1) John Green vs. Johnson & Johnson (part 2) The surprising history behind insulin's absurd price (and some hopeful signs in the wild) Here's a copy of this episode's transcript. Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. And of course we’d love for you to support this show. An Arm and a Leg 101 is made possible in part by support from Arnold Ventures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Mar 19, 202626 min
‘Not workable’: How two Americans picked a plan this year — or didn’t
This year, the price of health insurance increased dramatically for millions of people. Tens of millions. Obamacare subsidies shrunk, and premiums skyrocketed. People asked themselves: how on earth am I supposed to make this work? Two of those folks — attorney Nicole Wipp and skate-shop owner Noah Hulsman — tell the story of how they chose among lousy options. Nicole chose to dump health insurance altogether — even though she could have found a way to pay for it. Noah chose to pay for coverage that sucks, because it’s all he can afford. Each made their choice in the context of their broader stories: Noah is deeply rooted in Louisville, KY, and lives about a mile from where his grandmother started Louisville’s first skate shop, around the time he was born. Nicole’s story includes an expensive, life-threatening medical adventure a decade ago — and a series of choices that’s taken her family from Michigan to Hawaii to South Carolina. Reporters with KFF Health News have been talking with dozens of people all over the country about these kinds of choices for their series on the health insurance crisis, Priced Out. KFF Health News senior correspondent Renuka Rayasam, who introduced us to Nicole and Noah after writing about their stories, joins us to reflect on what these stories mean. Read more of Renuka Rayasam’s reporting: When Health Insurance Costs More Than the Mortgage It’s 2026 and You’re Uninsured. Now What? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Feb 26, 202658 min
The EpiPen and Food Allergies (from Drug Story)
Hey, first! We’re looking for your help. Can you take a couple minutes and fill out our Audience Survey? We’re dying to know more about the community that’s using this show — and about what’s working for you and what you’d like to see. Let us know! Today we’re switching it up. We’re sharing an episode from the new podcast Drug Story. In each episode, science journalist and self-described “public health nerd” Thomas Goetz goes deep on the story of a single drug — what it treats, how it came to be, and what it reveals about the business of health and disease. On this episode: the EpiPen, a device you’ll find in classrooms, on airplanes, in glove compartments — basically everywhere — because the EpiPen can be a literal life-saver for people with severe allergies. And of course, the EpiPen is also one of the most infamous examples of pharmaceutical profiteering gone bananas. That part of the story makes us especially geeked to share this episode. And there are more threads here — on the drug’s discovery, on the science of severe food allergies, and on what researchers have learned about preventing them — that Goetz does a great job of weaving together. If you like it, new episodes of Drug Story come out every week. We’ll be back with more Arm and a Leg in a few weeks. Meanwhile, don’t forget to help us by filling out our quick survey. Here’s a transcript of this episode. Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. Of course we’d love for you to support this show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Feb 5, 202629 min
NYT’s Ron Lieber: ‘These people are not going to win.'
Thirty-six hours before his wife was scheduled for a major surgery, New York Times personal finance columnist Ron Lieber got a letter in the mail that sent him reeling. Insurance was denying prior authorization for the surgery. The only way forward would be to appeal the decision. But it was Saturday night, and the surgery was Monday morning. There wouldn’t be any time. Should they even go to the hospital? They decided to bet on being able to reverse the denial later on, but the last minute coverage questions left Ron’s wife, New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor, going into surgery that Monday with a brand new sense of stress and anxiety. And along with worrying how his wife's surgery would go (spoiler: it was successful), and whether they’d end up on the hook for a bajillion dollars, it left Ron to wonder why no one had given them a heads-up earlier. He set out to find answers — and whether there might be a way to prevent these last-minute denials from sneaking up on other people. Ron turned to his "Your Money" newsletter subscribers for ideas, and eventually published a draft letter in his New York Times column that doctors and other health care providers could give their patients to better prepare them for insurance curveballs. Check out the column here – and consider passing it along to any health care workers whose patients you think might benefit. Here’s a transcript of this episode. Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. Of course we’d love for you to support this show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Jan 15, 202626 min
'Sh**’s wild': Scaling up, doubling down, and buckling in
For five years, we’ve been following the work of Dollar For and its founder Jared Walker, watching them quickly scale up their efforts to help people crush medical debt by tapping into “charity care” — the financial assistance that hospitals are legally required to offer some patients. Their work represents what a small, scrappy, thoughtful group of people can do. Last year, their tiny staff helped wipe out more than $55 million in medical bills. As we kick off 2026, we thought it was time to check in again. After all, this will be a year when millions more people will have trouble covering their medical bills — when Dollar For’s work may become more important to more people, and when we’re hungry for more ways to help each other. As Jared tells it, 2025 proved to be a pivotal – yet rocky – period in the organization’s story. Both their successes and their challenges put into stark relief exactly what we’re all up against. So we go deep with Jared on what they achieved while they weathered the chaos, and what it might mean for their – and our collective – next moves. Here's a transcript of this episode. Check out our Starter Pack: How to wipe out your bill with charity care. And our previous coverage of Dollar For: Could billions in medical debt get zapped by the legal strategy from this 60-second video? (2021)We talked to Jared just weeks after Dollar For first went viral. The group’s early history — they’d been working locally for years — is fascinating. Badass volunteers help Jared level up, in the fight to crush medical debt (2021)Within six months, they’d recruited volunteers and built systems. The Medical Bill “Negotiation Lab” (2022)In an experiment aimed at scaling up impact, Dollar For tried a different approach in 2022. We sat in. One last tip before 2024 (2023)Why Jared thinks you should ask for “charity care” by name -- even though, let’s face it, asking for “charity” does not feel good to most of us. New lessons from the fight for charity care (2024)Dollar For spent 2024 focusing on the big picture and starting to focus on policy advocacy. Check out our history of charity care series (from 2021): A legendary lawyer sued hospitals for price-gouging their patients. And got his butt handed to him. Dickie Scruggs is the guy who beat Big Tobacco. But when he took on hospitals, he lost. The wild backstory of a tiny but crucial Obamacare provision (ft. David Axelrod)Charity care wasn’t part of federal law until the Affordable Care Act passed. A Republican senator made sure it was part of the ACA — before deciding he wouldn’t vote for the law. “We just kept right on pushing” … and laws changedIn New York, a grieving family’s story made headlines and helped advocates catch lawmakers’ attention. Wait, that was legal until now?!In 2021, Maryland barred hospitals from suing patients who qualified for charity care. Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. Of course we’d love for you to support this show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Dec 29, 202515 min
Our favorite project of 2025 levels up – and you can help
Hey, first! If you value what we do, we need your support to keep it going in 2026. We have SO much work ahead, and we can’t do it without you. Every little bit counts. Here’s where you can chip in. Thank you SO much! Our listeners have been teaming up on an incredible project – kicked off earlier this year by a med student named Thomas Sanford. The idea: create a list of reliable resources to help with medical expenses and avoid debt, and circulate it where people might find it useful, like hospital waiting rooms. In this episode, we hear how that project is ready to level up – and how you can bring it to people in your community. Here’s how to help: Send this link to anyone you think might need it: armandalegshow.com/help Or go here to print it out, post it, pass it around, customize it for your community, or join with other volunteers: armandalegshow.com/helpers See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
About 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 and distributed in partnership with KUOW. You can support An Arm and a Leg by donating at 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.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from An Arm and a Leg in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's An Arm and a Leg daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of An Arm and a Leg as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the An Arm and a Leg podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official An Arm and a Leg product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by An Arm and a Leg.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts. Upgrade to Pro for 15, or Premium for 50. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does An Arm and a Leg release new episodes?
An Arm and a Leg publishes monthly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does An Arm and a Leg cover?
An Arm and a Leg covers topics including Medicine, Fitness, Documentary, Culture, Health & Fitness, Society & Culture. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting An Arm and a Leg summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.