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Artwork for An Arm and a Leg

An Arm and a Leg

An Arm and a Leg
Health Insurance
Healthcare Costs
Health Care Costs
Medical Debt
Facility Fees
Medical Bills
Charity Care
Medicaid
Prescription Drugs
Obamacare
Affordable Care Act
First Aid Kit
The Pitt
Emergency Medicine
KFF Health News
Insurance
Patient Rights
Healthcare Billing
Dollar For
Medical Billing

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 h... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes165Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
DocumentarySociety & CultureHealth & FitnessMedicine

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Artwork for An Arm and a Leg

Latest Episodes

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... more

YouTube

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 ... more

YouTube

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 rea... more

YouTube

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 ... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Linda Michaels
Psychologist in private practice in Chicago; co-founder of the Psychotherapy Action Network
Psychotherapy Action Network
Episode: The Chatbot Will See You Now: Big Tech In Therapy (from Organized Money)
Sean Tu
Professor of law and pharmacology, expert on Hatch-Waxman
University of Alabama
Episode: The Supreme Court case that could slow generic drugs
Sarah Koblitz
Lawyer focused on brand-name and generic drug challenges
Private law firm
Episode: The Supreme Court case that could slow generic drugs
Greg Chopsky
Patent attorney who has worked on major brand-name vs generic settlements
Independent patent attorney
Episode: The Supreme Court case that could slow generic drugs
Dr. Anmol Gupta
Resident physician advocating for patient access to affordable meds
University of Michigan Medical Center
Episode: The Supreme Court case that could slow generic drugs
Al Engelberg
Lawyer who shaped generic drug policy, former patent examiner and advocate
Independent lawyer, later involved with Hatch-Waxman cases
Episode: Why drugs cost so much, 101: Medicine monopolies
Nicole Wipp
LAM patient, former lawyer, and Obamacare subscriber-turned-insurance-critique
Private individual (health story)
Episode: ‘Not workable’: How two Americans picked a plan this year — or didn’t
Noah Hulsman
Skateboard shop owner and insured consumer choosing cheaper coverage
Private individual
Episode: ‘Not workable’: How two Americans picked a plan this year — or didn’t
Jodi Kantor
Journalist known for her reporting that helped expose Harvey Weinstein's misconduct in Hollywood.
The New York Times
Episode: NYT’s Ron Lieber: ‘These people are not going to win.'

Hosts

David Dayen
Host of the show; long-time journalist focused on policy and economics; co-producer with a track record in investigative reporting
Dan Weissmann
Creator and host; investigative journalist focused on healthcare systems and patient experiences

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Excellent Host & Content re: Navigating Health Care Systems

    A Very Worthy Podcast to: Subscribe, Listen, & Support. Host/Reporter Dan builds each episode on an important theme, interviews knowledgeable persons, examines insightful case studies, explains the significanse of the specificity of fine-print in documents that govern various policies & institutions whose consequences then govern how health care is administered to patients. He delivers such useful information in an entertaining, caring & thoughtful approach. He is curious to understand the minut... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ! ***** !
    United States4 months ago
  • So useful!

    Every episode teaches me something. That’s saying a lot because I’ve worked in healthcare for 40 years.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gogo7575
    United Statesa year ago
  • Much needed

    Love this show and the deep dives into our healthcare system

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jackie on FIRE
    United Statesa year ago
  • Trump bad

    …. But it’s funny, the democrats have never done anything wrong. I’m so tired of the fear mongering and bias reporting.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    SadieKen
    United Statesa year ago
  • Very politically biased

    These podcasts are one sided so if you listen know that you are being brainwashed

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Apple bottom jeans girl
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many appreciate the deep dives into insurance, medical debt, and patient advocacy with tangible takeaways.
Listeners praise practical, accessible healthcare policy insights and human-interest storytelling.
Some feedback notes perceived political bias or ads; overall praise for impact and relevance.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why drugs cost so much, 101: Medicine monopolies
Q: If you were going to set up a bounty hunting operation for challenging weak drug patents, how would you approach it?
Engelberg explains crafting a strategy to identify weak patents, pursue challenges that could yield a six-month market head start for generics, and structure settlements that could be highly profitable, including partnering with a generic sponsor and carefully navigating the legal process to maximize value.
Some more things that didn’t suck in 2025
Q: What were the significant drivers behind the new law in Oregon against corporate ownership of medical practices?
The law aimed to reestablish physician autonomy in decision-making against corporate profitability pushing, ensuring better patient care and ethical practices in medicine.
How to pick health insurance — in the worst year ever
Q: Does it ever make sense just to save the premium money instead of paying for a plan?
Jess reflects that without good coverage, there might be a temptation to save instead, especially given rising premiums.
The great American drug shortage isn't an accident, it's artificial (from Organized Money)
Q: How do you make money?
Tim explains there are multiple ways to earn, including the difference between buying and selling prices, and service fees for wholesalers.
“Your Money or Your Life”: Dr. Luke Messac’s book on the history of medical debt
Q: What did you do after your op-ed was published?
After the piece was published on a small blog, Messac was called into a meeting by hospital administrators who wanted to discuss it, showing that it had some impact.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About An Arm and a Leg

What is An Arm and a Leg about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rigorous, policy-forward show examining why health care costs are so high and what can be done about it. Episodes frequently blend patient stories with deep dives into insurance design, drug pricing, and policy reform, often featuring lawyers, researchers, advocates, journalists, and lawmakers. The podcast stands out for its practical guidance—sharing tools to navigate bills, appeals, and coverage—along with nuanced debates about how reforms could reshape affordability and access. Listeners can expect thoughtful, data-driven discussions presented with accessible storytelling and a commitment to patient-centered reform, sometimes balanced with bipartisan perspectives and a sense of urgency to fix systemic issues.

Where can I find podcast stats for An Arm and a Leg?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for An Arm and a Leg. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to An Arm and a Leg and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does An Arm and a Leg get?

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What are the audience demographics for An Arm and a Leg?

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How many subscribers and views does An Arm and a Leg have?

To see how many followers or subscribers An Arm and a Leg has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to An Arm and a Leg?

These podcasts share a similar audience with An Arm and a Leg:

1. Tradeoffs
2. What the Health? From KFF Health News
3. Drug Story
4. Radiolab
5. Hidden Brain

How many episodes of An Arm and a Leg are there?

An Arm and a Leg launched 8 years ago and published 165 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact An Arm and a Leg?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for An Arm and a Leg?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for An Arm and a Leg from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on An Arm and a Leg?

Recent guests on An Arm and a Leg include:

1. Linda Michaels
2. Sean Tu
3. Sarah Koblitz
4. Greg Chopsky
5. Dr. Anmol Gupta
6. Al Engelberg
7. Nicole Wipp
8. Noah Hulsman

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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