Dan Weissmann
@danweissmann.bsky.social
Reporter. I make @armandalegshow — a podcast and newsletter about why health care costs so freaking much, and what we can maybe do about it.
Distributed by KUOW - Seattle's NPR station.
www.armandalegshow.com
Distributed by KUOW - Seattle's NPR station.
www.armandalegshow.com
Pinned
For the last six months, my colleagues and I have been compiling our best "playbook" for dealing with the awful price of meds — with suggestions from dozens of listeners and readers.
Now, we've published the results — five newsletter posts, two podcast episodes, and more:
armandalegshow.com/drugs/
Now, we've published the results — five newsletter posts, two podcast episodes, and more:
armandalegshow.com/drugs/
This scary calculator is SUPER relevant to anybody looking at Obamacare for 2026
... and plays a big role in @armandalegshow.bsky.social's brand-new episode.
It's personal — and full of info that you, or someone you care about, probably need too.
armandalegshow.com/episode/insu...
... and plays a big role in @armandalegshow.bsky.social's brand-new episode.
It's personal — and full of info that you, or someone you care about, probably need too.
armandalegshow.com/episode/insu...
September 19, 2025 at 6:21 PM
This scary calculator is SUPER relevant to anybody looking at Obamacare for 2026
... and plays a big role in @armandalegshow.bsky.social's brand-new episode.
It's personal — and full of info that you, or someone you care about, probably need too.
armandalegshow.com/episode/insu...
... and plays a big role in @armandalegshow.bsky.social's brand-new episode.
It's personal — and full of info that you, or someone you care about, probably need too.
armandalegshow.com/episode/insu...
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
As Congress fights over government funding and Dems demand an extension of ACA Market place subsidies, new CBO estimates say permanently extending them would mean 3.8 million more people get insurance, while premiums would be 7.6% LOWER on average through 2035.
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
www.cbo.gov
September 18, 2025 at 2:32 PM
As Congress fights over government funding and Dems demand an extension of ACA Market place subsidies, new CBO estimates say permanently extending them would mean 3.8 million more people get insurance, while premiums would be 7.6% LOWER on average through 2035.
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
www.cbo.gov/system/files...
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
Tens of millions of people face sticker shock enrolling in Affordable Care Act insurance for 2026. To save money, the Trump administration wants them to consider less generous coverage.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Team Trump’s Answer to Ballooning Obamacare Premiums: Less Generous Coverage - KFF Health News
Tens of millions of people face sticker shock enrolling in Affordable Care Act insurance for 2026. To save money, the Trump administration wants them to consider less generous coverage.
kffhealthnews.org
September 17, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Tens of millions of people face sticker shock enrolling in Affordable Care Act insurance for 2026. To save money, the Trump administration wants them to consider less generous coverage.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
I think this means the FCC just wiped out whatever protection we might've had from spam calls/texts. 😕
(Can someone who's a lawyer PLEASE tell me I've got this wrong? I'd really like to be wrong.)
www.insidearm.com/news/0009418...
(Can someone who's a lawyer PLEASE tell me I've got this wrong? I'd really like to be wrong.)
www.insidearm.com/news/0009418...
FCC’s Final Rule on Consent Kills One-to-One Consent Requirement - insideARM
The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has finalized its rule under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), addressing prior express consent requirements for sellers to send advertisements a...
www.insidearm.com
September 17, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I think this means the FCC just wiped out whatever protection we might've had from spam calls/texts. 😕
(Can someone who's a lawyer PLEASE tell me I've got this wrong? I'd really like to be wrong.)
www.insidearm.com/news/0009418...
(Can someone who's a lawyer PLEASE tell me I've got this wrong? I'd really like to be wrong.)
www.insidearm.com/news/0009418...
"Is dental insurance a scam?" asks NYT.
“It’s hard not to say yes,” a dentist responds. “I don’t think it’s looking out for the patient’s best interest.”
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/w...
“It’s hard not to say yes,” a dentist responds. “I don’t think it’s looking out for the patient’s best interest.”
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/w...
I Have Dental Insurance. Why Do I Pay So Much for Care?
www.nytimes.com
September 16, 2025 at 9:23 PM
"Is dental insurance a scam?" asks NYT.
“It’s hard not to say yes,” a dentist responds. “I don’t think it’s looking out for the patient’s best interest.”
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/w...
“It’s hard not to say yes,” a dentist responds. “I don’t think it’s looking out for the patient’s best interest.”
Gift link
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/15/w...
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
In our first-ever “First Aid Kit” advice column, @danweissmann.bsky.social responds to a listener whose hospital was late in filing an insurance claim. Read it here: armandalegshow.com/first-aid-ki...
Help! Do I have to pay for the hospital’s $47,000 mistake? • An Arm And a Leg
Hey there — I get a lot of questions from An Arm and a Leg listeners. Sometimes I write back with advice. So: Why not share? Welcome to an experiment: Our
armandalegshow.com
September 15, 2025 at 5:44 PM
In our first-ever “First Aid Kit” advice column, @danweissmann.bsky.social responds to a listener whose hospital was late in filing an insurance claim. Read it here: armandalegshow.com/first-aid-ki...
Some real holy-crap numbers here.
We spend 80% more than the avg for Western Europe/Japan/Australia
… and see our doctors HALF as often.
We spend 80% more than the avg for Western Europe/Japan/Australia
… and see our doctors HALF as often.
We in the U.S. use less care than in other countries, but pay more.
www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collec...
www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collec...
How healthcare prices and utilization in the United States compare to peer nations? - Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker
This chart collection compares indicators of health care utilization and prices in the United States and 11 similarly wealthy countries to investigate whether higher prices or higher utilization of he...
www.healthsystemtracker.org
September 7, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Some real holy-crap numbers here.
We spend 80% more than the avg for Western Europe/Japan/Australia
… and see our doctors HALF as often.
We spend 80% more than the avg for Western Europe/Japan/Australia
… and see our doctors HALF as often.
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
this is a very helpful guide to a completely insane situation
We took the paywall down on this one. defector.com/how-the-fuck...
How Are You Supposed To Get The COVID Vaccine Now? An Explainer | Defector
As the muggy malaise of summer winds down, you might find yourself interested in taking advantage of one of several safe and proven vaccines to help protect you from the inevitable brumal surge of res...
defector.com
September 4, 2025 at 5:37 PM
this is a very helpful guide to a completely insane situation
Excellent primer. Go ahead and bookmark it. You, or somebody you know, is gonna need it.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Fighting a Health Insurance Denial? Here Are 7 Tips To Help - KFF Health News
Many people don’t know they can fight a health insurance denial, let alone how to do it. Here are practical tips for consumers who want to appeal a prior authorization decision.
kffhealthnews.org
September 4, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Excellent primer. Go ahead and bookmark it. You, or somebody you know, is gonna need it.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
“In July, Donald Trump submitted a request to rescind $9bn in funding that Congress had already set aside for foreign aid and broadcasting programs.
“The request included a $400m cut to Pepfar [AIDS relief] – but while lawmakers agreed to other cuts, they protected Pepfar”
Now those $ are withheld
“The request included a $400m cut to Pepfar [AIDS relief] – but while lawmakers agreed to other cuts, they protected Pepfar”
Now those $ are withheld
“The global health programs that have been shuttered, Congress has funded them … but OMB is not permitting it to be spent. They are impounding those funds,” said Atul Gawande. “That is not legal.” www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Protesters demand release of HIV funds ‘illegally’ withheld by Trump
People take to streets against Trump administration plans to rescind funding for life-saving international programs
www.theguardian.com
September 3, 2025 at 11:17 PM
“In July, Donald Trump submitted a request to rescind $9bn in funding that Congress had already set aside for foreign aid and broadcasting programs.
“The request included a $400m cut to Pepfar [AIDS relief] – but while lawmakers agreed to other cuts, they protected Pepfar”
Now those $ are withheld
“The request included a $400m cut to Pepfar [AIDS relief] – but while lawmakers agreed to other cuts, they protected Pepfar”
Now those $ are withheld
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
NEW: Feel like you're reading more about hospitals fighting with insurers and even stranding patients out of network?
It's not your imagination. Almost 1 in 5 hospitals had a brawl with an insurer in the past 4 years.
Trump admin cuts mean we're likely to see even more...
It's not your imagination. Almost 1 in 5 hospitals had a brawl with an insurer in the past 4 years.
Trump admin cuts mean we're likely to see even more...
Americans increasingly find themselves caught in disputes between hospitals and insurance companies.
@realbrambo.bsky.social writes that the fights could become more common as hospitals brace for cuts from Trump policies. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
@realbrambo.bsky.social writes that the fights could become more common as hospitals brace for cuts from Trump policies. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
When Hospitals and Insurers Fight, Patients Get Caught in the Middle - KFF Health News
About 90,000 people spent months in limbo as central Missouri’s major, and often only, provider fought over insurance contracts. Patients getting caught in the crossfire of disputes has become a famil...
kffhealthnews.org
September 2, 2025 at 9:03 PM
NEW: Feel like you're reading more about hospitals fighting with insurers and even stranding patients out of network?
It's not your imagination. Almost 1 in 5 hospitals had a brawl with an insurer in the past 4 years.
Trump admin cuts mean we're likely to see even more...
It's not your imagination. Almost 1 in 5 hospitals had a brawl with an insurer in the past 4 years.
Trump admin cuts mean we're likely to see even more...
“Employers appear much more reluctant to eat higher benefit costs.
Mercer found 51% said they would be shifting costs to employees this year, up from 44% last year.”
www.axios.com/2025/08/20/w...
Mercer found 51% said they would be shifting costs to employees this year, up from 44% last year.”
www.axios.com/2025/08/20/w...
Why health costs are going to hit workers hard next year
The added costs will hit workers already reeling from inflationary pressures.
www.axios.com
August 22, 2025 at 8:41 PM
“Employers appear much more reluctant to eat higher benefit costs.
Mercer found 51% said they would be shifting costs to employees this year, up from 44% last year.”
www.axios.com/2025/08/20/w...
Mercer found 51% said they would be shifting costs to employees this year, up from 44% last year.”
www.axios.com/2025/08/20/w...
SUPER-exciting news: @armandalegshow.bsky.social is a finalist — actually the *only* finalist so I think we're gonna win — for Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, Ongoing Series.
Previous winners: @laist.com, @aljazeera.com, and @wsj.com!!
Our tiny team punching WAY above our weight here!
Previous winners: @laist.com, @aljazeera.com, and @wsj.com!!
Our tiny team punching WAY above our weight here!
✨ 1,200+ entries. 92 countries. It's our annual reminder of what journalism can achieve.
We’re proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 Online Journalism Awards, honoring excellence in climate reporting, partnerships, audio and 21 other categories.
🔗 awards.journalists.org/2025/08/22/c...
We’re proud to announce the finalists for the 2025 Online Journalism Awards, honoring excellence in climate reporting, partnerships, audio and 21 other categories.
🔗 awards.journalists.org/2025/08/22/c...
August 22, 2025 at 5:50 PM
SUPER-exciting news: @armandalegshow.bsky.social is a finalist — actually the *only* finalist so I think we're gonna win — for Excellence in Audio Digital Storytelling, Ongoing Series.
Previous winners: @laist.com, @aljazeera.com, and @wsj.com!!
Our tiny team punching WAY above our weight here!
Previous winners: @laist.com, @aljazeera.com, and @wsj.com!!
Our tiny team punching WAY above our weight here!
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
Insurance companies bank on people giving up. HR might be able to help escalate your case. Health Care Helpline from @npr.org and KFF Health News has some tips.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Try This When Your Doctor Says ‘Yes’ to a Preventive Test but Insurance Says ‘No’ - KFF Health News
A joint project of NPR and KFF Health News, Health Care Helpline helps you navigate the health system hurdles between you and good care. Send us your tricky questions, and we may tap a policy sleuth t...
kffhealthnews.org
August 21, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Insurance companies bank on people giving up. HR might be able to help escalate your case. Health Care Helpline from @npr.org and KFF Health News has some tips.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
“It’s a radical agenda,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. “He’s using a bunch of different mechanisms and there really are no guardrails.”
“I think he’s going to be much less radical than you would think,” said President-elect Donald Trump of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Eight months later, the HHS secretary has taken steps to undermine the U.S. vaccine system. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Kennedy’s Anti-Vaccine Strategy Risks Forcing Shots Off Market, Manufacturers Warn - KFF Health News
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is targeting the government’s Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, without which manufacturers might cease producing shots.
kffhealthnews.org
August 20, 2025 at 3:33 PM
“It’s a radical agenda,” said Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. “He’s using a bunch of different mechanisms and there really are no guardrails.”
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
We think of AI as something that decreases costs and increases revenue. But _for whom_ does it make more $?
AI scribe companies promise that doctors will now get paid for everything they did in a visit. But where is that money coming from?
All of us.
More from me @statnews.com:
🖥️🩺
AI scribe companies promise that doctors will now get paid for everything they did in a visit. But where is that money coming from?
All of us.
More from me @statnews.com:
🖥️🩺
AI scribe companies promise to help doctors bill more. Who will pay the extra cost?
Like any conscientious health policy Ph.D. student, Paige Nong went to the doctor for her free annual well visit. But as she checked in, the person at the
www.statnews.com
August 20, 2025 at 2:46 PM
We think of AI as something that decreases costs and increases revenue. But _for whom_ does it make more $?
AI scribe companies promise that doctors will now get paid for everything they did in a visit. But where is that money coming from?
All of us.
More from me @statnews.com:
🖥️🩺
AI scribe companies promise that doctors will now get paid for everything they did in a visit. But where is that money coming from?
All of us.
More from me @statnews.com:
🖥️🩺
Oh wow.
7/ If you’re under 65 and not high risk, the window to get a Covid-19 vaccine is right now—before the FDA label changes. Once it happens, access will be limited immediately (if it isn’t already). CVS is no longer booking appointments. As far as we know, Walgreens and local pharmacies still are.
August 19, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Oh wow.
Really, NYT Spelling Bee? You think there’s a chance that I — a podcaster — could miss this panagram? First thing I saw.
August 19, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Really, NYT Spelling Bee? You think there’s a chance that I — a podcaster — could miss this panagram? First thing I saw.
You need a little hope in your day? Right here.
The "one man" in the headline is @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social — who will be the first to tell you he didn't fight alone.
Give a listen.
(Disclosure: I co-reported this w/ @emilypisacreta.bsky.social.)
www.organizedmoney.fm/p/how-one-ma...
The "one man" in the headline is @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social — who will be the first to tell you he didn't fight alone.
Give a listen.
(Disclosure: I co-reported this w/ @emilypisacreta.bsky.social.)
www.organizedmoney.fm/p/how-one-ma...
How One Man Fought A Pharmaceutical Monopoly
Welcome to the podcast Organized Money.
www.organizedmoney.fm
August 19, 2025 at 4:57 PM
You need a little hope in your day? Right here.
The "one man" in the headline is @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social — who will be the first to tell you he didn't fight alone.
Give a listen.
(Disclosure: I co-reported this w/ @emilypisacreta.bsky.social.)
www.organizedmoney.fm/p/how-one-ma...
The "one man" in the headline is @johngreensbluesky.bsky.social — who will be the first to tell you he didn't fight alone.
Give a listen.
(Disclosure: I co-reported this w/ @emilypisacreta.bsky.social.)
www.organizedmoney.fm/p/how-one-ma...
How to pay less for your prescriptions -- a 15-minute crash course -- from me and the hosts of NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast.
I wish I could say it'll solve *all* your problems, but I can tell you: I wish I'd known all of this earlier.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
I wish I could say it'll solve *all* your problems, but I can tell you: I wish I'd known all of this earlier.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
How to Pay Less for Your Prescriptions and Brace for a Health Insurance Shake-Up
Podcast Episode · NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast · 08/18/2025 · 30m
podcasts.apple.com
August 18, 2025 at 5:54 PM
How to pay less for your prescriptions -- a 15-minute crash course -- from me and the hosts of NerdWallet's "Smart Money" podcast.
I wish I could say it'll solve *all* your problems, but I can tell you: I wish I'd known all of this earlier.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
I wish I could say it'll solve *all* your problems, but I can tell you: I wish I'd known all of this earlier.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...
Folks go into exile seeking affordable health care.
“We get older, things start going on, and we need more regular health care,” says a cancer survivor. “And I thought, ‘I really can’t afford to be here.’”
wapo.st/4lH0rwc
“We get older, things start going on, and we need more regular health care,” says a cancer survivor. “And I thought, ‘I really can’t afford to be here.’”
wapo.st/4lH0rwc
Fed up with U.S. health care costs, these Americans moved abroad
Three Americans explain why they left for Italy, South Korea and France, after crippling medical debt or a lack of coverage left them afraid to seek medical help at home.
wapo.st
August 17, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Folks go into exile seeking affordable health care.
“We get older, things start going on, and we need more regular health care,” says a cancer survivor. “And I thought, ‘I really can’t afford to be here.’”
wapo.st/4lH0rwc
“We get older, things start going on, and we need more regular health care,” says a cancer survivor. “And I thought, ‘I really can’t afford to be here.’”
wapo.st/4lH0rwc
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
“If you want a COVID-19 shot this fall, will your employer’s health insurance plan for it?” Details on this and more here...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Sorting Out Covid Vaccine Confusion: New and Conflicting Federal Policies Raise Questions - KFF Health News
Should you get vaccinated? Will your insurer pay for it? And will you still be able to find a vaccine? KFF Health News tries to sort out where things stand.
kffhealthnews.org
August 14, 2025 at 6:22 PM
“If you want a COVID-19 shot this fall, will your employer’s health insurance plan for it?” Details on this and more here...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
“Legal experts agree, a sale to The Onion is more likely now that Infowars' fate has shifted to Texas state court”
Jones has lost control of his media empire to a newly-appointed receiver who will sell it off to pay the Sandy Hook Elementary School families who sued Jones for defamation after the 2012 shootings.
Infowars conspiracist Alex Jones is a big step closer to losing his studio and brand
Jones has lost control of his media empire to a newly-appointed receiver who will sell it off to pay the Sandy Hook Elementary School families who sued Jones for defamation after the 2012 shootings.
n.pr
August 14, 2025 at 4:58 PM
“Legal experts agree, a sale to The Onion is more likely now that Infowars' fate has shifted to Texas state court”
Reposted by Dan Weissmann
Amid the challenges of adulthood, one rite of passage is unique to the United States: the need to find your own health insurance by the time you turn 26.
Today, an estimated 15% of 26-year-olds go uninsured, which, according to a @kff.org analysis, is the highest rate among Americans of any age.
Today, an estimated 15% of 26-year-olds go uninsured, which, according to a @kff.org analysis, is the highest rate among Americans of any age.
Why Young Americans Dread Turning 26: Health Insurance Chaos - KFF Health News
Young adults without jobs that provide insurance find their options are limited and expensive. The problem is about to get worse.
kffhealthnews.org
August 11, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Amid the challenges of adulthood, one rite of passage is unique to the United States: the need to find your own health insurance by the time you turn 26.
Today, an estimated 15% of 26-year-olds go uninsured, which, according to a @kff.org analysis, is the highest rate among Americans of any age.
Today, an estimated 15% of 26-year-olds go uninsured, which, according to a @kff.org analysis, is the highest rate among Americans of any age.
UnitedHealth Group-- the giant monopolist -- just got the OK to buy a giant home-health-care company.
Beyond health insurance, UHG has gobbled up huge parts of health care -- for instance, they employ more doctors than the VA (or anyone else).
Beyond health insurance, UHG has gobbled up huge parts of health care -- for instance, they employ more doctors than the VA (or anyone else).
I wrote about the UnitedHealth/Amedisys merger that antitrust enforcers approved yesterday with a divestiture to companies DOJ is already suing, and a cash payout for Amedisys lying about the merger of a Dr. Evil-like $1.1 million.
Shady lobbying deals remain prominent in Trump antitrust.
Shady lobbying deals remain prominent in Trump antitrust.
UnitedHealth Merger Approval Again Shows Lobbyist Power
Today on TAP: Another merger settlement allows consolidation in health care; UnitedHealth’s lobbyist was MAGA’s biggest firm.
prospect.org
August 8, 2025 at 8:40 PM
UnitedHealth Group-- the giant monopolist -- just got the OK to buy a giant home-health-care company.
Beyond health insurance, UHG has gobbled up huge parts of health care -- for instance, they employ more doctors than the VA (or anyone else).
Beyond health insurance, UHG has gobbled up huge parts of health care -- for instance, they employ more doctors than the VA (or anyone else).