KFF Health News' 'What the Health?'

If you could somehow play these episodes, especially the short individual stories (like the 2-year-old bitten by a rattlesnake in San Diego with the close to $300,000.00 bill, the tens of thousands the young family had to pay even WITH insurance) play them in elevators or waiting rooms, airport terminals or restaurant bathrooms, places where the kind of people who won’t seek out an amazing podcast like this because they don’t know about it or assume (if they are young, healthy and lucky) that they don’t “need” to hear something like this, if they just heard how insanely expensive healthcare is, how devastating the costs are, the consequences for people’s lives… If they realized this could very easily happen to them, you would see support for expanded ACA and a public option skyrocket even in ruby red states. I wish little vignettes like the ones you cover so well could be printed up and slipped into every church bulletin every Sunday, or taped on the door of bathroom stalls, things like that, because the whole country would rise up and demand fairness and transparency and stop having the people of the United States pay more for healthcare and infinitely more for prescription drugs than anyone else in the world. The special interests and the politicians in their pockets would be forced to stop bleeding Americans dry while executives take home millions of dollars in base pay and bonuses as a reward for stiffing and squeezing to death every man, woman and child in this country. Keep up the great work! You are truly an inspiration. If I could give this 5,000 stars instead of 5, I would.

When you ask “where are the dems?” Why don’t you remind listeners that 1. Republicans are in charge. Practically speaking what do you expect from “the dems”? They don’t have control of congress. 2. The public voted for republicans. The public wanted these policies. What do you expect “the dems” to do? KHN is known for being nonpartisan- why beat up on “the dems” when it’s the republicans who are enacting these draconian policies that the public voted for. Irresponsible and one sided in favor of the republicans

Seem very sadly clueless about the depth and impact of what is going on in HHS. Should have done a basic google search of additional guidance memo impacting the US government.

From one podcaster who focuses on policy to another, I never miss an episode. If you consume healthcare, it’s a must listen without fail!