How To!

How To Fight Outrageous Medical Bills


Listen Later

Rich thought nothing of going to the hospital for a routine colonoscopy—until he got the bill. Even with insurance, Rich is on the hook for nearly $2,000, way more than he ever expected. It’s particularly painful because Rich was planning to finally pay off his credit card debt before getting married. So what can he do? Our expert this week has a suggestion—don’t pay the bill, at least, not at first. On this episode of How To!, we bring on investigative reporter Marshall Allen, author of Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win, to walk Rich through his options. While most of us pay our hospital bills without thinking twice, Marshall says there are several surprisingly easy steps we can all take to make sure we’re not being overcharged. High healthcare costs may be inevitable, but we can still fight back.

If you liked this episode, check out How To Give Your Mom a Kidney.

Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/howtoplus.

Podcast production by Derek John, Rachael Allen, Margaret Kelly and Rosemary Belson.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

How To!By Slate Podcasts

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

1,921 ratings


More shows like How To!

View all
Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,967 Listeners

Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,189 Listeners

Slate Culture by Slate Podcasts

Slate Culture

1,874 Listeners

Hang Up and Listen by Slate Podcasts

Hang Up and Listen

995 Listeners

Slate Debates by Slate Podcasts

Slate Debates

2,855 Listeners

TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

22,072 Listeners

Care and Feeding | Slate's parenting show by Slate Podcasts

Care and Feeding | Slate's parenting show

1,017 Listeners

Death, Sex & Money by Slate Podcasts

Death, Sex & Money

7,700 Listeners

Slate Money by Slate Podcasts

Slate Money

1,013 Listeners

Whistlestop: Presidential History and Trivia by Slate Podcasts

Whistlestop: Presidential History and Trivia

1,379 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,483 Listeners

Science Vs by Spotify Studios

Science Vs

12,088 Listeners

10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

10% Happier with Dan Harris

12,513 Listeners

Slate News by Slate Podcasts

Slate News

5,646 Listeners

Slate Health by Slate Podcasts

Slate Health

53 Listeners

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia by Slate Podcasts

Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

2,057 Listeners

What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future by Slate Podcasts

What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future

241 Listeners

Slow Burn by Slate Podcasts

Slow Burn

23,921 Listeners

The Science of Happiness by PRX and Greater Good Science Center

The Science of Happiness

1,882 Listeners

Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

Worklife with Adam Grant

9,188 Listeners

Slate Presents: One Year by Slate Podcasts

Slate Presents: One Year

1,287 Listeners

Life Kit by NPR

Life Kit

4,302 Listeners

Life Kit: Money by NPR

Life Kit: Money

422 Listeners

Life Kit: Health by NPR

Life Kit: Health

398 Listeners

One Year by Slate Podcasts

One Year

1,193 Listeners

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos by Pushkin Industries

The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos

14,397 Listeners

Culture Gabfest by Slate Podcasts

Culture Gabfest

410 Listeners

How to Be a Better Human by TED

How to Be a Better Human

1,371 Listeners

A Slight Change of Plans by Pushkin Industries

A Slight Change of Plans

2,066 Listeners

Hear Me Out by Slate Podcasts

Hear Me Out

59 Listeners

Well, Now by Slate Podcasts

Well, Now

46 Listeners

Navel Gazing by John Dickerson

Navel Gazing

95 Listeners

The Law According to Trump by Slate Podcasts

The Law According to Trump

4 Listeners

Standoff: What Happened at Ruby Ridge? by Slate Podcasts

Standoff: What Happened at Ruby Ridge?

81 Listeners