It would sound a LOT like Explanation of Benefits, which is a musical revue that actually played in New York City in 2019.
... so it would feature a parody of "Bills, Bills, Bills" — the 1999 Destiny's Child hit —rewritten for the age of GoFundMe.
And it would have smart, funny musical numbers tracing the long, sad history of the U.S. health care industry.
Welcome to our musical episode! And thank you to the young NYC troupe Heck No Techno for creating Explanation of Benefits.
Our episode isn't sung all the way through — it's more like the PBS documentary on Hamilton than an actual musical of its own. But that is still. Pretty. Darn. Cool.
AND: In keeping with our theme this season of self-defense against the cost of health care, Explanation of Benefits wraps with a set of short vignettes demonstrating ways patients can work to protect themselves from excessive charges.
So we have included here an email-by-email breakdown of songwriter Emily Lowinger's successful battle to fight off a surprise medical bill.
... and we've set it off with music — timing and cues lovingly adjusted by our audio wizard, Adam — and it is a TREAT.
Go enjoy. Have a great Thanksgiving!
... and speaking of thanks: I recently spent a weekend afternoon sending thank-you cards to folks who support this show on Patreon. I'd love it if you became one: https://www.patreon.com/armandalegshow
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
An important message from RadioPublic
Reporter Bob Herman from STAT News unpacks his blockbuster investigation about the country’s biggest health care company.
Covering the American health care system means we tell some scary …
Health insurance sucks. Which leaves lots of us counting down the days until we turn 65 and can get on Medicare – the federal government’s health insurance program for seniors.
But Medicare …
A listener wrote to us at the beginning of the year with a query, “I was just reading the news about the price of insulin going down to $35! Is that …
Dealing with the American health care system as a patient means lots of tough moments – unexpected bills, meds not covered, insurance and hospitals making you go back and forth without a …
Real quick: Now's the best time to support this show! Thanks to a few super-star Arm and a Leg listener/donors, your donation is matched two for one right now. Here's the link to donate.
…
You can listen to episodes right here on the website, or if you prefer, in a podcast app. Listening in an app makes it easier to keep track of what you’ve already heard, listen without using your data plan and many other conveniences.