Thread by @doctorow

One of my favorite podcasts is @armandalegshow, a show about self-defense from medical billing in the US health care system. As a Canadian in the US, I often feel gaslit by the system, as my doctors and their offices act as though predatory, disgusting practices are natural.

1/

Arm and a Leg documents these unethical practices in eye-watering detail, making it clear at ever turn that these are Not Okay, and that they are victimizing the American people, and must be overturned. And, in the meantime, they focus on practical ways to protect yourself.

2/

This week's episode is a short masterclass in using small claims courts to fight predatory billing. It builds on the tale of Jeffrey Fox, a lawyer's son who has mastered the small claims system as a means of holding corporate bullies to account.

armandalegshow.com/episode/how-to…

3/

Fox sued UCLA health in 2015 over a $1,444.37 co-pay (the total had been $1,698.70, but his insurance picked up some of it) for a simple procedure that other local facilities charged $180 for.

blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/upl…

4/

UCLA was a no-show at the hearing, and Fox had an exquisitely prepared case to show the judge, who issued a judgment in Fox's favor, including costs.

5/

Naturally, UCLA stiffed him on the judgment, too, so Fox wrote a letter telling them he'd pay the sheriff to confiscate the hospital's computers and auction them off to pay the judgment and the sheriff's fees. A check arrived promptly by Fedex.

6/

The Arm and a Leg episode that tells Fox's story explains the full procedure: how to deal with the billing department, how to research the fair price for your procedure, how to go to court, and how to collect your judgment. It's amazing.

sphinx.acast.com/anarmandaleg/d…

7/

It's a sequel of sorts to another episode: "Can They Freaking Do That," which documents how even a credible threat of a small claims action can get predatory medical bills reduced or eliminated.

armandalegshow.com/episode/can-th…

8/

It's a wonderful and heartwarming David and Goliath story, but there's a sting in the tail: this works fine if you're on the receiving end of one or two predatory bills, but if you're struggling with a chronic illness, you might get several of these bills every month.

9/

In other words, fighting those bills could easily become a full time job for someone who's already struggling. And while Arm and a Leg has practical advice for dealing with medical bill collectors, the whole enterprise is a source of national shame.

armandalegshow.com/episode/handli…

10/

Arm and a Leg is a reminder of how a country has turned its back on its people, literally left them to die, rather than stand up to the investor class and demand the same health care that every other wealthy nation in the world guarantees to their citizens.

11/

Image:
ProSymbols (modified)
thenounproject.com/term/medical-b…

CC BY
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.…

eof/