The Cost of Care

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a $4 Trillion Dollars of the Cure Jan 17, 2024

We’ve all heard about the amazing advances in genetic testing and personalized diagnoses. What’s incredible is that these resources are increasingly accessible to each of us, allowing us to anticipate and plan for the uncertainties that lie at some future date. We talk to someone who literally had their life saved through these personalized, preventive measures along with an expert who unpacks where this exciting field is heading.

Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.

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The US Health System Has Forgotten About Alzheimer's Patients Nov 09, 2023

Alzheimer's is one of the most insidious and heartbreaking diseases a person can face. To make matters worse, the US healthcare system is simply not incentivized to support patients or their families in adapting to the radical change of circumstances. In this episode, David explores the illness, how the system is currently responding to it, and the very exciting things on the scientific front that could change the game.

Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.

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Fan Fave: The Doomsday Clock Sep 27, 2023

David Smith watched as chronic pain and addiction transformed his loving father into a vengeful man who was unrecognizable. David has spent a lifetime trying to outrun his father’s fate - but now he’s looking for answers. How can we build a better healthcare system and stop the cycle of sickness, trauma and loss? In episode one, we explore his family’s story, covering everything from childhood tragedy and generational trauma to opioid abuse and Mormon excommunication.

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Have you been hit with a surprise bill or had an infuriating run-in with the health care system? If you want to submit a patient story, email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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The Central Crux to American Health: Obesity Aug 23, 2023

Almost half of Americans live with obesity. In this episode we dig into the pain of living with this clinical condition, the social and cultural elements that limit our ability to fully address the obesity epidemic, and thoughts on how the system can be far more responsive to supporting those around us in achieving better health.
A special thanks to Pfizer for providing funding support and to HealthyWomen for providing educational guidance on this episode. HealthyWomen is dedicated to educating women so they can make informed health decisions, advocate for themselves and prioritize their health and wellness. Learn more about their work at healthywomen.org.
Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.

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The Kids are Not Alright: America’s Pediatric Mental Health Crisis Jul 14, 2023

A long-simmering crisis with pediatric mental health care came to a head during the Covid-19 crisis. In this episode, we hear one family’s challenging account of a brilliant young man pushed to the brink and an incredible approach to mental health by a school system in the Bay Area.

Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.

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Navigating Supplements in a Market Full of Monster Truck Voices May 31, 2023

In this episode, host David Smith sits down with two experts on supplements. We learn more about this health care adjacent market, and all the attendant noise faced by consumers just trying to live better lives.
Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.

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A Conversation with Nicole Chung: A Living Remedy Apr 27, 2023

On this episode of The Cost of Care, host David Smith speaks with author Nicole Chung, author of A Living Remedy, a searing memoir of family, class and grief—a daughter’s search to understand the lives her adoptive parents led, the life she forged as an adult, and the lives she’s lost. Listen to A Living Remedy by Nicole Chung on Apple Books and find all of our other Lemonada Book Club audiobook selections by heading to https://apple.co/lemonada-book-club
Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.
Nicole’s socials:
https://twitter.com/nicolesjchung
https://www.instagram.com/nicolesjchung/
Ecco’s socials:
http://www.instagram.com/eccobooks/
http://twitter.com/eccobooks

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When Your Insurance Company Laughs At You Mar 29, 2023

In this episode we examine two cases of irritable bowel disease (IBD). Where both individuals have symptoms that can be addressed through life changing medicines, but yet have outcomes that are wildly different. You'll hear audio from inside United, the country's largest health insurance company, capturing its employees doing everything possible to deny life changing care.

Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The U.S. Healthcare System and Surviving Pediatric Cancer Feb 22, 2023

Nothing pulls at our heartstrings more than a sick kiddo. Remarkably, our system does quite well for children with serious illnesses. But luck plays way too big a part in which kids live or die.

Special thanks to our season two sponsor Thorne. Thorne believes personalized, scientific wellness can extend the duration of one's health span, create happier and healthier lives, and feel one’s best at every age and life stage. Visit the Lemonada Media Thorne Storefront at www.thorne.com/u/care for 10% off your first order.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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COVID-19: A Stress Test for the American Healthcare System Jan 19, 2023

The breathtaking pace at which the Covid-19 pandemic upended American society and commerce with lingering effects has scores of lessons that will teach future generations how society should grapple with a debilitating public health crisis while preserving economic vitality, political function, and social cohesion.

In this episode of The Cost of Care, David Smith dives deep into how Covid-19 was a stress test for the American healthcare system, the wins, the losses, and where we go from here.

Read the full paper from Third Horizon Strategies here: https://thirdhorizonstrategies.com/wp-content/uploads/COVID-as-a-stress-test-v2.pdf

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The Cost of Care LIVE at the Health Plan Alliance Leadership Summit Dec 15, 2022

It’s The Cost of Care Live from the Health Plan Alliance Fall Leadership Summit! Join our host David Smith and an exciting panel of healthcare policy leaders to examine critical questions such as: What is it that you wish you could do for your members to improve their health but can’t? If there were no constraints on what you could invest in, what would you do?

Thank you, Health Plan Alliance, for helping make this episode possible. Health Plan Alliance is a nationwide network of regional health plans, hospitals and physicians working together to improve performance, deliver exceptional service, transform care, and champion health and well-being in their local markets. To learn more visit healthplanalliance.org.

Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.

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The Cost of Care: Voices from the Frontlines Dec 14, 2022

Recorded and produced by StoryCorps Studios, Voices From the Frontlines is a project created by #FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and Creative Artists Agency Foundation that takes a whole human approach to healthcare worker well-being. Additional support is provided by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. In this conversation, colleagues and friends Soren Glassing and Fran Heller talk about their experience working together in a hospital palliative care unit throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the therapeutic power of art.

To listen to more stories and access resources, visit allinforhealthcare.org

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The Cost of Care: Voices from the Frontlines Dec 07, 2022

Recorded and produced by StoryCorps Studios, Voices From the Frontlines is a project created by #FirstRespondersFirst, an initiative of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and Creative Artists Agency Foundation that takes a whole human approach to healthcare worker well-being. Additional support is provided by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. In this conversation, Filipina and nurse practitioner Riza Mauricio talks to her three adult children Rina Mauricio and Rica Buchanan — both doctors — and Regie Mauricio, an economist, about her experiences with racism and sexism in the medical profession, and the importance of advocating for yourself and your community.

To listen to more stories and access resources, visit allinforhealthcare.org

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Do We Really Care About Nurses? Nov 21, 2022

In this special episode of The Cost of Care, host David Smith shines a light on how the nation is driving a national shortage of nursing professionals, hearing from frontline, retired, and nurse educators and advocates. He'll take listeners through the nursing landscape pre-pandemic, how COVID-19 fueled the crisis, and what the future portends without meaningful intervention. Sponsored by Nurse.com. As the trusted career resource built by and for nurses, Nurse.com fosters the largest online community of nurses, connecting with nearly 3 million nurses per month. Nurse.com serves nurses with lifelong career support through accredited continuing education, job opportunities, and a thriving community that supports their passion for the profession and empowers them to flourish.

This podcast is sponsored by Nurse.com. If you’re a fan of this podcast, then you’ll love the new show, NurseDot Podcast. It’s a weekly podcast focused on providing nurses with validation, resources, and hope, one episode at a time. Cara Lunsford, RN and CPHON, leads this 16-week series, bringing in a new guest every episode. Together, they cover everything from caring while grieving, to safe staffing, to becoming a nurse influencer, and beyond. Listen to NurseDot Podcast wherever you find your podcasts.

Nurse.com conducted extensive, unbiased research to create a free salary research report. Download the free report today at nurse.com/salary. Get the salary you're worth. Get the salary you deserve.

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11. Who Gets to Be Healthy? Feb 24, 2022

In a special episode, timed with Black History Month, David shares his thoughts on the legacy of slavery and the impact structural racism on the cost of care today, about a year since the show’s first launch. David’s joined by Kristi Henderson of Optum, Yasmine Winkler, a leader in the health, diversity and inclusion space and Ron Wyatt of MCIC Vermont to define health equity today, and explore how to live up to imperative goals around attainably healthy lives.

This special episode was funded by the American Telemedicine Association (ATA), the premier organization working to accelerate the adoption of telehealth. The ATA2022 annual conference, May 1-3 in Boston, will be the largest event in virtual care this year. Use our exclusive comp code ATA22LEMONADA when registering to receive a $150 discount: https://gotelehealth.org/ata-2022/.

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Breaking the Cycle of Generational Trauma with Billie Lourd Dec 23, 2021

As a holiday bonus, the team at The Cost of Care wanted to share one of their favorite podcasts of 2021 with you. New Day from Lemonada Media is a podcast with a simple goal - helping you get through the day and look forward to tomorrow. Every week, Claire Bidwell Smith shares one way to make your day and life a little better. From waking up with more energy to finding contentment with relationships, to keeping your New Year resolutions all year long, Claire and her guests help you answer the big question: How can I lead a more fulfilling life? New Day is back with brand new episodes starting January 5th.

Billie Lourd has been grieving the loss of her mother, Carrie Fisher, and grandmother, Debbie Reynolds since 2016. She shares what it was like growing up in the public eye in a family dealing with addiction and mental illness. This week’s practice is about all the things you inherit from your family (good and bad) and the patterns you want to break.

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David Smith Revisits Last Day S1 Ep 3: And Now, We Rewind the Tape Aug 30, 2021

Opioids are killing more people than ever. In 2020, overdose deaths in the U.S. spiked nearly 30% to a record high -- the sharpest annual increase in 30 years. Fentanyl sold on the street and the ongoing toll of the pandemic are the primary drivers. With so many of us affected, there’s a dire need for solutions. That’s why we’re re-releasing episodes 2-12 from season one with new updates from previous guests and fans of the show. Last Day Revisited: The Opioid Crisis is a binge listen that offers essential knowledge, support, and answers for people directly impacted by addiction. PLUS, we reveal what topic we’ll be covering in Last Day Season 3, dropping early 2022. Together, we can reduce stigma and save lives. On Last Day, we talk about what’s killing us, the stuff that’s hard to comprehend and getting worse every day. Join host Stephanie Wittels Wachs, as she confronts massive epidemics with humanity, wit, and a quest for progress. While Season 1 chronicled the opioid crisis in the US, Season 2 delves into the growing suicide rate, telling real stories, talking to experts, and asking everyone along the way, "How did we get here, and what could we have done differently?"

On this episode, Stefano Cordova Jr.’s family tries to make sense of Stefano’s overdose death and how they all got here. Then, Dr. Sam Snodgrass, a behavioral pharmacologist with a doctorate in biopsychology, explains how his own addiction to opioids is a disease and why understanding that is key to helping people with substance use disorders.

To hear more of Last Day, search for Last Day wherever you are listening right now.

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10. Pro Tips on Fighting the System Jun 10, 2021

In the final episode of the season, David highlights pro tips from the experts themselves: patient advocates Linda Michelson and AnnMarie McIlwain. Dr. David Blumenthal of The Commonwealth Fund joins to shine the light on tangible solutions on how to restructure our national health care system.

Resources from the episode:

Check out Marshall Allen's book, Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win: https://www.marshallallen.com/
Contact Linda Michelson: https://medicalbillproblems.com/
Contact AnnMarie McIlwain and her team: http://www.patientadvocators.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnueFBhChARIsAPu3YkR5dzaS6o-jIY8ZJUoJZUlRku1bWMVgVYfnn5wQ4F-c1YwmDUbMihIaAnb9EALw_wcB
Keep up with the Commonwealth Fund: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/
AdvoConnection’s patient advocates directory: https://profile.advoconnection.com/
AdvoConnection’s comprehensive overview of patient advocacy: https://www.aphadvocates.org/profession-overview/
National Patient Advocate Foundation’s resources on choosing the best health care plan for you: https://www.npaf.org/patients-and-caregivers/how-to-choose-a-plan/
CoPatient’s resources for making sure your bills are fair and accurate: https://www.copatient.com/

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Share your feedback! Email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

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9. We Asked, You Replied: Listener Submissions Special Jun 03, 2021

From the start of our show, we’ve asked listeners to share stories about navigating the American health care system. Today, David talks with those of you who have had to fight for health care in order to manage chronic illnesses, secure gender-affirming surgeries, and help children receive developmental therapies for Down Syndrome.

Resources from the episode:

Planned Parenthood transgender identity terms and labels: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/transgender/transgender-identity-terms-and-labels
GLAAD transgender glossary of terms: https://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender
JAMA article on the association between gender-affirming surgery and mental health: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2779429
National Down Syndrome Society resources for finding support: https://www.ndss.org/lifespan/finding-support/
National Down Syndrome Congress local and national support networks: https://www.ndsccenter.org/programs-resources/affiliate-organizations/local-and-national-support-networks/
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists endometriosis resources: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/endometriosis
Johns Hopkins Crohn’s resources: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/gastroenterology_hepatology/diseases_conditions/faqs/crohns_disease.html
Cancer Care breast cancer resources: https://www.cancercare.org/diagnosis/breast_cancer

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Share your feedback! Email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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8. Medical Jargon is Killing Us May 27, 2021

Medical jargon is a thing of the past and health literacy is now en vogue – and can actually save patients’ lives according to our guest, Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick. We're also joined by Dr. Venice Haynes and Natalie Davis who talk to us about the anxiety, confusion, and fears people across the country have about asking those life-saving health care questions and booking a doctor’s appointment in the first place.

Resources from the episode:

Dr. Lisa’s interview with The Atlantic on the upside of health care plainspeak: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/public-health-value-speaking-plainly/617352/
Dr. Lisa on the Street YouTube series: https://www.grapevinehealth.com/media
Dr. Lisa’s Washington Post op-ed on how zip codes can determine health outcomes: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/local-opinions/my-southeast-dc-zip-code-shouldnt-be-my-health-destiny/2020/11/17/156a989c-1931-11eb-befb-8864259bd2d8_story.html
US of Care Voices of Real Life storytelling project: https://unitedstatesofcare.org/who-we-are/voices/
US of Care Voices of Real Life YouTube series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLchtNczPer_8g7icvpiu2gmVNPr9XPENQ
US of Care listening project 2020 findings: https://unitedstatesofcare.org/findings-from-deep-listening-and-national-public-opinion-research/
Keep up with US of Care on twitter: https://twitter.com/USofCare
Follow Grapevine Health on twitter: https://twitter.com/HealthGrapevine?s=20

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Share your feedback! Email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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7. Why Kidney Failure Pays May 20, 2021

America’s relationship with Dialysis is out of control. Roughly 1% of the entire federal budget is spent treating people with kidney failure. That’s billions of dollars devoted to treating one preventable illness. How did we end up with so many people on dialysis? And who’s getting rich from it? This week, we connect the dots from Richard Nixon to Dr. Evil and talk with disruptors who have some new ideas for how to fix the system. Bobby Sepucha, Will Stokes and nephrologist Dr. Natasha Dave join us to talk about how these kidney care disruptors are prioritizing patients and their overall health.

Resources from the episode:

Learn more about Strive Health’s Kidney Heros: https://www.strivehealth.com
Read up on Cricket Health’s kidney care model: https://www.crickethealth.com
Listen to Dr. Dave’s podcast on life as a nephrologist: https://www.kidney.org/podcast

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Share your feedback! Email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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6. What’s Missing in Maternal Health? May 13, 2021

The complications started around week 18 of Marquisse Watson’s pregnancy. Six weeks later, her baby girl Alana was born premature. Marquisse and her husband Antwon had bought the baby clothes, gotten the nursery ready… but Alana passed away 36 hours after she was born. This week, we talk to Marquisse about working through her grief seven years later. We’re joined by Venice Haynes and Meredith Shockley-Smith to talk broadly about social determinants and why black babies are twice as likely to die than white babies.

Resources from the episode:

Learn more about Cradle Cincinnati: http://cradlecincinnati.org and Queens Village: https://www.cradlecincinnati.org/queensvillage/
Check out Marquisse and Antwon’s Alana Marie Project: https://thealanamarieproject.com/
Follow the US of Care on twitter: https://twitter.com/USofCare
Read about the US of Care findings on Americans’ health care needs during COVID-19: https://unitedstatesofcare.org/humanizing-the-response-to-covid-19-by-listening-to-people/
Watch the US of Care Voices of Real Life YouTube series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLchtNczPer_8g7icvpiu2gmVNPr9XPENQ

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Have you been hit with a surprise bill or had an infuriating run-in with the health care system? If you want to submit a patient story, email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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5. Burnout: The Vicious Cycle May 06, 2021

The healthcare system is basically a lucrative game of tug-of-war among players – and the winner reaps a trillion dollar pot of gold. But is it a fair game? David explores the monstrous “fee-for service system” with Dr. Vivian Lee. Then, Dr. Jill Gross joins David to explore how the results can lead to a total system breakdown.

Resources from the episode:

Pick up your own copy of Dr. Lee’s book, The Long Fix: Solving America's Health Care Crisis with Strategies that Work for Everyone – https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324006671
Read more about the “fee-for-service monster” in Dr. Lee’s STAT article – https://www.statnews.com/2020/06/12/fee-for-service-is-a-terrible-way-to-pay-for-health-care-try-a-subscription-model-instead/
Learn more about Dr. Jill Gross at https://www.drjillgross.com/

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Have you been hit with a surprise bill or had an infuriating run-in with the health care system? If you want to submit a patient story, email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

4. The Million Dollar Baby Apr 29, 2021

Lauren Bard’s little girl, Sadie, had a 50/50 chance of survival when she was born 14 weeks premature. Luckily, Lauren is a nurse at Dignity Health, a Catholic hospital, so she had good insurance and knew how to protect herself...or so she thought. Instead, she ended up with a $1.7 million dollar bill. Dr. Ashish Jha also joins David this week to help us figure out how the heck this happened.

Resources from the episode:

ProPublica article on Lauren’s journey, by journalist Marshall Allen from Ep. 3: https://www.propublica.org/article/how-one-employer-stuck-a-new-mom-with-a-bill-for-her-premature-baby

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Have you been hit with a surprise bill or had an infuriating run-in with the health care system? If you want to submit a patient story, email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

3. Upcoded: You’re Never Done Paying Apr 22, 2021

This week, we’re talking about upcoding, and how it can lead to $11,000 COVID tests, $629 bandaids, and mothers waiting within sprinting distance to the hospital. America has some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world, but many patients are too afraid to walk through the doors for fear of going into unnecessary debt.

Dr. Zachary Sussman, New York Times journalist Sarah Kliff and ProPublica journalist Marshall Allen, who investigate medical billing for a living, join David to shed some light on surprise bills.

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Resources from the episode:

Share your coronavirus medical bills with Sarah Kliff & the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/reader-center/coronavirus-medical-bills.html?smid=rd
Learn more about the $629 band-aid on The Impact, a podcast created and formerly hosted by Sarah: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-curious-case-of-the-%24629-band-aid/id1294325824?i=1000393574994
Read Marshall’s article about Dr. Zachary Sussman’s $10,984 COVID test: https://www.propublica.org/article/how-a-covid-19-test-led-to-charges
Pre-order Marshall’s book, Never Pay The First Bill: https://www.marshallallen.com/
Check out Marshall’s Top Doctor award: https://www.instagram.com/lemonadamedia/
Become a better health care consumer with the help of ProPublica’s voices of patient harm: https://www.propublica.org/article/patient-safety-voices-questionnaire-results and Sarah’s reporting for Vox: https://www.vox.com/2019/3/22/18261698/how-to-fight-expensive-medical-bill
Learn more about your surgeon before an operation with ProPublica’s Surgeon Scorecard: https://projects.propublica.org/surgeons/

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Have you been hit with a surprise bill or had an infuriating run-in with the health care system? If you want to submit a patient story, email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

1. The Doomsday Clock Apr 15, 2021

David Smith watched as chronic pain and addiction transformed his loving father into a vengeful man who was unrecognizable. David has spent a lifetime trying to outrun his father’s fate - but now he’s looking for answers. How can we build a better healthcare system and stop the cycle of sickness, trauma and loss? In episode one, we explore his family’s story, covering everything from childhood tragedy and generational trauma to opioid abuse and Mormon excommunication.

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Have you been hit with a surprise bill or had an infuriating run-in with the health care system? If you want to submit a patient story, email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

2. Sickness = Profit Apr 15, 2021

Unpredictable chaos adds up to something over time. That’s David Smith’s story, and it’s also the origin story behind our broken health care system. This week, we explore why sickness pays and health doesn’t, and how we got here in the first place. Our guests this episode are economic historian Melissa Thomasson, health care journalist Elisabeth Rosenthal and futurist Ian Morrison.

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Resources from the episode:

Learn more about the history of our health care system from Melissa Thomasson on Planet Money
Elisabeth Rosenthal’s book, An American Sickness
Bill of the Month series, a Kaiser Health News + NPR collaboration

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Have you been hit with a surprise bill or had an infuriating run-in with the health care system? If you want to submit a patient story, email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

To follow along with a transcript and/or take notes for friends and family, go to https://www.lemonadamedia.com/show/thecostofcare/ shortly after the air date.

Stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Introducing The Cost of Care Mar 29, 2021

Trying to navigate the American healthcare system as a patient is a high-stakes game. One wrong move can leave you ruined. Starting April 15th, host David Smith speaks with people crushed by one of the most expensive and worst performing systems in the world, and helps lead us out of this maze-like system that values sickness over health.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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