‘An Arm And A Leg’: Tips For Surviving COVID With Your Financial Health Intact

By Dan Weissmann May 26, 2020

Can’t see the audio player?

Health care — and how much it costs — is scary. But you’re not alone with this stuff, and knowledge is power. “An Arm and a Leg” is a podcast about these issues, and its second season is co-produced by KHN.

In early April, Katelyn was in a financial bind. At home and sick with COVID-19, she hadn’t been paid in weeks. And her bills were due.

“My landlord is kinda beating down my door right now,” she said in a voicemail to the podcast hotline: (724) 276-6534; that’s 724 ARM N LEG.

Weeks later, Katelyn got back in touch: She had made it through with her financial health intact, thanks to a combination of playing hardball with one company and knowing how to play nice with others.

Katelyn works in collections for a financial institution, so she knew how to ask for help. Even so, she didn’t find the process easy. She came out of the ordeal with hard-won tips for all of us, and a heck of a story.

Here are two other resources from the episode: our favorite shares tips for dealing with medical bills and collection agencies, and . It’s a free online tool that automatically generates letters you can send to your landlord, asserting your legal rights. (Right now, those rights may include some federal protections against .)

“SEASON-19” of “An Arm and a Leg” is a co-production of Kaiser Health News and Public Road Productions.

To keep in touch with “An Arm and a Leg,” . You can also follow the show on ��Ի��. And if you’ve got stories to tell about the health care system, the producers .

To hear all Kaiser Health News podcasts,��click here.

And subscribe to “An Arm and a Leg” on ,��,��ǰ��.

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‘An Arm And A Leg’: Tips For Surviving COVID With Your Financial Health Intact

By Dan Weissmann May 26, 2020

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<p><em>Can’t see the audio player? </em></p>

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<p><em>Can’t see the audio player? </em></p>

<p>In early April, Katelyn was in a financial bind. At home and sick with COVID-19, she hadn’t been paid in weeks. And her bills were due.</p>
<p>“My landlord is kinda beating down my door right now,” she said in a voicemail to the podcast hotline: (724) 276-6534; that’s 724 ARM N LEG.</p>
<p>Weeks later, Katelyn got back in touch: She had made it through with her financial health intact, thanks to a combination of playing hardball with one company and knowing how to play nice with others.</p>
<p>Katelyn works in collections for a financial institution, so she knew how to ask for help. Even so, she didn’t find the process easy. She came out of the ordeal with hard-won tips for all of us, and a heck of a story.</p>
<p>Here are two other resources from the episode: our favorite  shares tips for dealing with medical bills and collection agencies, and . It’s a free online tool that automatically generates letters you can send to your landlord, asserting your legal rights. (Right now, those rights may include some federal protections against .)</p>

<p>“SEASON-19” of “An Arm and a Leg” is a co-production of Kaiser Health News and Public Road Productions.</p>
<p>To keep in touch with “An Arm and a Leg,” . You can also follow the show on �����Ի���. And if you’ve got stories to tell about the health care system, the producers .</p>
<p><em>To hear all Kaiser Health News podcasts,��<a href="/news/tag/podcast/">click here</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>And subscribe to “An Arm and a Leg” on ,��,�����ǰ���.</em></p>
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