Several listeners sent us an article with the headline Make your health insurance cry, about a new AI tool to fight health insurance. We had to learn more. 


Meet Holden Karau: a Bay Area software engineer who says she’s “trying to make health insurance suck a little bit less.”


So she’s created an AI tool to appeal insurance denials.


Her project, Fight Health Insurance, is a labor of love (she’s not earning money from it) and fueled by hatred (of insurance companies). 


It draws on her tech expertise and on her years of experience fighting health insurance: for gender-affirming care, for rehab after getting hit by a car, and even for her dog, Professor Timbit. 


We talked with Holden about what it took to build the tool, how it works, and what she hopes comes next.


Here’s a transcript of this episode. 


Send your stories and questions. Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG.


Of course we’d love for you tosupport this show. This month, every dollar you give gets matched dollar-for-dollar, by NewsMatch, from the Institute for Nonprofit News.

Several listeners sent us an article with the headline <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/08/23/holden-karau-fight-health-insurance-appeal-claims-denials/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Make your health insurance cry</a>, about a new AI tool to fight health insurance. We had to learn more.&nbsp; Meet Holden Karau: a Bay Area software engineer who says she’s “trying to make health insurance suck a little bit less.” So she’s created an AI tool to appeal insurance denials. Her project, <a href="http://fighthealthinsurance.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fight Health Insurance</a>, is a labor of love (she’s not earning money from it) and fueled by hatred (of insurance companies).&nbsp; It draws on her tech expertise and on her years of experience fighting health insurance: for gender-affirming care, for rehab after getting hit by a car, and even for her dog, Professor Timbit.&nbsp; We talked with Holden about what it took to build the tool, how it works, and what she hopes comes next. <a href="https://armandalegshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/S12-Ep07_Fight-with-Holden.png" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Here’s a transcript of this episode</a>.&nbsp; <a href="https://armandalegshow.com/contact/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Send your stories and questions.</a> Or call 724 ARM-N-LEG. Of course we’d love for you to<a href="https://armandalegshow.com/support/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> support this show</a>. This month, every dollar you give gets matched dollar-for-dollar, by NewsMatch, from the Institute for Nonprofit News.

An Arm and a Leg is a podcast about why health care costs so freaking much and what we can (maybe) do about it.

If you’ve ever been surprised by a medical bill, you’re in good company. But as our team of seasoned journalists has learned from years of reporting — you’re not always helpless. We don’t have all the answers, but we’ll offer you tools and big picture insights with plenty of humor and heart. 

An Arm and a Leg is co-produced with KFF Health News and distributed in partnership with KUOW.

You can support An Arm and a Leg by donating at armandalegshow.com/support/

Show Credits: Created, hosted, and produced by Dan Weissmann with senior producer Emily Pisacreta and engagement producer Claire Davenport, edited by Ellen Weiss. Audio wizard: Adam Raymonda. Music is by Dave Weiner and Blue Dot Sessions. Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations. Lynne Johnson is our operations manager.

An Arm and a Leg&nbsp;is a podcast about why health care costs so freaking much and what we can (maybe) do about it.
If you&rsquo;ve ever been surprised by a medical bill, you&rsquo;re in good company. But as our team of seasoned journalists has learned from years of reporting &mdash; you&rsquo;re not always helpless. We don&rsquo;t have all the answers, but we&rsquo;ll offer you tools and big picture insights with plenty of humor and heart.&nbsp;
An Arm and a Leg is co-produced with <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/">KFF Health News</a> and distributed in partnership with <a href="https://www.kuow.org/">KUOW</a>.
You can support An Arm and a Leg&nbsp;by donating at <a href="https://armandalegshow.com/support/">armandalegshow.com/support/</a>
<hr>
Show Credits:&nbsp;Created, hosted, and produced by Dan Weissmann with senior producer Emily Pisacreta and engagement producer Claire Davenport, edited by Ellen Weiss. Audio wizard: Adam Raymonda. Music is by Dave Weiner and Blue Dot Sessions. Bea Bosco is our consulting director of operations. Lynne Johnson is our operations manager.

An Arm and a Leg

“I hate insurance companies,” says tech worker Holden Karau. So she made a bot to battle with them.

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