They say the problem with relying on journalists to embarrass providers into caving on crazy bills is, there aren’t enough journalists to go around. Fair. But sometimes journalists can scale up.


In Memphis, reporter Wendi Thomas found that the city’s biggest hospital routinely sued its patients over unpaid bills, despite making tidy profits. 


The hospital even sued its own badly-paid employees — a fact Thomas said was immediately visible just by visiting the court house. “You saw them, there, in their scrubs,” she said. “I could see their [hospital] badge clipped to the front of their uniforms.”


The injustices were stark. “The defendants are just outmatched,” Thomas said. “They don't have the resources of a billion dollar hospital with its own collection agency and attorneys.”


Thomas did such a good job making a stink about it that after a couple of months, the hospital dropped more than 6,500 lawsuits, and erased the debts.


“Shame is a powerful motivator,” said Thomas. “It just is. And the hospital didn't look good, so they had to address it.”

They say the problem with relying on journalists to <a href="https://khn.org/news/bill-of-the-month-half-million-dollar-kidney-dialysis-bill-fresenius-now-zero/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">embarrass providers into caving on crazy bills</a> is, there aren’t enough journalists to go around.&nbsp;Fair. But sometimes journalists can scale up. In Memphis, reporter Wendi Thomas found that the city’s biggest hospital <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/methodist-le-bonheur-healthcare-sues-poor-medical-debt" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">routinely sued its patients</a> over unpaid bills, despite making tidy profits.&nbsp; The hospital even sued <a href="https://mlk50.com/low-wage-workers-sued-for-unpaid-medical-bills-by-a-nonprofit-christian-hospital-that-employs-them-ff667856da95" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">its own badly-paid employees</a> — a fact Thomas said was immediately visible just by visiting the court house. “You saw them, there, in their scrubs,” she said. “I could see their [hospital] badge clipped to the front of their uniforms.” The injustices were stark. “The defendants are just outmatched,” Thomas said. “They don't have the resources of a billion dollar hospital with its own collection agency and attorneys.” Thomas did such a good job making a stink about it that after a couple of months, the hospital <a href="https://mlk50.com/we-reported-on-methodist-le-bonheur-suing-patients-it-erased-the-debts-of-more-than-6-500-patients-ade13e8e2e6d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dropped more than 6,500 lawsuits, and erased the debts</a>. “Shame is a powerful motivator,” said Thomas. “It just is. And the hospital didn't look good, so they had to address it.”

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

They say the problem with relying on journalists to embarrass providers into caving on crazy bills is, there aren’t enough journalists to go around.&nbsp;Fair. But sometimes journalists can scale up.In Memphis, reporter Wendi Thomas found that t...

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