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Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal

Why Getting Sick in America Can Ruin Your Life | Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal

S: 2
Ep: 2
January 29, 2026
Duration: 48 min
Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal is a former ER physician turned acclaimed journalist and editor-in-chief at KFF Health News (formerly Kaiser Health News). She spent 22 years at The New York Times, where she covered a wide range of health and policy topics and launched the influential “Paying Till It Hurts” series. Her bestselling book, An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back, is a searing indictment of the system’s transformation into an industry. Dr. Rosenthal brings both medical expertise and journalistic rigor to the healthcare debate.

In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Life. Reimagined., host Stacey is joined by Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, physician, journalist, and author of An American Sickness. Together, they dive deep into the broken U.S. healthcare system, exploring how it became a profit-driven behemoth that fails patients of every demographic. From her early days in emergency medicine to her award-winning journalism and policy work, Dr. Rosenthal offers unmatched insight into the system’s pitfalls—and why incremental reforms aren’t enough. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, underserved, or overcharged by our healthcare institutions. Raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal, this conversation is an urgent call for systemic change.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why the U.S. healthcare system prioritizes profit over patient care—and how it got this way
  • How your zip code, insurance type, or employment status can determine the quality of care you receive
  • The truth about “socialized medicine” and what global healthcare systems can teach us
  • How billing practices and facility fees hide the real cost of care
  • What a public option might look like and why it could be a practical solution
  • Dr. Rosenthal’s personal journey from ER doctor to investigative health journalist
  • How systemic inequities impact rural communities, undocumented individuals, and marginalized groups

Connect with Dr. Rosenthal:

  • An American Sickness: 

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3MbI7iQ

Kindle: https://amzn.to/45AfmD9

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4rp5RPD

If this episode made you think differently about healthcare, share it with someone who needs to hear it. Subscribe to Life. Reimagined. on your favorite podcast platform, leave a review, and follow us on social media for more transformative conversations. Together, we can demand better care for all.