Take Care

A whole-body MRI sounds reassuring: one scan that looks across much of your body, potentially finding a problem before you feel symptoms. But what happens if it finds something unexpected? And does a clear result mean you can skip your usual screenings? Listener Susie asked Melody Mulaik what a whole-body MRI is and whether she should consider one. In this episode of Take Care , Melody explains th...

Why would an eye appointment go through vision insurance one day and medical insurance another? A listener named Mike asked this question after a recent Take Care episode about choosing health insurance. In this episode, Melody Mulaik explains how the reason for your visit can affect which plan applies and what you may pay. Vision insurance generally helps with routine care, such as a prescription...

When major legislation passes in Washington, it often feels completely disconnected from our daily lives. However, the upcoming changes driven by the One Big Beautiful Bill will eventually ripple through the entire healthcare system. Starting in 2027, the federal government will begin scaling back its financial support for Medicaid, leaving individual states to make incredibly difficult choices. I...

It is open enrollment season, the crucial time of year when individuals and families select their health insurance coverage for the upcoming calendar year. In this episode of Take Care , host Melody Mulaik breaks down the essential factors to evaluate when reviewing your plan options. From analyzing cost increases and in-network provider changes to spotting fine print restrictions like prior autho...

Have you ever paid an upfront fee at the doctor's office only to realize later that you paid more than your insurance company actually required?  Navigating deductibles and upfront billing estimates can leave even cautious patients vulnerable to overpayment. When healthcare providers charge their overall billed rates rather than your insurance company's contracted allowed amounts, your m...

Navigating the healthcare system can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to helping your parents choose the right Medicare plan. Every year, millions of Americans are drawn to Medicare Advantage plans by the promise of zero-dollar co-pays, free dental care, and vision perks. However, what most people do not realize is that picking Medicare Advantage can easily become a permanent, lifelong de...

Health insurance can feel like learning a new language. Between deductibles, copays, coinsurance, prior authorizations, and Explanation of Benefits (EOBs), it's easy to feel overwhelmed when reviewing your medical bills. In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik walks you through an easy-to-understand A-to-Z glossary of the most important health insurance and medical billing terms every pa...

Have you ever been asked to pay hundreds of dollars at a doctor's office simply because you haven't met your health insurance deductible? Many patients assume the amount requested at check-in is exactly what they owe. In reality, that amount is often only an estimate and may not reflect what your insurance company will ultimately allow after processing your claim. In this episode of Take...

Have you ever gone to a follow-up appointment or a quick procedure and wondered why you were charged an office visit fee on top of everything else? In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik answers a listener's question about when it's appropriate for healthcare providers to bill an office visit separately from a procedure. She explains how surgical global periods work, when follow-up...

Have you ever done everything right, chosen an in-network hospital, verified your insurance coverage, and still received a surprise medical bill from a provider you never even met? In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik explains why surprise medical bills used to happen, what changed with the No Surprises Act , and how the law now protects patients from unexpected out-of-network charges. You...

In this episode of the Take Care podcast, Melody Mulaik sits with John Hennessy, an Associate Principal at Payer Sciences , to unpack one of the most confusing and frustrating parts of modern healthcare: how patients actually access care once it’s been prescribed. From insurance plan documents to prior authorizations, GLP-1 coverage debates, and oncology drug access, this conversation pulls back t...

Running out of medication is stressful enough. Finding out the pharmacy doesn’t even have it in stock adds another layer of frustration. In this episode of Take Care Together , Melody Mulaik and Ashley share a real-life experience of navigating prescription drug shortages after Ashley’s move across states and transition to a new healthcare team. What started as a simple refill request for ADHD med...

Why does your doctor sometimes refuse to refill a medication unless you schedule an appointment first? It can feel frustrating, especially when you’ve been taking the same prescription for years without any problems. In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik explains the real reasons healthcare providers often require follow-up visits before approving medication refills. From monitoring blood p...

When a loved one comes home from the hospital, many families suddenly hear terms like “home health,” “physical therapy,” or “homebound” and wonder what it all actually means. In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik breaks down what home health care really is, who qualifies for it, what services are included, and why it can be such an important support system for patients and caregivers alike....

When a loved one is facing a serious illness, families are often introduced to terms like “palliative care” and “hospice care.” While these two types of care share similar goals, they serve different purposes and are used at different stages of a patient’s journey. In this episode of Take Care, Melody shares her family’s personal experience navigating care decisions for her 91-year-old father-in-l...

What if doctors could see exactly where cancer is located and then deliver treatment directly to those cancer cells with precision? In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik is joined by Dr. Brandon Mancini, Medical Director at BAMF Health , to discuss theranostics: an innovative and rapidly growing approach to cancer treatment that combines diagnostics and therapy into one personalized treatme...

Moving to a new city comes with a long to-do list, but finding the right doctor shouldn’t be left to chance. In this episode of Take Care Together , Melody Mulaik and Ashley talk through the real-life process of relocating and navigating healthcare in an unfamiliar place. From finding in-network providers to managing prescriptions across state lines, they break down what you actually need to do be...

What if some of the treatments you need… don’t require surgery at all? In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik sits down with Dr. Matthew Hawkins , a board-certified interventional radiologist, to explore a powerful yet often overlooked field in medicine. Interventional radiology uses imaging modalities such as X-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, and MRI to perform procedures inside the body with f...

Choosing the right doctor for your child is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a parent, but how do you actually know who to trust? In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik sits down with Dr. Robert Harrison, a board-certified pediatrician and infectious disease specialist, to break down how to choose a pediatrician and what parents should really look for beyond just convenienc...

When a child is diagnosed with cancer, parents are thrown into a world they were never prepared for. In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik sits down with Laura DeKraker Lang-Ree , author of The Cancer Parents Handbook: What Your Oncologist Doesn’t Have Time to Tell You , to uncover what truly happens beyond the hospital walls. Laura shares her personal journey as a parent navigating her chi...

Breast imaging can feel confusing… but understanding it could save your life. In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik sits down with Dr. Dana Smetherman , CEO of the American College of Radiology (ACR), to break down what radiologists actually do and why imaging plays a critical role in early detection, especially for breast cancer. From mammograms and MRIs to dense breast tissue and insuranc...

Medical imaging plays a critical role in diagnosing injuries, detecting disease, and guiding treatment decisions. Yet many patients feel confused about what happens during imaging tests and who is actually involved in their care. In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik is joined by Jason Newmark , Executive Director of the Association for Medical Imaging Management (AHRA) . Jason explains the...

When a loved one is hospitalized, caregivers often face the question: ‘What happens next?’ In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik shares her experience helping her 90-year-old mother transition from the hospital to a rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility. Melody explains key steps caregivers should know, including Medicare’s ‘three-day hospital stay rule’, the role of hospital case mana...

How do you know if a hospital or doctor is actually “good”? In this episode of Take Care , Melody Mulaik answers a listener's question about where to find trustworthy information when choosing a provider or hospital. With so many ratings, reviews, and opinions online, it can feel overwhelming. This episode breaks down the difference between official quality data, independent rankings, and pat...

When does it make sense to pay out of pocket for healthcare instead of using insurance? In this episode of the Take Care podcast, Melody Mulaik answers David’s question about the pros and cons of self-pay (cash pay) versus using health insurance for medical services. She walks through real-life situations where paying out of pocket may cost less, when insurance is clearly the better choice, and th...