The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
Rachel Bluth was a correspondent for 窪蹋勛圖厙 News until February 2023.
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A high-profile commission created by Gov. Gavin Newsom will convene for the first time Monday to discuss how to get every Californian covered. But don't expect the state to adopt a single-payer system anytime soon.
A legislative compromise on how to curb unexpected out-of-network medical bills has made recent progress. But many insiders expect work to continue into 2020.
Most infants in the United States have a hearing screening in their first few days of life. Twenty years ago, before universal newborn screening, many kids missed out on early intervention services that help children with hearing loss access sound and develop spoken language.
Many pregnant women lose health coverage shortly after delivery. Democratic presidential candidates are eyeing the issue, and some experts say making Medicaid more accessible to new moms could be an answer.
A USC-Brookings analysis finds that the New York plan to resolve disputes between providers and insurers without leaving patients on the hook might actually be driving up costs in the system.
In response to the crackdowns on vaping, those who use or sell the e-cigarette products are mobilizing. Touting the We Vape, We Vote slogan, this burgeoning movement is positioning itself to be a factor in 2020 elections.
A hearing before a House Oversight and Reform Committee panel on how to address the crisis of respiratory injuries related to vaping turned surprisingly partisan.
As lobbyists purporting to represent doctors and hospitals fight attempts to control surprise medical bills, it has become increasingly clear that the force behind the effort is not just medical professionals, but also investors from private equity firms.
Patients are often told to be smart consumers and shop around for health care before they use it. What happens when people actually take that advice?
A case of questionable logic.
A House committee approved its version of legislation to solve the problem of surprise medical bills. But the measure includes a key provision thats got less support in the Senate.
The measure also includes a range of provisions designed to address health care costs.
On average, 16% of inpatient stays and 18% of emergency visits left a patient with at least one out-of-network charge, most of those came from doctors offering treatment at the hospital, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
A legislative package from Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) would handle surprise medical bills by having insurers pay them the median in-network rate, meaning the rate would be similar to what the plan charges other doctors in the area for the same procedure.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee is scheduled next week to mark up a massive legislative package on curbing health costs, but some of the details remain unresolved, including what formula to use to pay doctors and hospitals involved in surprise medical bills.
The median cost of an air ambulance bill is more than $36,000 and seldom covered by insurance, sparking many consumer complaints. Yet none of the proposals introduced or circulating in Congress to fix surprise medical bills address these services.
The Republicans legislation, prepared with Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on Alexanders health committee, would be an ambitious lift because it also deals with prescription drug patents, health transparency and vaccine messaging.
This high-profile issue has gained bipartisan attention, but it remains unclear if thats enough to move it to the finish line. Heres a review of the current state of play.
The savvy Right to Desire campaign relies on feminist messages and social media to raise patient awareness about low libido. Addyi, the only drug currently approved to treat it, has shown limited effectiveness.
During a hearing Tuesday, panel members focused on how drug companies have used patents to allegedly protect their competitive edge and profits.
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