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As US Bumps Against Debt Ceiling, Medicare Becomes a Bargaining Chip

Episode 280

Jan. 19, 2023

The debt ceiling crisis facing Washington puts Medicare and other popular entitlement programs squarely on the negotiating table this year as newly empowered Republicans demand spending cuts. Meanwhile, as more Americans than ever have health insurance, the nation’s health care workforce is straining under the load. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KHN’s chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

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Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters Diagnose Greed and Chronic Pain Within US Health Care System

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Jan. 19, 2023

A photo shows the exterior of the Montana Capitol.

Ending Involuntary Commitments Would Shift Burden of Dementia Care to Strapped Communities

Health department officials anticipate having to transfer two dozen patients from the Montana State Hospital to another state-run facility if a bill to end involuntary commitments passes.

By Keely Larson

Jan. 13, 2023

Despite Doctors’ Concerns, University of California Renews Ties With Religious Affiliates

The public university’s health system is renewing contracts with outside hospitals and clinics even as some doctors and faculty say clearer language is needed to protect physicians performing abortions and gender-affirming treatments.

By Annie Sciacca

Jan. 12, 2023

A photo shows two photos side-by-side. The left photo is of a hospital emergency room sign. The right is of an urgent care clinic sign.

The Decision of Where to Seek Care Is Complicated by the Multitude of Options

The proliferation of care options — particularly urgent care centers and free-standing emergency departments — can make the head spin. Facilities have little incentive to clear up the confusion of where to go. But for patients, the wrong choice can mean big bills and possibly poor health outcomes.

By Sam Whitehead

Jan. 11, 2023

A photo shows a hospital worker standing in a hallway, holding a clipboard.

Hospitals’ Use of Volunteer Staff Runs Risk of Skirting Labor Laws, Experts Say

Hospitals using volunteers is commonplace. But some labor experts argue that deploying unpaid workers to do work that benefits the organization’s bottom line lets for-profit hospitals skirt federal labor laws, deprives employees of work, and potentially exploits the volunteers.

By Lauren Sausser

Jan. 10, 2023

A photo shows the Montana House of Representatives floor as assembly-members sit during a hearing.

Medicaid and Abortion Top Health Agenda for Montana Lawmakers

State lawmakers say their health care goals for the new legislative session are to lower costs and improve access to care. They’ll have to grapple with a full slate of other issues, as well.

By Keely Larson

Jan. 9, 2023

A photo shows a hospital emergency sign.

Patients for Profit: How Private Equity Hijacked Health Care

ER Doctors Call Private Equity Staffing Practices Illegal and Seek to Ban Them

Doctors, consumer advocates, and some lawmakers are looking forward to a California lawsuit against private equity-backed Envision Healthcare. The case is part of a multistate effort to enforce rules banning corporate ownership of physician practices.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

Dec. 22, 2022

A man in a checkered shirt sits on a brown couch in a living room. A small white and brown dog sits beside him.

Diagnosis: Debt

A Retiree Returns to Work After a Calamitous Year of Health Emergencies

In 2020, diabetes and covid-19 landed David Zipprich in the hospital three times. Even with insurance, he was inundated with bills, debt notices, and calls from collectors.

By Noam N. Levey

Dec. 21, 2022

A woman stands outside in late afternoon sun and looks at the camera.

Diagnosis: Debt

An Air Force Career Held up Because of Debt Owed for Medical Bills

Emergency room care left Samaria Bradford with $5,000 in medical bills. Now she has to track down and pay that debt before she can hope to enlist in the military.

By Aneri Pattani

Dec. 21, 2022

A photo shows Grace E. Elliott posing for a photo outside.

Bill Of The Month

The Case of the Two Grace Elliotts: A Medical Billing Mystery

A health system charged a woman for a shoulder replacement at a hospital across the country that she had not visited for years. She didn’t receive the care, but she did receive the bill — and the medical records of a stranger.

By Mark Kreidler

Dec. 21, 2022

A photo shows the exterior of Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital.

Diagnosis: Debt

Hundreds of Hospitals Sue Patients or Threaten Their Credit, a KHN Investigation Finds. Does Yours?

An examination of billing policies and practices at more than 500 hospitals across the country shows widespread reliance on aggressive collection tactics.

By Noam N. Levey

Dec. 21, 2022

Caitlyn Houston, who wears a grey sweatshirt and has her blonde hair pulled up in a loose bun, holds her infant daughter in her arms while kissing her on the forehead. They are sitting in an emergency room.

Inside a Children’s Hospital: Struggling to Cope With a Surge of Respiratory Illness

Pediatric cases of RSV and flu have families crowding into ERs, as health systems juggle staff shortages. In Michigan, only 10 out of 130 hospitals have a pediatric ICU.

By Kate Wells, Michigan Public

Dec. 20, 2022

Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters Chime In on Disability Rights and Drug Discounts

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Dec. 16, 2022

A photo shows a female and male nurse working at computers inside a hospital.

Squeezed by Temp Nurse Costs, Hospital Systems Create Their Own Staffing Agencies

Hospitals have depended on travel nurses to fill shifts, especially during covid surges. Now some larger systems, reeling from high contract labor costs, have created staffing units, aiming to lure nurses who want more work flexibility and better pay than staff RNs get.

By Andy Miller

Dec. 15, 2022

A photo shows Dr. Eckart Rolshoven sitting at a desk for a picture.

Diagnosis: Debt

What Germany’s Coal Miners Can Teach America About Medical Debt

Coal mining ended in Germany’s Saarland a decade ago, but the transition away from coal has been smoother than in West Virginia, which has more medical debt than any state in America.

By Noam N. Levey

Dec. 14, 2022

A photo illustration shows images of a business executive in a suit, a stack of money, a vial of blood from a lab test and a column from a spreadsheet with text showing various medical industries.

Patients for Profit: How Private Equity Hijacked Health Care

KHN Investigation: The System Feds Rely On to Stop Repeat Health Fraud Is Broken

A months-long KHN examination of the system meant to bar fraudsters from Medicaid, Medicare, and other federal health programs found gaping holes and expansive gray areas through which banned individuals slip to repeatedly bilk taxpayer-funded programs.

By Sarah Jane Tribble and Lauren Weber

Dec. 12, 2022

KHN On Air

Journalists Explain Medicaid Work Requirements and Hospital Price Transparency

KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

Dec. 10, 2022

A photo shows a nurse with a stethoscope checking on an infant inside a hospital intensive care unit.

Hospital Financial Decisions Play a Role in the Critical Shortage of Pediatric Beds for RSV Patients

Yes, the U.S. is experiencing an unusual spate of childhood RSV infections. But the critical shortage of hospital beds to treat ailing children stems from structural problems in pediatric care that have been brewing for years.

By Liz Szabo

Dec. 9, 2022