Health Care Costs Archives - Page 85 of 93

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Drug Prices Are Rising Again. Is Someone Going To Do Something About It?

As drugmakers hike prices, interest to rein them in grows on Capitol Hill. Next week marks the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court’s abortion decision, and both the House, whose leaders back abortion rights, and the Senate, controlled by abortion foes, are holding statement votes. And the government shutdown is still affecting health programs. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Alice Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues.

Jan. 17, 2019

Patients Turn To GoFundMe When Money And Hope Run Out

Medical fundraisers account for 1 in 3 of the website's campaigns and bring in more money than any other GoFundMe category. Americans' confidence they can afford health care is slipping, some say.

By Mark Zdechlik, Minnesota Public Radio

Jan. 16, 2019

GoFundMe CEO: ‘Gigantic Gaps’ In Health System Showing Up In Crowdfunding

Fundraising for medical expenses leads this crowdfunding website and, according to its chief executive, highlights a deep national need to address the high costs of health care.

By Rachel Bluth

Jan. 16, 2019

Listen: Do Consumers Benefit When Hospitals Post Sticker Prices Online?

As of Jan. 1, hospitals must post price lists — known as chargemasters — online. These massive compendiums include the costs set by each hospital for every service or drug a patient might encounter.

Jan. 14, 2019

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.

By Brianna Labuskes

Jan. 11, 2019

Letters to the Editor

Bills, Bills, Bills: Readers And Tweeters Offer Solace, Solutions And Scoldings

Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Jan. 11, 2019

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ New Year, New Health Proposals

Democratic governors and mayors are unveiling new ideas to control costs and expand coverage. The federal government shutdown has spared most health agencies, but not all. And learn the latest on that lawsuit out of Texas, which is threatening the Affordable Care Act once again. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week. Rovner also interviews KHN’s Jordan Rau about the latest “Bill of the Month.”

Jan. 10, 2019

Health Care Industry Spends $30B A Year Pushing Its Wares, From Drugs To Stem Cell Treatment

Critics say patients are often misled by ads that advocate high-priced drugs or genetic tests.

By Liz Szabo

Jan. 8, 2019

Medicaid Plans Cover Doctors’ Visits, Hospital Care — And Now Your GED

These private insurers say improving education can help enrollees achieve a healthier lifestyle, so some pay for the tests and find ways to assist people studying for the exams.

By Phil Galewitz

Jan. 7, 2019

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.

By Brianna Labuskes

Jan. 4, 2019

As Hospitals Post Sticker Prices Online, Most Patients Will Remain Befuddled

The new rule took effect Jan. 1 but, for consumers seeking hospital price information, using it to find answers may be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

By Julie Appleby and Barbara Feder Ostrov

Jan. 4, 2019

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Ask Us Anything!

From Medicare dental coverage to drug prices to fetal tissue research, the panelists answer listeners’ questions. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post join KHN’s Julie Rovner.

Jan. 3, 2019

Coverage Denied: Medicaid Patients Suffer As Layers Of Private Companies Profit

Managed-care plans, which reap billions in taxpayer dollars to coordinate care for low-income Americans on Medicaid, outsource crucial treatment decisions to subcontractors that aren’t directly accountable to the government. In California, health officials say one firm improperly withheld or delayed care for hundreds of people.

By Chad Terhune

Jan. 3, 2019

Bill Of The Month

Insured But Still In Debt: 5 Jobs Pulling In $100K A Year No Match For Medical Bills

An Arizona couple played by the rules and bought employer-provided health insurance. But after they had a baby this year, their out-of-pocket hospital costs and doctors’ bills climbed to more than $12,000 — and medical debt now threatens their new family.

By JoNel Aleccia

Dec. 28, 2018

Bill Of The Month

Massachusetts Stroke Patient Receives ‘Outrageous’ $474,725 Medical Flight Bill

After a 34-year-old woman suffered a stroke in Kansas, doctors there arranged for her to be transferred to a Boston hospital, via an Angel MedFlight Learjet. The woman and her father believed the cost of the medical flight would be covered by her private insurance. Then they got the bill.

By Martha Bebinger, WBUR

Dec. 21, 2018

Bill Of The Month

Refund On The Way To Latest ‘Bill Of The Month’ Patient

Ski buff Sarah Witter will get $6,358.26 back from her hospital and insurer after a careful review of her bill following the KHN-NPR story on her case.

By Jordan Rau

Dec. 21, 2018

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.

By Brianna Labuskes

Dec. 21, 2018

Bill Of The Month

Year One Of KHN’s ‘Bill Of The Month’: A Kaleidoscope Of Financial Challenges

A crowdsourced investigation in which we dissect, investigate and explain medical bills you send us.

Dec. 21, 2018

Hep C And Drug Abuse Often Go Hand In Hand, But Screening For Infection Lags

As the number of people who inject drugs has soared, the rate of hepatitis C infection has climbed steeply, too, because the disease can be tied to sharing needles. Yet many drug patients are not checked for the virus that can damage the liver.

By Michelle Andrews

Dec. 19, 2018