Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Older Americans Skipping Meds, Cutting Back To Pay For Health Care
Bloomberg: US Elderly Skimp On Food, Clothes To Pay For Health Care: Survey
Older Americans are sacrificing basic necessities to afford costly health services, according to a survey that shows how many elderly people cut personal expenses to take care of medical needs. Out-of-pocket health costs for elders in the US rose 41% from 2009 to 2019, according to findings from analytics firm Gallup Inc. and West Health, a nonprofit that focuses on senior care. About 9% of Americans 65 and older spent less on food, 6% cut spending on utilities and 19% trimmed clothing expenditures to help cover health costs, according to the survey. (Taylor, 6/15)
Axios: Health Care Consumers Feeling The Economic Sting
Inflation is changing the way we eat, shop and spend our leisure time. And the cost spiral is influencing how Americans weigh health care against other necessities. During the pandemic, Americans aged 50 to 64 said they've been skipping medications, cutting back on food and utilities to cover their medical needs. And they're increasingly worried about covering their future bills, according to newly released Gallup polling. Volatile economic conditions — high gas prices! stagnant growth! — could make that worse, Gallup said in its report. (Bettelheim and Reed, 6/15)
WJCT News: Jacksonville Retiree Group Lobbies Senators For Lower Drug Prices
Jacksonville seniors are calling on Florida's senators to back legislation that would lower the cost of prescription drugs and health care. The Jacksonville chapter of the Florida Alliance of Retired Americans met with a staff member for Sen. Marco Rubio on Friday and anticipate a meeting with members of Sen. Rick Scott's staff in the coming weeks. The group shared stories of their personal struggles with high prescription costs. (Troncoso, 6/15)
In related news about the high cost of medical care —
Stat: CVS Whistleblower Details How Patients Were Charged Higher Drug Prices
The conversation reflected frustration and disbelief. A woman had called SilverScript, which runs one of the largest Medicare prescription drug plans, to complain that she was unable to get a generic version of a brand-name asthma medication known as Advair. She couldn’t understand why a less-expensive generic was not on the list of covered medicines, because paying for it anyway would cost her about $100 more. (Silverman, 6/16)
USA Today: Employees Fight Health Insurance Screenings That Cost Some Workers
Like many large employers, Yale University gave its clerical, food service and maintenance workers a choice: Get a routine health check or pay a $25 weekly fee. But workers alleged in a federal lawsuit the university's participate-or-pay employee wellness program violated two federal laws. In a preliminary settlement approved Tuesday by U.S. District Court in Connecticut, the university agreed to pay nearly $1.3 million to workers and attorneys and won’t assess the $25 weekly fee for four years, or until federal law or regulations change to allow such a program. (Alltucker, 6/16)
KHN and NPR take a deep dive into medical debt and how it has affected Americans' lives —
KHN: 100 Million People In America Are Saddled With Health Care Debt
Elizabeth Woodruff drained her retirement account and took on three jobs after she and her husband were sued for nearly $10,000 by the New York hospital where his infected leg was amputated. Ariane Buck, a young father in Arizona who sells health insurance, couldn’t make an appointment with his doctor for a dangerous intestinal infection because the office said he had outstanding bills. (Levey, 6/16)
KHN: Upended: How Medical Debt Changed Their Lives
Some lost their homes. Some emptied their retirement accounts. Some struggled to feed and clothe their families. Medical debt now touches more than 100 million people in America, as the U.S. health care system pushes patients into debt on a mass scale. Debtors are from all walks of life and all corners of the country. Here are their stories ― how they got into debt, what they’ve given up for it, and how they’re living with the burden. (Levey and Pattani, 6/16)
KHN: Tell Us About Your Medical Debt
Have you been forced into debt because of a medical or dental bill? Have you had to make any changes in your life because of such debt? Have you been pursued by debt collectors for a medical bill? We want to hear about it. (6/16)
