Heidi de Marco

Heidi de Marco was a reporter and producer for KFF Health News until March 2023.

@HeidideMarco

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

KFF Health News Original

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.

As Billions In Tax Dollars Flow To Private Medicaid Plans, Who’s Minding The Store?

KFF Health News Original

Insurance companies profit from government contracts but are subject to little oversight of how they spend the money or care for patients. The expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act has only exacerbated the problem.

‘Grossly Unfair’? Widower Takes Ban On Military Injury Claims To Supreme Court

KFF Health News Original

When a young Navy lieutenant died following low-risk childbirth, her husband claimed military doctors botched her care. But his wrongful death claim was dismissed because of a 1950 ruling that bars active-duty service members from suing the U.S. government — for any reason.

Workers Overdose On The Job, And Employers Struggle To Respond

KFF Health News Original

Despite the growing epidemic of Americans misusing opioids and overdosing on the job, many employers turn a blind eye to addiction within their workforce — ill-equipped or unwilling to confront an issue they are at a loss to handle.

Rehabilitation Plus Rehab? Jails Dispense Drugs To Treat Inmates’ Addictions

KFF Health News Original

Rather than go cold turkey, inmates increasingly have the option to take medication to help beat addiction to opioids and other substances. But some warn these substitute drugs serve as another crutch — and a costly one at that.

California Clinic Screens Asylum Seekers For Honesty

KFF Health News Original

As new federal policies make it harder to gain asylum in the U.S., foreign applicants try to improve their chances by having doctors evaluate their conditions — perhaps bolstering their stories of torture and violent persecution back home.

The Other Victims: First Responders To Horrific Disasters Often Suffer In Solitude

KFF Health News Original

Some firefighters, emergency medical providers and law enforcement officers say recent mass shootings and other calamities — disturbing enough in themselves — have brought to the surface trauma buried over years on the job. Many are reluctant to seek help, though some employers are trying to change that.

Father’s And Son’s Injuries Lead To The Mother Of All Therapy Bills

KFF Health News Original

A father and son suffered serious hand injuries nine days apart. They both needed surgery and lots of follow-up occupational therapy to rehab their hands. But insurance paid for just a fraction of those OT bills, and the family owed more than $8,500.

Medicare Takes Aim At Boomerang Hospitalizations Of Nursing Home Patients

KFF Health News Original

One in 5 Medicare patients who leave the hospital for a nursing home end up back in the hospital. To discourage this, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will soon give bonuses and penalties to facilities based on their rehospitalization rates.

Outsiders Swoop In Vowing To Rescue Rural Hospitals Short On Hope — And Money

KFF Health News Original

The community of Surprise Valley, Calif., wrestled with the idea of selling its tiny, long-cherished hospital to a Denver entrepreneur who sees a big future in lab tests for faraway patients. Last summer, another exec had a similar idea but left town.

When Is Insurance Not Really Insurance? When You Need Pricey Dental Care.

KFF Health News Original

Even under a decent plan, you’ll have to dig deep in your pocket for crowns, bridges and implants. The mouth isn’t covered by insurance the same way as the rest of the body, and this division has deep roots in history and tradition.

Black Men’s Blood Pressure Is Cut Along With Their Hair

KFF Health News Original

A new study shows that educational sessions about high blood pressure at African American barbershops, coupled with prescribing and helping to manage medication, reduced hypertension rates significantly.

Health Care Revamped At L.A. County Jails

KFF Health News Original

The effort, overseen by the county’s health services department, aims to improve care for a population with high rates of chronic disease, mental illness and drug addiction.

Of ‘Miracles’ And Money: Why Hemophilia Drugs Are So Expensive

KFF Health News Original

The market is flooded with 28 different medications for just 20,000 patients with the hereditary bleeding disorder. Yet intense competition hasn’t worked to bring costs down. Sales amount to $4.6 billion annually in the U.S.