Michelle Andrews

Employers Are Scaling Back Their Dependence On High-Deductible Health Plans

KFF Health News Original

Firms are offering more traditional plans alongside or instead of the plans with sky-high deductibles that may have been the only option in the past. The change comes as employers are finding that workers like the predictability of a traditional plan and that providing more generous plans can help with recruiting in a tight labor market.

Washington State Law On Behavioral Care Balances Parental Rights, Teens’ Autonomy

KFF Health News Original

Many states have rules that keep parents from knowing about or consenting to certain types of care for their children, including mental health and drug and alcohol treatment. Washington state, however, has revised its policies.

As Health Care Costs Rise, Workers At Low-Wage Firms May Pay A Larger Share

KFF Health News Original

People at companies with large numbers of people earning $25,000 or less faced bigger deductibles for single coverage and were asked to pony up a larger share of their income in premiums than those at other firms.

Recomendación sobre la vacuna contra el VPH para adultos puede generar confusión

KFF Health News Original

El virus del papiloma humano es la infección de transmisión sexual más común en los Estados Unidos; casi todas las personas sexualmente activas lo contraerán en algún momento.

Federal Experts’ Advice On HPV Vaccine Could Leave Adults Confused

KFF Health News Original

A federal advisory panel says people between ages 27 and 45 may benefit from the vaccine to fight the human papillomavirus. But some public health advocates worry that the advice doesn’t provide doctors and patients clear guidance about who in this large age group are good candidates for the vaccine.

¿Quieres retirarte y vivir en el exterior? Medicare no viaja muy bien

KFF Health News Original

De 2012 a 2017, el número de trabajadores jubilados que vivían en países extranjeros y que recibían beneficios del Seguro Social creció casi un 15%, a más de 413,000, según la Administración del Seguro Social.

Dream Of Retiring Abroad? The Reality: Medicare Doesn’t Travel Well

KFF Health News Original

More than 400,000 U.S. workers have retired in foreign countries and their ranks are rising. But Medicare doesn’t cover most expenses overseas, so these expats will need to confront the cost of finding alternative insurance.

Even When HIV Prevention Drug Is Covered, Other Costs Block Treatment

KFF Health News Original

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that people who are at high risk of contracting HIV take PrEP, a preventive treatment. The decision means most health plans will be required to cover the drugs without charging patients. But the recommendation doesn’t apply to the other clinical and lab services people need.

Víctimas de violación reciben cuentas por examen forense, aunque una ley lo prohíbe

KFF Health News Original

Durante 25 años, el Acta de Violencia contra la Mujer ha requerido que el estado que quiera ser elegible para ciertos subsidios federales cubra el costo de exámenes médicos para víctimas de agresión sexual. 

Despite Federal Protections, Rape Victims Still Get Billed For Forensic Exams

KFF Health News Original

Under federal law, people who have been raped don’t have to pay for medical forensic exams, yet many get billed and have trouble getting the hospitals or collection agencies to stop dunning them for payment.

FAQ: How Does New Trump Fetal Tissue Policy Impact Medical Research?

KFF Health News Original

The scientific use of tissue from aborted fetuses has frequently been a hot point of contention between anti-abortion forces and researchers. It heats up again as federal officials announced this week they were ending NIH research using the tissue.

Mired In Medical Debt? Federal Plan Would Update Overdue-Bill Collection Methods

KFF Health News Original

More than half of Americans contacted about an overdue bill said it related to medical debt. A federal agency has proposed new guidance for what debt collectors are allowed to do when pursuing many types of overdue consumer bills, including medical debt. But some consumer advocates have panned the effort.

Doughnut Hole Is Gone, But Medicare’s Uncapped Drug Costs Still Bite Into Budgets

KFF Health News Original

Beneficiaries pay 25 percent of the price of their brand-name drugs until they reach $5,100 in out-of-pocket costs. After that, their obligation drops to 5 percent. But it never disappears.