Latest News On Doctor Networks

Latest KFF Health News Stories

An Arm and a Leg: Meet the Middleman’s Middleman

Podcast

Why are patients facing bigger bills than they expect for out-of-network care? In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” the show explains the hidden mechanics of MultiPlan, a data firm that helps health insurers set these rates and make bigger returns.

Congressional Doctors Lead Bipartisan Revolt Over Policy on Surprise Medical Bills

KFF Health News Original

Congress last year shielded consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges, but hospitals and doctors have decried the arbitration plan put forward by the Biden administration for negotiating these bills as favoring insurers. More than 150 members of the House agree.

Last Thing Patients Need During Pandemic: Being Last to Know a Doctor Left Network

KFF Health News Original

Health plan network changes occur all the time as doctors retire, relocate or leave networks. Unfortunately, patients may be the last to find out about such changes because there are often few requirements that either providers or insurers inform them.

Needy Patients ‘Caught In The Middle’ As Insurance Titan Drops Doctors

KFF Health News Original

UnitedHealthcare is dropping hundreds of physicians from its New Jersey Medicaid network, separating patients from longtime doctors. Physicians charge the insurer is using its market power to shift business to practices it controls.

It’s Not Just You: Picking Health Insurance Is Hard. Here’s How To Be Smart About It.

KFF Health News Original

It’s open enrollment season for health insurance. And choosing the best plan is tricky whether you have to buy insurance on your own or just figure out which plan to sign up for at work. Here’s what you need to know.

1 In 6 Insured Hospital Patients Get A Surprise Bill For Out-Of-Network Care

KFF Health News Original

On average, 16% of inpatient stays and 18% of emergency visits left a patient with at least one out-of-network charge, most of those came from doctors offering treatment at the hospital, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Patients Suffer When Health Care Behemoths Quarrel Over Contracts

KFF Health News Original

The latest example is Sutter Health and Anthem Blue Cross, whose failure to seal a deal is causing Anthem members to worry they may not have access to one of the dominant hospital chains in Northern California. Across the U.S., the stakes in such contract fights have risen, as health systems and insurers battle to increase their market share.

How Below-The-Radar Mergers Fuel Health Care Monopolies

KFF Health News Original

Most acquisitions by hospitals of physician practices are too small to trigger antitrust attention, study says. But a buying spree of “onesies and twosies” doctor practices has driven competition down and prices up.

California Joins States That Protect Patients Against Nasty Surprise Bills

KFF Health News Original

A California law that takes effect July 1 prohibits out-of-network charges if you visit a medical facility that’s in your health plan’s network. New York and Florida also offer strong consumer protections.