Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Drug Prices And Unicorns
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico, and Erin Mershon of Stat News discuss a series of health policy court decisions on everything from prescription drug discounts to soda taxes. Plus, Rovner, interviews health care futurist and consultant Jeff Goldsmith.
Atlanta Struggles To Meet MLK’s Legacy On Health Care
Fifty years after the death of Martin Luther King Jr., his hometown still has major disparities in mortality and other measures of health.
Rural Areas — Already Short On Health Resources — Face Enrollment Hitches
Affordable Care Act supporters in Georgia say they are facing a daunting task in getting people signed up for health insurance.
Crippling Medicaid Cuts Could Upend Rural Health Services
Patient advocates say that the Senate Republicans’ proposal to change federal funding for Medicaid could lead to more shutdowns of rural facilities, reduced payments to doctors and fewer programs for people with health needs or disabilities.
‘My Life Is Very Full’: People With Disabilities Worry About GOP Medicaid Cuts
The Obamacare replacement bill passed by House Republicans would cut Medicaid by $834 billion over a decade. That has people with disabilities scared that services that allow them to live independently, such as job training and transportation, will disappear.
‘The Trump Of Georgia’ Goes To Washington
With high-level connections in the Capitol, Parker “Pete” Petit aims to resolve regulatory issues that have haunted his wound care company.
Georgia Legislative Panel Hears Concerns About Surprise Medical Billing
Insurers and care providers say efforts to fix how consumers are notified also raise concerns.
Rising Health Premiums Rankle Individuals Paying Full Price
Insurance customers who don’t get federal subsidies are facing double-digit premium increases in many places this year and forced to make hard choices about coverage.
Giving Birth In Georgia Is Too Often A Deadly Event
The legislature has set up a committee to study why Georgia is among the states with the highest rates of maternal mortality.
Ga., Calif. Hospitals Sue Blue Cross Plan For Sending ER Reimbursements To Patients
The lawsuits allege that the practice costs the hospitals money because the patients often spend the funds.
Will Louisiana’s Medicaid Expansion Be A Harbinger For Georgia?
Louisiana’s decision to accept the federal health law program to provide coverage to more low-income residents is being watched around the South, including in Georgia, where deep-seated opposition is showing some small signs of cracks.
Despite Overdose Epidemic, Georgia Caps The Number Of Opioid Treatment Clinics
Georgia has stopped licensing new clinics that provide medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction. Some call the state’s move irresponsible. Others say the clinics aren’t regulated enough.
UnitedHealthcare To Exit All But ‘Handful’ Of Obamacare Markets In 2017
UnitedHealthcare said Tuesday it will leave most of the 34 states in which it offers health insurance under Obamacare, but Nevada and Virginia are two markets it will retain a presence.
Competition Suffers Most If UnitedHealth Exits Obamacare In 2017: Analysis
A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis released Monday, a day ahead of UnitedHealth’s expected announcement, finds 1.1 million consumers would have no choice in health insurance plans if the giant insurer drops out of Obamacare marketplaces as threatened.
UnitedHealth Tries Boutique-Style Health Plan
Harken Health, a new UnitedHealthcare subsidiary, offers members free unlimited doctor visits and health coaches at 10 clinics in Chicago and Atlanta.
Hospital Closures Rattle Small Towns
More than 50 shuttered rural hospitals mean a loss of jobs and other commerce for municipalities and uncertain care for residents.
States Simplify Medicaid Sign-Ups
Forty-nine states now take Medicaid applications by phone and 49 also accept online applications, reports the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Hispanic Children’s Uninsured Rate Hits Record Low, Study Finds
About 300,000 Hispanic children gained insurance in 2014 from 2013, dropping the number of uninsured to 1.7 million, researchers said, and two-thirds of 1.7 million uninsured Hispanic kids live in five states.
A Third Of Ga. Pediatricians Join Together To Form Network To Improve Care
The new physician-led network will allow pediatricians to improve care for Georgia children by sharing best practice standards and expand their billing options for insurance, advocates say.
