Uncertainty Over Health Care’s Future Hobbles Entrepreneurs
Alex Smith, KCUR
The Affordable Care Act gave some Americans the chance to strike out on their own in new business ventures because they didn't have to worry about keeping a job just for health insurance. But the repeal-and-replace efforts reignited this week create uncertainty about whether they can count on that insurance option in the future.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Zombie Repeal-And-Replace Bill Rises Again
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss Senate Republicans’ last-ditch effort to upend the Affordable Care Act ahead of a Sept. 30 deadline.
Last-Ditch Effort By Republicans To Replace ACA: What You Need To Know
Julie Rovner
Republicans are making a concerted push to unite around a bill sponsored by Sens. Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy that would gut major provisions of the federal health law.
In Stark Contrast To ACA Plans, Premiums For Job-Based Coverage Show Modest Rise
Phil Galewitz
Employers report the sixth consecutive year of small increases, but workers at small firms feel the biggest pinch, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation survey.
Bemoaning Budget Cuts, Navigators Say Feds Don’t Appreciate Scope Of The Job
Michelle Andrews
The Trump administration has dramatically trimmed money for the groups that help people enroll in marketplace plans, but those navigators say federal officials have unrealistic assessments of the tasks involved.
High On Drugs? Anthem Cites Soaring Drug Costs To Justify 35% Rate Hike in California
Chad Terhune
The company’s drug spending prediction, far above other insurers in the individual market, has experts scratching their heads. Anthem cites market volatility.
Without Price Breaks, Rural Hospitals Struggle To Stock Costly, Lifesaving Drugs
Sarah Jane Tribble
A federal drug program blocks rural hospitals from getting discounts on rare-disease drugs, forcing staff to cut back on supplies of lifesaving medicines.
Narrow Networks Get Even Tighter When Shopping For Mental Health Specialists
Michelle Andrews
The average provider network includes only 11 percent of all the mental health care providers in a given market, according to a study this month in the journal Health Affairs.
Nursing Home Disaster Plans Often Faulted As ‘Paper Tigers’
Jordan Rau
Too often enforcement of rules for dealing with crisis is lax, advocates for nursing home residents say.
Money-Saving Offer For Medicare’s Late Enrollees Is Expiring. Can They Buy Time?
Susan Jaffe
Sept. 30 marks the end of Medicare’s temporary offer to waive penalties for certain late Medicare enrollees with Affordable Care Act insurance coverage.
To Wage War On Superbugs, FDA Clears Way For Scope With A Disposable Piece
Chad Terhune
Agency says a removable cap will lower the risk of antibiotic resistant infections but some experts see it as a modest step in curbing the sort of deadly outbreaks that occurred a few years ago.
Trump’s Deadline On ‘Dreamers’ Reverberates Through Health Industries
Carmen Heredia Rodriguez and Ana B. Ibarra
From medical students to home health aides, the loss of DACA could deal a blow to the health care workforce, industry leaders suggest.
Open Your Mouth And Say Goo-Goo: Dentists Treating Ever-Younger Patients
Laurie Udesky
A shift in dental guidelines encourages first dental visits for infants as young as 6 months, or when the first baby teeth emerge. That makes some dentists uncomfortable.
Caregivers Draw Support By Mapping Their Relationships
Judith Graham
Innovative CareMaps tool helps caregivers understand their roles and take steps to improve their lives.
As Care Shifts From Hospital To Home, Guarding Against Infection Falls To Families
Melissa Bailey
Despite a lack of medical training, relatives increasingly are assigned complex, risky medical tasks at home, such as maintaining catheters. If done incorrectly, blood clots, infections, even death can result.