health costs 93020
With No Legal Guardrails for Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical Billing
Laura Ungar
Studies show that at least half of ground ambulance rides across the nation leave patients with “surprise” medical bills. And a $300-a-mile ride is not unusual. Yet federal legislation to stem what’s known as balance billing has largely ignored ambulance costs.
Obamacare Co-Ops Down From 23 to Final ‘3 Little Miracles’
Phil Galewitz
Once there were 23 of these nonprofit plans across 26 states; in January there will be only three, serving Maine, Wisconsin, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
Promises Kept? On Health Care, Trump’s Claims of ‘Monumental Steps’ Don’t Add Up
Julie Rovner and Phil Galewitz
The president entered office seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act, revamp Medicaid and drive down prescription drug prices, among other things. He’s hit some stone walls.
Luz, cámara… sin acción: problemas con el seguro de salud en Hollywood por COVID
Michelle Andrews
Los sindicatos de la industria del entretenimiento gerencian seguros de salud basados en las horas de trabajo, un problema en medio de una pandemia que paralizó las producciones.
Lights, Camera, No Action: Insurance Woes Beset Entertainment Industry Workers
Michelle Andrews
Many actors, directors, backstage workers and others in the entertainment industry are often eligible for health coverage through their unions, a model that some experts promote for other gig workers. But coverage is determined by past employment, and many of these professionals aren’t working because of the coronavirus.
‘An Arm and a Leg’: A Primer on Persisting in Difficult and Uncertain Times
Dan Weissmann
Laura Derrick’s personal fight for affordable health care eventually landed her in the middle of a historic political fight ― and a movement that transformed American health policy.
‘An Arm and a Leg’: She Tangled With Health Insurers for 25 Years — And Loved It
Dan Weissmann
When people had a health insurance headache, these two words were a relief: “Call Barbara.” No problem was too big, or too small, she’d fix it.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: It’s Scandal Week
President Donald Trump this week issued a prescription drug pricing order unlikely to lower drug prices, and he contradicted comments by his director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the need for mask-wearing and predictions for vaccine availability. Meanwhile, scandals erupted at the CDC, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Food and Drug Administration. And the number of people without health insurance grew in 2019, reported the Census Bureau, even while the economy soared. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: ACA in Peril With Ginsburg’s Seat in Play
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is giving new life to the latest constitutional challenge to the Affordable Care Act. It also places anti-abortion activists on the cusp of a court majority large enough to ensure the rollback of the right to abortion and, possibly, some types of birth control. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar tries to centralize power at the sprawling department plagued by miscommunications and scandals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Sarah Jane Tribble about her new podcast, “Where It Hurts,” debuting Sept. 29.
Heartbreaking Bills, Lawsuit and Bankruptcy — Even With Insurance
Laura Ungar
With health insurance that can leave him on the hook for more than a quarter of his salary every year, a Kentucky essential worker who has heart disease is one of millions of Americans who are functionally uninsured. At only 31, he has already been through bankruptcy and being sued by his hospital. This year, he faced a bill for more than $10,000.
Trump Approves Final Plan to Import Drugs From Canada ‘for a Fraction of the Price’
Phil Galewitz
The announcement clears the way for Florida and other states to implement a program bringing medications across the border to save money. The effort is strongly opposed by drugmakers and the Canadian government.
Trump’s Executive Order on Preexisting Conditions Lacks Teeth, Experts Say
Jon Greenberg, PolitiFact
President Donald Trump’s executive order says that people with preexisting conditions can get affordable insurance. But it doesn’t explain how.
The First Presidential Debate: A Night of Rapid-Fire Interruptions and Inaccuracies
Tuesday night's presidential debate offered voters their first side-by-side comparison of the candidates, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.