Insurance, Coverage, and Costs: Feb. 29, 2024

Without Medicare Part B’s Shield, Patient’s Family Owes $81,000 for a Single Air-Ambulance Flight
By Tony Leys Sky-high bills from air-ambulance providers have sparked complaints and federal action in recent years. But a rural Tennessee resident fell through the cracks of billing protections — and a single helicopter ride could cost much of her estate's value.

Hacking at UnitedHealth Unit Cripples a Swath of the US Health System: What to Know
By Darius Tahir Change Healthcare, a firm recently bought by insurance giant UnitedHealth Group, reportedly suffered a cyberattack. The company processes 14 billion transactions annually, including payments and requests for insurance authorizations.

Say That Again: Using Hearing Aids Can Be Frustrating for Older Adults, but Necessary
By Judith Graham Hearing loss is more than a nuisance. It also raises the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, falls, depression, and social isolation.

If You’re Poor, Fertility Treatment Can Be Out of Reach
By Michelle Andrews For low-income people who are on Medicaid or whose employer health plan is skimpy, help for infertility seems unattainable.

In California, Faceoff Between Major Insurer and Health System Shows Hazards of Consolidation
By Annie Sciacca Even as Anthem Blue Cross and University of California Health announced a contract agreement this month, analysts say patients are increasingly at risk of being affected by such disputes.

GoFundMe Has Become a Health Care Utility
By Elisabeth Rosenthal Resorting to crowdfunding to pay medical bills has become so routine, in some cases health professionals recommend it.

An Arm and a Leg: Wait, Is Insulin Cheaper Now?
By Dan Weissmann Did the price of insulin go down? It’s not quite that simple. On this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” producer Emily Pisacreta explores recent changes to the cost of the diabetes medication.

Southern Lawmakers Rethink Long-Standing Opposition to Medicaid Expansion
By Daniel Chang and Andy Miller While many Republican state lawmakers remain firmly against Medicaid expansion, some key leaders in holdout states are showing a willingness to reconsider. Public opinion, financial incentives, and widening health care needs make resistance harder.

Patients See First Savings From Biden’s Drug Price Push, as Pharma Lines Up Its Lawyers
By Arthur Allen A restructuring of the Medicare drug benefit has wiped out big drug bills for people who need expensive medicines. But the legal battle over drug negotiations means uncertainty over long-term savings.

For the Love of Health Care and Health Policy
KFF Health News shares the crème de la crème of reader-submitted health policy valentines. Two of our favorites melted our hearts and inspired original illustrations.

In Fight Over Medicare Payments, the Hospital Lobby Shows Its Strength
By Phil Galewitz and Colleen DeGuzman Medicare pays hospitals about double what it pays other providers for the same services. The hospital lobby is fighting hard to make sure a switch to "site-neutral payments” doesn't become law.

States Target Health Insurers’ ‘Prior Authorization’ Red Tape
By Bram Sable-Smith Doctors, patients, and hospitals have railed for years about the prior authorization processes that health insurers use to decide whether they’ll pay for patients’ drugs or medical procedures. The Biden administration announced a crackdown in January, but some state lawmakers are looking to go further.

Halfway Through ‘Unwinding,’ Medicaid Enrollment Is Down About 10 Million
By Phil Galewitz While more Medicaid beneficiaries have been purged in the span of a year than ever before, enrollment is on track to settle at pre-pandemic levels.

Is Housing Health Care? State Medicaid Programs Increasingly Say ‘Yes’
By Angela Hart States are using their Medicaid programs to offer poor and sick people housing services, such as paying six months’ rent or helping hunt for apartments. The trend comes in response to a growing homelessness epidemic, but experts caution this may not be the best use of limited health care money.

Readers Call on Congress to Bolster Medicare and Fix Loopholes in Health Policy
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

¿Ofrecer vivienda gratis es atención médica? Programas de Medicaid dicen que sí
By Angela Hart Estados están invirtiendo miles de millones de dólares en un experimento de atención médica de alto riesgo: utilizar fondos ya escasos de seguros de salud públicos para proporcionar vivienda a los estadounidenses más pobres y enfermos.

Cerca de 10 millones ya perdieron Medicaid, y todavía faltan meses de purga
By Phil Galewitz Medicaid y el Programa de Seguro de Salud Infantil crecieron hasta alcanzar un récord de 94 millones de inscritos durante la pandemia.