Insurance, Coverage and Costs: July 21, 2022
His-and-Hers Cataract Surgeries, But His Bill Was 20 Times as Much
Angela Hart and Heidi de Marco
Whether a simple operation is performed under the auspices of a hospital or at an independent surgery center can make a huge difference in cost.
How to Get Rid of Medical Debt — Or Avoid It in the First Place
Yuki Noguchi, NPR News
Medical bills can add stress to the already stressful experience of dealing with a medical crisis. And if you can’t pay those bills, they can linger, wreaking havoc on your financial goals and credit. Here’s how to protect yourself.
In America, Cancer Patients Endure Debt on Top of Disease
Noam N. Levey
Medical breakthroughs mean cancer is less likely to kill, but survival can come at an extraordinary cost as patients drain savings, declare bankruptcy, or lose their homes, a KHN-NPR investigation finds.
Listen: Why Medical Debt Touches Every Corner of America
KHN senior correspondent Noam N. Levey joined WBEZ and Wisconsin Public Radio to talk about medical debt and health care costs in the U.S.
Listen: He Was Denied Care Because He Owed His Doctor Less Than $100
NPR's "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" interview KHN's Noam N. Levey about the problem of crippling medical debt in America.
Government Watchdogs Attack Medicare Advantage for Denying Care and Overcharging
Fred Schulte
The Government Accountability Office and the Health and Human Services inspector general’s office say seniors enrolled in the program are suffering and taxpayers are getting bilked for billions of dollars a year.
‘An Arm and a Leg’: One ER Doctor Grapples With the Inequities of American Health Care
Dan Weissmann
This episode is an interview with Dr. Thomas Fisher, author of "The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago ER."
Medi-Cal’s Reliance on Prisoners to Make Cheaper Eyeglasses Proves Shortsighted
Colleen DeGuzman
In California, where inmates manufacture glasses for Medi-Cal, enrollees and providers can wait months for their orders. Now, state lawmakers are considering allowing clinics to order from private labs as well.
‘Free’ Screening? Know Your Rights to Get No-Cost Care
Julie Appleby
Even a decade in, the Affordable Care Act’s recommendations to simply cover preventive screening and care without cost sharing remain confusing and complex.
No-Bid Medicaid Contract for Kaiser Permanente Is Now California Law, but Key Details Are Missing
Bernard J. Wolfson
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill last month that authorizes a statewide Medicaid contract for HMO giant Kaiser Permanente. But details still need to be worked out in a memorandum of understanding.
Three Things to Know About Insurance Coverage for Abortion
Julie Appleby
Even before the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion, insurance coverage for the service varied widely. Now it’s become even more complex, with additional changes and court challenges to come.
Big Employers Are Offering Abortion Benefits. Will the Information Stay Safe?
Darius Tahir
Work-based benefits may expand access to abortion for people who live in areas where the service is unavailable, but experts warn that claiming benefits could create a paper trail for law enforcement officials to follow.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Life After ‘Roe’ Is … Confusing
A rapidly changing landscape for abortion has left patients, providers, employers, and lawmakers alike wondering what is and is not legal and what to do next. Meanwhile, Democrats in Congress have resumed negotiations on legislation to lower drug prices and, potentially, continue expanded insurance subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
California’s Public Health Tax Is Dead for the Year
Angela Hart
A ballot measure that would have taxed California millionaires to boost public health funding will not be on the November ballot. But the tech titans who bankrolled the effort say they are negotiating with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration to get more money without imposing new taxes.
Patients With Epilepsy Navigate Murky Unregulated CBD Industry
Eric Berger
The FDA has approved a cannabis-derived drug, Epidiolex, to treat some forms of epilepsy. Now people who have other forms of the condition are using over-the-counter CBD products in hopes of taming their seizures. But doctors and patients worry about the unregulated world of CBD, in which product ingredients can be a mystery.
Trump’s Legacy Looms Large as Colorado Aims to Close the Hispanic Insurance Gap
Rae Ellen Bichell and Markian Hawryluk
Hispanic residents have long been among the least likely to have health insurance — in Colorado and across the country — in part because of unauthorized immigrants. The state is expanding coverage to some of them, although the change runs up against lingering fears about the use of public benefits.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The FDA Goes After Nicotine
The FDA is using its power to regulate tobacco products — ordering the vaping device Juul off the market and announcing its intention to lower the amount of nicotine in cigarettes and other products. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court rules on Medicare and kidney dialysis, and Congress makes progress on legislation surrounding guns and mental health. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Noam N. Levey about the new KHN-NPR project on the growing impact of medical debt.
Biden’s FTC Has Blocked 4 Hospital Mergers and Is Poised to Thwart More Consolidation Attempts
Harris Meyer
The president has directed the Federal Trade Commission to carefully consider health industry mergers that may stymie competition and drive up prices. The new Democratic majority appears eager to look beyond traditional hospital consolidations to deals that involve products, services, or staffing.
FTC Official: Antitrust Push in Health Care Must Focus on a Merger’s ‘Human Impact’
Harris Meyer
Mark Seidman, an assistant director in the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, talks with KHN about efforts to police consolidation among hospitals and other health care providers.
Rural Hospital Rescue Program Is Met With Skepticism From Administrators
Sarah Jane Tribble and Tony Leys
A new federal rescue program that pays rural hospitals to shutter underused inpatient units and focus solely on emergency rooms and outpatient care hasn’t generated much interest yet.
Journalists Explain the Effects of ‘Dobbs’ Decision and New Insurer Price Transparency Rules
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
A Free-for-All From Readers and Tweeters, From Medical Debt to Homelessness
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Readers and Tweeters Weigh In on Medical Debt, the Obesity Epidemic, and Opioid Battles
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Tres cosas que hay que saber sobre la cobertura del seguro para abortos
Julie Appleby
Apenas una de las decenas de conflictos: el aborto puede estar cubierto por un plan de salud, pero si no hay proveedores disponibles, las pacientes no tienen acceso.
Cómo evitar, o deshacerse, de una deuda médica
Yuki Noguchi, NPR News
Más de 100 millones de personas en el país, con o sin seguro de salud, tienen deudas médicas. Saber navegar un complejo sistema de facturación y "trampas" puede ayudar a saldarlas sin caer en bancarrota, o evitarlas.
Pesa el legado de Trump, mientras Colorado busca zanjar la brecha del seguro de salud hispano
Rae Ellen Bichell and Markian Hawryluk
A nivel nacional y en Colorado, la proporción de personas sin seguro médico ha sido durante mucho tiempo significativamente más alta entre los hispanos que entre los residentes blancos, negros o asiáticos no hispanos.