Medicaid and the Uninsured: Oct. 27, 2022
Kids’ Mental Health Care Leaves Parents in Debt and in the Shadows
Yuki Noguchi, NPR News
A youth mental health crisis and a shortage of therapists and other care providers who take insurance are pushing many families into financial ruin. But it's rarely acknowledged as medical debt.
Campaigning Ramps Up as South Dakota Voters Decide on Medicaid Expansion
Arielle Zionts
A broad coalition of Medicaid expansion supporters faces off against a smaller group of opponents as early voting begins on a constitutional amendment that would increase coverage under South Dakota’s program.
As Giant Hospitals Get Bigger, an Independent Doctor Feels the Pinch
Fred Clasen-Kelly
Independent medical practices keep closing as doctors join behemoth hospital groups or leave the field. Research suggests that’s bad news for patients. Studies repeatedly conclude that consolidation in the health care industry is driving up costs while showing no clear evidence of improved care.
‘Separate and Unequal’: Critics Say Newsom’s Pricey Medicaid Reforms Leave Most Patients Behind
Angela Hart
MLK Community Hospital in South Los Angeles is surrounded by poverty, homeless encampments, and food deserts. Even though California Gov. Gavin Newsom is funneling billions of taxpayer money into an ambitious initiative to provide some low-income patients with social services, hospital executives and other critics say it won’t improve access to basic care.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Looking Ahead to the Lame-Duck Session
Congress won’t be back in Washington until after Election Day, but lawmakers have left themselves a long list of items to finish up in November and December, including unfinished health care policies. Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call; Jessie Hellmann, also of CQ Roll Call; and Mary Agnes Carey of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Sam Whitehead, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a family who tried to use urgent care to save money, but ended up with a big emergency room bill anyway.
Don’t Drill Your Own Teeth! And Quashing Other Rotten Dental Advice on TikTok
Chaseedaw Giles
TikTok videos extol doing your own cosmetic dentistry like gluing gems to your front teeth or filing down your teeth. The trouble is social media rarely shows the mistakes or the pain.
Say What? Hearing Aids Available Over-the-Counter for as Low as $199, and Without a Prescription
Phil Galewitz
The cheaper over-the-counter aids are for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss — a market of tens of millions of people, many of whom have until now been priced out because prescription devices can cost thousands of dollars.