Weekly Edition: October 9-13, 2017
Trump’s Order Advances GOP Go-To Ideas To Broaden Insurance Choices, Curb Costs
Julie Appleby
But the approaches are not new and critics worry that these changes will leave some consumers with skimpier plans that expose them to high medical bills.
Facebook Live: Things To Know About Trump’s Directive On Health Insurance
In this Facebook Live, KHN’s Julie Appleby answers questions about President Donald Trump’s executive order regarding insurance.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ Let’s Blow It Up
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Sarah Kliff of Vox and Julie Appleby of Kaiser Health News discuss the Trump administration’s latest efforts to undermine the individual insurance market.
Anthem Eases Up On Premium Hikes After State Scrutiny
Chad Terhune
After regulators questioned Anthem’s forecast for medical costs, the company agreed to reduce rate hikes on its individual and small-business health plans next year, saving customers an estimated $114 million.
California Slaps Surcharge On ACA Plans As Trump Remains Coy On Subsidies
Chad Terhune
Covered California authorized a 12.4 percent average surcharge on silver-tier plans, the second-least expensive option sold on the exchange. It brings the total average premium increase on those plans to nearly 25 percent next year.
Overlooked By ACA: Many People Paying Full Price For Insurance ‘Getting Slammed’
Julie Rovner
For several million consumers who buy their own insurance but earn too much to qualify for subsidies, the ever-growing price of premiums takes a big toll.
Social Security Giveth, Medical Costs Taketh Away
Michelle Andrews
Out-of-pocket health costs eat up about 18 percent of retirees' incomes.
Giving Birth Is Hard Enough. Try It In The Middle Of A Wildfire.
April Dembosky, KQED
Moms-to-be in labor had to be evacuated from Santa Rosa hospitals in the midst of the California wildfires.
Dementia Patient At Center of Spoon-Feeding Controversy Dies
JoNel Aleccia
Nora Harris, 64, who had early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, raised questions about the power — and limits — of an advance directive to withdraw care.
Patients, Health Insurers Challenge Iowa’s Privatized Medicaid
Clay Masters, Iowa Public Radio
Complaints are rising against for-profit insurance companies that manage Medicaid for about 600,000 Iowans. The privatization of Medicaid is a national trend affecting more than half of the 74 million Americans who get their health care through the state-federal program.
Social Media Is Harming The Minds Of Our Youth, Right? Maybe Not.
Natalie Jacewicz
The harmful effects of all those hours on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are well-documented. But lesser-known research shows that social media use may also provide mental health benefits.
New Law Challenges ‘Evils’ Of Pharma Profits, California Governor Claims
April Dembosky, KQED
Gov. Jerry Brown signed the measure, which takes effect next year and will require drug companies to publicly justify big price increases.
Video: Health After A Hurricane
In this Kaiser Health News video conversation, senior correspondent Julie Appleby and Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association, hold a wide-ranging discussion about the continuing public and environmental health issues resulting from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, as well as other natural disasters such as the wildfires ravaging California.
Long-Term Disability Insurance Gets Little Attention But Can Pay Off Big Time
Michelle Andrews
People who become disabled because of accident, injury or illness can turn to long-term disability insurance to pay a portion of their income.
In Oregon, End-of-Life Wishes Are Just A Click Away
JoNel Aleccia
A new link creates two-way access to the state registry that documents the type of medical care sick and frail patients want — or refuse.
Training New Doctors Right Where They’re Needed
Ana B. Ibarra and Heidi de Marco
Eight teaching centers in California aim to train and retain doctors in medically underserved areas such as California’s Central Valley. They are among 57 such institutions across the country that may soon receive a boost in funding from Congress.
Your Grandma’s Guide To Grass: Calif. Rolls Out Website To Cut Through Cannabis Haze
Ana B. Ibarra
Many Californians have been using pot for years, legally and illegally. But newbies, even Grandma, might benefit from a website that contains warnings about the risks.