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Ever Heard of a Surgical Assistant? Meet a New Boost to Your Medical Bills

By Markian Hawryluk July 22, 2020 KFF Health News Original

A college student’s bill for outpatient knee surgery is a whopper — $96K — but the most mysterious part is a $1,167 charge from a health care provider she didn’t even know was in the operating room.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Fact-Checking President Trump’s State Of The Union

February 6, 2020 KFF Health News Original

President Donald Trump spent a good deal of time on health issues in his State of the Union address, but not everything he said checks out. Meanwhile, Iowa Democrats heading into the caucuses said health is their top issue, but it’s hard to see how that played out in their actual choices. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN’s Julie Appleby and NPR’s Selena Simmons-Duffin about the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.

How ERs Fail Patients With Addiction: One Patient’s Tragic Death

By Aneri Pattani July 15, 2021 KFF Health News Original

Two intractable failings of the U.S. health care system — addiction treatment and medical costs — come to a head in the ER, where patients desperate for addiction treatment arrive, only to find the facility may not be equipped to deal with substance use or, if they are, treatment is prohibitively expensive.

Under Pressure, Montana Hospital Considers Adding Psych Beds Amid a Shortage

By Katheryn Houghton September 14, 2021 KFF Health News Original

A hospital in Bozeman, Montana, is considering whether to add inpatient psychiatric care after a concerted push from mental health advocates. But even if it adds beds, hospitals across Montana provide a cautionary tale: finding enough workers to staff such beds is its own challenge, and some behavioral health units routinely reach capacity.

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Is Open Season for Scammers

By Susan Jaffe November 11, 2021 KFF Health News Original

Medicare officials say complaints are rising from seniors lured into private plans with misleading information or enrolled without their consent. In response, officials have threatened to penalize the private companies selling Medicare Advantage and drug plans if they or agents working on their behalf mislead consumers.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Delta Changes the Covid Conversation

July 22, 2021 KFF Health News Original

With covid cases on the upswing again around the country, partisan division remains over how to address the pandemic. Meanwhile, the Biden administration proposes bigger penalties for hospitals that fail to make their prices public as required. Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Tami Luhby of CNN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest their favorite stories of the week they think you should read, too.

You’ve Added Your Kids to Your Health Plan. What About Mom?

By Samantha Young May 13, 2021 KFF Health News Original

A bill in the California legislature would require state-regulated health plans to cover policyholders’ dependent parents. Advocates say the measure would reduce the number of uninsured people, while business groups warn of premium increases.

Veterans Push for Medical Marijuana in Conservative South

By Aneri Pattani August 13, 2021 KFF Health News Original

North Carolina claims to be the “Nation’s Most Military Friendly State.” Now veterans are trying to capitalize on this dedication to the troops to persuade lawmakers to pass medical marijuana legislation. It’s an advocacy model that has led to success for pro-cannabis efforts elsewhere.

Watch: Out-Of-Network Outrage After A $540K Charge For Dialysis

July 25, 2019 KFF Health News Original

CBS This Morning covers the highest KHN-NPR Bill of the Month yet: more than half a million dollars for just 14 weeks of kidney dialysis in Montana.

A Title Fight Pits Physician Assistants Against Doctors

By Jordan Rau December 3, 2021 KFF Health News Original

Physician assistants are pushing to be renamed “physician associates,” complaining their title is belittling and doesn’t convey what they do. “We don’t assist,” they insist. Doctors’ groups fear there’s more than just a name in play.

With Restrictions Tightening Elsewhere, California Moves to Make Abortion Cheaper

By Rachel Bluth June 7, 2021 KFF Health News Original

California lawmakers are debating a bill that would eliminate out-of-pocket costs that often prevent people from obtaining abortions, proponents say.

Wildfires and Omicron Prompt a Special Health Insurance Enrollment Period in Colorado

By Markian Hawryluk January 20, 2022 KFF Health News Original

Disasters have previously prompted special enrollment periods in California, Maine, and the South. Now, Colorado is extending the state insurance marketplace sign-up period by two months.

Dentists Chip Away at Uninsured Problem by Offering Patients Membership Plans

By Phil Galewitz September 17, 2021 KFF Health News Original

The plans are designed for people who don’t get dental coverage through their jobs and can’t afford an individual plan. For about $300 to $400 a year, patients receive certain preventive services at no charge and other procedures at a discount.

Health Care Unions Defending Newsom From Recall Will Want Single-Payer Payback

By Angela Hart September 13, 2021 KFF Health News Original

If Gov. Gavin Newsom survives Tuesday’s recall election, the health care unions that have campaigned on his behalf intend to pressure him to follow through on his promise to establish a government-run health system in California.

‘I Can Go Anywhere’: How Service Dogs Help Veterans With PTSD

By Stephanie O'Neill November 30, 2021 KFF Health News Original

The PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act means more veterans with symptoms of traumatic stress can get specially trained service dogs.

Pharma Campaign Cash Delivered to Key Lawmakers With Surgical Precision

By Victoria Knight and Rachana Pradhan and Elizabeth Lucas October 27, 2021 KFF Health News Original

With an eye to shutting down Medicare drug price negotiations, drug companies and their lobbying groups gave roughly $1.6 million in the first six months of 2021, with Democrats edging closer than they have in a decade to Republicans’ total haul.

Senate Democrats’ Plan Boosts Spending on Medicare, ACA Subsidies, Long-Term Care

By Michael McAuliff July 15, 2021 KFF Health News Original

The plan from high-wire negotiations would affect five key areas of health, but there will be further tense negotiations among Democratic lawmakers about specifics of the $3.5 trillion in funding. And all Senate Democrats will need to be behind the plan, because Republicans oppose it.

Lifting DC’s Strict Indoor Mask Mandate Triggers Mix of Confusion, Anxiety and Relief

By Amanda Michelle Gomez November 22, 2021 KFF Health News Original

Some business owners, wondering whether it’s too soon to ease the requirement, long for more guidance and support from the mayor.

Understaffed State Psychiatric Facilities Leave Mental Health Patients in Limbo

By Andy Miller October 26, 2021 KFF Health News Original

The pandemic has so seriously strained already tight state psychiatric hospitals in Georgia, Virginia, Texas and elsewhere that these facilities for the poorest and most vulnerable people with mental illness struggle to admit new patients.

State Laws Aim to Regulate ‘Troubled Teen Industry,’ but Loopholes Remain

By Cameron Evans January 21, 2022 KFF Health News Original

Without a federal law governing private, for-profit residential programs for children with behavioral problems, regulation has been left to the states. But even in states that have sought to increase oversight, deaths and controversial tactics such as seclusion still happen.

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