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Complaints About Gaps in Medicare Advantage Networks Are Common. Federal Enforcement Is Rare.

By Susan Jaffe November 20, 2025 KFF Health News Original

Health systems drop out of Medicare Advantage plans all the time. Yet government documents obtained by KFF Health News show that federal regulators rarely warn plans that their networks of health providers are so skimpy they violate legal requirements.

When a Quick Telehealth Visit Yields Multiple Surprises Beyond a Big Bill

By Darius Tahir December 19, 2023 KFF Health News Original

For the patient, it was a quick and inexpensive virtual appointment. Why it cost 10 times what she expected became a mystery.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: The Government Is Open

November 13, 2025 Podcast

The record-long federal shutdown is over after a small group of Democrats agreed to a deal with most Republicans that funds the government through January — but, notably, does not extend more generous Affordable Care Act tax credits. Plus, new details are emerging about how the Trump administration is using the Medicaid program to advance its policy goals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.

As Insurance Prices Rise, Families Puzzle Over Options

By Lynn Arditi January 16, 2026 KFF Health News Original

Millions of middle-class Americans who have Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are facing soaring premium payments in 2026. Some people are contemplating big life changes to deal with new rates that kicked in on Jan. 1.

Emergency Physicians Decry Surprise Air-Ambulance Bills

By Molly Castle Work March 27, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Emergency room doctors say insurers are increasingly declining to cover costly air-ambulance rides for critically ill patients, claiming they aren’t medically necessary. And the National Association of EMS Physicians says the No Surprises Act, enacted in 2022, is partly to blame. The law protects patients from many out-of-network medical bills by requiring insurers and providers […]

Scorpion Peppers Caused Him ‘Crippling’ Pain. Two Years Later, the ER Bill Stung Him Again.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal December 19, 2025 KFF Health News Original

Homemade hot sauce sent a Colorado man to the emergency room with what he called “the worst pain of my life.” But stomach cramps were only the beginning. Two years later, the bill came.

Readers Call on Congress to Bolster Medicare and Fix Loopholes in Health Policy

February 29, 2024 KFF Health News Original

KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

How Your In-Network Health Coverage Can Vanish Before You Know It

By Elisabeth Rosenthal March 15, 2024 KFF Health News Original

One of the most unfair aspects of medical insurance is this: Patients can change insurance only during end-of-year enrollment periods or at the time of “qualifying life events.” But insurers’ contracts with doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies can change abruptly at any time.

To Knock Down Health-System Hurdles Between You and HIV Prevention, Try These 6 Things

By Zach Dyer Illustrations by Oona Zenda January 5, 2026 KFF Health News Original

It’s been more than 10 years since the FDA first approved an HIV prevention drug. Today, people who could benefit from preexposure prophylaxis often struggle to access the lifesaving medicine or run into doctors without the education or empathy to offer affirming care. And those lapses can produce billing headaches.

Your Doctor or Your Insurer? Little-Known Rules May Ease the Choice in Medicare Advantage

By Susan Jaffe March 29, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Disputes between hospitals and Medicare Advantage plans are leading to entire hospital systems suddenly leaving insurance networks. Patients are left stuck in the middle, choosing between their doctors and their insurance plan. There’s a way out.

Medical Organizations Push Back On Anthem’s Out-Of-Network Policy

November 18, 2025 Morning Briefing

Anthem’s plan would punish hospitals and outpatient facilities for using out-of-network providers. Also in health industry news: Sutter Health announces plans for a California hospital; which hospitals will take the hardest hits from the Medicaid cuts; and more.

Readers Take Congress to Task and Offer Their Own Health Policy Fixes

November 12, 2025 KFF Health News Original

KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

In New York, Providers Must Put Patient Costs on the Table

By Michelle Andrews March 20, 2025 KFF Health News Original

The governor’s fiscal year 2026 budget revises a law designed to limit unexpected bills that can put people at risk for unfair medical billing practices and reduce medical debt. Consumer groups say it doesn’t go far enough.

She Had a Broken Arm, No Insurance — And a $97,000 Bill

By Katheryn Houghton September 24, 2025 KFF Health News Original

Deborah Buttgereit knew piecing together the broken bone in her elbow would be expensive. But complications the doctor deemed a surprise, midsurgery, drove the total bill tens of thousands of dollars above the original estimate.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: Arizona Turns Back the Clock on Abortion Access

April 11, 2024 Podcast

A week after the Florida Supreme Court said the state could enforce an abortion ban passed in 2023, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that state could enforce a near-total ban passed in 1864 — over a half-century before Arizona became a state. The move further scrambled the abortion issue for Republicans and posed an immediate quandary for former President Donald Trump, who has been seeking an elusive middle ground in the polarized debate. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Molly Castle Work, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about an air-ambulance ride for an infant with RSV that his insurer deemed not medically necessary.

Toddler’s Backyard Snakebite Bills Totaled More Than a Quarter Million Dollars

By Jackie Fortiér October 30, 2024 KFF Health News Original

For snakebite victims, antivenom is critical — and costly. It took more than $200,000 worth of antivenom to save one toddler’s life after he was bitten by a rattlesnake.

Readers Scrutinize Federal Cuts and Medical Debt

May 12, 2025 KFF Health News Original

KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

In Vermont, Where Almost Everyone Has Insurance, Many Can’t Find or Afford Care

By Phil Galewitz November 6, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Vermont has one of the lowest uninsured rates in the U.S., even though its residents pay some of the highest health insurance costs. Still, most of its hospitals are losing money and patients often face long waits for care.

Expectant Mom Needed $15,000 Overnight to Save Her Twins

By Renuka Rayasam April 27, 2023 KFF Health News Original

Doctors rushed a pregnant woman to a surgeon who charged thousands upfront just to see her. The case reveals a gap in medical billing protections for those with rare, specialized conditions.

Los Angeles County Launches Ambitious Plan To Tackle Medical Debt. Hospitals Groan.

By Molly Castle Work May 23, 2024 KFF Health News Original

Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous county, is spearheading a comprehensive plan to tackle a $2.9 billion medical debt crisis. Hospitals are still getting on board with the project, which is helmed by the public health department.

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