Politicians Hop Aboard ‘Medicare-For-All’ Train, Destination Unknown
By Elisabeth Rosenthal and Shefali Luthra
October 22, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Candidates are charging toward midterm elections on a platform of single-payer and universal coverage rhetoric. Yet “Medicare-for-all” and single-payer mean different things to different people.
Could A So-Called Baseball-Style Of Arbitration Work As A Solution To Settling Surprise Medical Bills?
February 8, 2019
Morning Briefing
One possible way to solve the debate over how to end surprise medical billing disputes is make it a loser pays system with a neutral arbitrator. Each side would submit a price, and the arbiter chooses one. Both sides are bound by the decision, while patients’ charges for out-of-network care are limited to what they would owe to in-network providers. By forcing an arbiter to pick an offer, rather than forging a compromise, both parties are, in theory, encouraged to moderate their bids.
As Medicare Enrollment Nears, Popular Price Comparison Tool Is Missing
By Susan Jaffe
October 8, 2019
KFF Health News Original
For more than a decade, customers used the online plan finder to compare dozens of policies. Yet after a redesign of the website, the search results no longer list which plan offers a customer the best value. Federal officials say it will be fixed before enrollment begins next week.
When Credit Scores Become Casualties Of Health Care
By Shefali Luthra
May 9, 2018
KFF Health News Original
The complexity of health insurance coverage rules, along with market trends that leave consumers open to more out-of-pocket costs, lead to mounting medical debt for consumers.
‘We Vape, We Vote’: How Vaping Crackdowns Are Politicizing Vapers
By Rachel Bluth and Lauren Weber
October 10, 2019
KFF Health News Original
In response to the crackdowns on vaping, those who use or sell the e-cigarette products are mobilizing. Touting the “We Vape, We Vote” slogan, this burgeoning movement is positioning itself to be a factor in 2020 elections.
The Eye-Popping Price Tags On Life-Saving Air Ambulance Rides Are Spiking Despite States’ Efforts To Rein In Costs
March 22, 2019
Morning Briefing
Sixty-nine percent of the 20,700 air ambulance transports–which cost up to $40,600–taken in 2017 by privately insured patients were out of network, meaning that the costs may not be fully covered, a Government Accountability Office report finds. And it will only get worse: Companies have hiked their prices by 60 percent, despite states’ efforts to put controls in place. In other health care costs news: the price tag on treating sepsis, surprise medical bills, and what the U.S. is spending on health care.
Readers And Tweeters: Are Millennials Killing The Primary Care Doctor?
October 26, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
California Requires Suicide Prevention Phone Number On Student IDs
By Mark Kreidler
August 30, 2019
KFF Health News Original
The new law, a response to escalating suicide rates among teens, is intended to ensure students know that immediate help is available if they need it.
Coming Out About Mental Health On Social Media
By Tarena Lofton
August 26, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Talking about your mental health on social media is a thing, and it could actually help.
Insurers Can Bend Out-Of-Network Rules For Patients Who Need Specific Doctors
By Michelle Andrews
August 15, 2017
KFF Health News Original
Individuals who require very specialized care for their health are advised to make their case when a plan doesn’t cover their doctor.
When Caring For A Sick Spouse Shakes A Marriage To The Core
By Judith Graham
November 7, 2019
KFF Health News Original
A long illness creates a real risk: that the relationship will be undermined and essential emotional connections lost.
Need A Medical Procedure? Pick The Right Provider And Get Cash Back
By Julie Appleby
March 5, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Incentives to encourage health care consumers to shop around gain momentum as a means to rein in spending.
Even Going To In-Network Hospitals Can Land You With A Big Medical Bill
August 14, 2018
Morning Briefing
When patients go to an in-network facility, they can still be treated by an out-of-network medical professional–anesthesia or pathology claims being among the most common.
Which Was Worse: The Bachelor Party Hangover Or The Hangover From The ER Bill?
By Markian Hawryluk
September 19, 2019
KFF Health News Original
One groom’s bachelor party hangover illustrates how emergency room bills have become major headaches for many Americans.
Uber And Lyft Ride-Sharing Services Hitch Onto Medicaid
By Phil Galewitz
September 26, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Ride-sharing companies promise better service for enrollees and lower costs for states. But the services are not for everyone on Medicaid.
‘Holy Cow’ Moment Changes How Montana’s State Health Plan Does Business
By Julie Appleby
June 20, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Other states are watching to see if controlling how much hospitals get paid can continue to hold down costs in “Big Sky Country.”
‘The System Is Failing’: More Than Half Of Americans Have Received A Surprise Medical Bill Despite Transparency Efforts
August 31, 2018
Morning Briefing
Out-of-network services end up costing patients big. And as insurance designs become more complicated with more tiered or narrow networks, medical bills are only going to get more tricky.
A Transgender Woman’s ‘Bait-And-Switch’ $92,000 Surgery Bill
By Emmarie Huetteman
July 26, 2018
KFF Health News Original
After being promised a significant discount for paying cash upfront and forgoing insurance, a Wisconsin patient gets caught in the middle between hospital and insurer — and feels snookered by a last-minute surprise and billing snafu.
‘Time’s Up’: Covered California Takes Aim At Hospital C-Section Rates
By April Dembosky
May 24, 2018
KFF Health News Original
Starting in less than two years, if state hospitals haven’t met targets for safety and quality, they’ll risk being excluded from the “in-network” designation of health plans sold on the state’s insurance exchange.