Must-Reads Of The Week
KHN executive editor Damon Darlin wades through mounds of health care policy stories — so you don’t have to.
North Carolina
261-280 of 286 results
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Telehealth Will Be Free, No Copays, They Said. But Angry Patients Are Getting Billed.
Politicians pledged to stop providers from charging for video appointments or telephone calls, but some patients are being charged $70 or $80 per virtual visit.
By Jay Hancock -
Dental Shock: Six Pulled Teeth And One Unexpected Bill
One woman's experience with the high cost of dental care and confusing Medicare coverage offers a teachable moment for other consumers. Her small church took up a collection, but the surprise bill — four times what she expected to pay — was sent to collections.
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Appendicitis Is Painful — Add A $41,212 Surgery Bill To The Misery
A young man averted medical disaster after a friend took him to the nearest hospital just before his appendix burst. But more than a year later, he’s still facing a $28,000 balance bill for his out-of-network surgery.
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Medicaid Tweak Might Offer Means To Improve U.S. Maternal Health
Many pregnant women lose health coverage shortly after delivery. Democratic presidential candidates are eyeing the issue, and some experts say making Medicaid more accessible to new moms could be an answer.
By Rachel Bluth -
How The Eastern Cherokee Took Control Of Their Health Care
An innovative hospital run by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina showcases an alternative model of health care that could have lessons for other tribal communities and beyond.
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Trying To Protect Seniors, The Most Vulnerable, From Formidable Foe Florence
With Hurricane Florence predicted to slam the Southeast's coastline Friday, health officials scramble to dodge the storm and keep older residents safe.
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Can A Community Hospital Stay True To Its Mission After Sale To Large Corporation?
After 130 years as a nonprofit with deep roots in western North Carolina, Mission Health announced in March that it was seeking to be bought by HCA Healthcare, the nation’s largest for-profit hospital chain.
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Male OB-GYNs Are Growing Rare. Is That A Problem?
Nationally, women outnumber men as specialists in obstetrics and gynecology — yet women remain underrepresented in leadership roles. Many OB-GYN patients say they prefer female doctors, as residency programs strive for diversity in race, ethnicity and even gender.
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Money For Health Law Navigators Slashed — Except Where It’s Not
Two states, North and South Carolina, have very different outlooks since the Trump administration cut funding for the people who help others sign up for health insurance.
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REPEAL & REPLACE WATCH
Parents Of Ill Children Worry About Return Of ‘Lifetime Limits’ In GOP Health Bill
Current law requires all health insurance sold on the exchanges to cover 10 essential benefits — with no annual or lifetime limits to reimbursement. But the GOP plan might let states reinstate limits.
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Unable To Arrest Opioid Epidemic, Red States Warm To Needle Exchanges
The North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition has advanced a local shift from a tough-on-drugs approach to harm-reduction philosophy. Other red states signal they may follow suit.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
What Made Obamacare Succeed In Some States? Hint: It’s Not Politics
A study of five states looks at the market conditions that make or break the health insurance marketplaces set up by the Affordable Care Act.
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Long-Term, Reversible Contraception Gains Traction With Young Women
Implants and intrauterine devices are endorsed by pediatricians, OB-GYNs and health officials as a way to help girls and women space their pregnancies and reduce the risk of having a premature baby.
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A Young Woman Dies, A Teen Is Saved After Amoebas Infect The Brain
In Florida, perfect timing and alert medical staff saved a teen from almost certain death. But in North Carolina, one young woman died of an amoeba infection after rafting at a popular tourist site.
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Students Fill A Gap In Mental Health Care For Immigrants
Latinos who've recently arrived in the U.S. often have poor access to health care, mental health treatment in particular. UNC Charlotte is among several universities trying to change that.
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For Substance Abusers, Recovery-Oriented Care May Show The Way To A Productive Life
Advocates emphasize peer support and community reintegration for people with behavioral health problems.
By Taylor Sisk -
Fix For VA Health Snarls Veterans And Doctors In New Bureaucracy
A program that was supposed to help veterans see doctors closer to home more quickly is not fulfilling its promise.
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United’s Departure From Marketplaces Could Impact Consumers’ Costs, Access
Florida and Oklahoma counties are among the hardest hit by UnitedHealthcare's pullout from health law exchanges.
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As Rural Hospitals Struggle, Some Opt To Close Labor And Delivery Units
Facilities for delivering babies are costly to run and hard to staff, so some small, rural hospitals are closing them, forcing pregnant women to travel for care.