The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
Many have complicated questions about whether their Medicaid or Medicare coverage can shift to their new homes. And for those seeking private insurance, using the ACA’s insurance marketplaces will likely be a new experience.
The painful condition caused by the chickenpox virus will strike 1 in 3 Americans during their lifetimes — most between ages 60 and 70, but those in their 50s have reason to arm themselves.
The federal agents warned store owners that importing drugs from foreign countries is illegal and that those helping “administer” such medicines could face penalties.
This controversial center created by the Affordable Care Act has a Canadian fan base even as it is at risk in the U.S.
“‘Fingers crossed’ that I haven’t authorized something the FTC will hunt me down for,” a staffer wrote after destroying the documents. Sutter, a huge Northern California Health system with 24 hospitals, said it destroyed them by mistake.
Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo discuss the inclusion of health policies into the current tax cut debate, including a possible repeal of the fines for people who fail to maintain health insurance.
Only 48 percent of kids ages 10 to 17 have well-child visits, even though the federal health law requires insurers to pick up the entire tab, a study finds.
Nonetheless, federal officials report sign-ups are robust so far this year.
Medical debt is down across the country. In states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, the reduction is sharper.
Medicare is examining how rebates and discounts could be shared in some way with Part D beneficiaries to reduce their out-of-pocket costs.
Many states have adopted strong consumer regulations, but they don’t protect the millions of Americans with a specific type of job-based coverage.
What being old and sick in America can mean — and ways to navigate the often treacherous journey through the system.
The Department of Managed Health Care cited one example in which consumers and advocates had to call the insurer 22 times to contest a decision. Still, the complaint still was not resolved until the department became involved.
State regulators and insurers are looking into SynerMed, which medical groups depend upon to handle their finances and business operations. The groups, serving 1 million patients, fear a messy fallout.
A handful of Silicon Valley start-ups are trying to usher medical billing into the 21st century by creating smartphone apps to help consumers navigate their health insurance paperwork.
A complex set of psychological and social factors are now propelling women to break their silence about sexual harassment.
The recent announcement by a top administration official that the federal government will entertain requests to implement work requirements for many adult Medicaid enrollees has raised concerns among advocates for the program.
The retroactive payments provide protection for poor patients who can be enrolled in Medicaid after becoming seriously ill. That enrollment process takes time, and the look-back provision helps guarantee coverage they would have been entitled to if they had enrolled earlier.
Doctors and pharmacists in Northern California are emulating drug company sales reps with a fresh purpose in mind: They visit medical offices in the hardest-hit counties to change their peers’ prescribing habits and curtail the use of painkillers.
The two FDA-approved manufacturers of the vaccine, hit by an unexpected spike in demand, have had difficulty keeping pace. In San Diego County, home to the deadliest outbreak in the nation, officials are postponing a campaign to give at-risk residents the second of two doses.
