Cost Transparency Archives - Page 3 of 4

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Deciphering The Democrats’ Health Debate

Health care was a major topic at the Democratic presidential candidate debates in Detroit on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the focus on plan minutiae may have left viewers more confused than edified. Alice Ollstein of Politico, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Caitlin Owens of Axios join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the points made by the candidates plus a series of Trump administration health initiatives on drug prices and hospital shopping.

Aug. 1, 2019

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Dems Debate Health Care

Democratic presidential candidates disagreed on how to fix health care in their first debate Wednesday, although they all called for boosting insurance coverage and lowering prices. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is keeping health care in the news, too, with a new plan to make medical prices more available to the public. Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this, plus the latest in news about bipartisan progress on catch-all legislation to address “surprise” medical bills. Plus, Rovner interviews NPR’s Jon Hamilton about the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” installment.

June 27, 2019

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What The Health’: Who Will Pay To Fix Problem Of Surprise Medical Bills?

Lawmakers and patients want to eliminate “surprise” out-of-network medical bills. Hospitals, doctors and insurers say they want to eliminate them, too, but their opposition to one another’s proposals could complicate legislative efforts. Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this, plus the latest in news about reproductive health and health care sharing ministries.

June 13, 2019

Fixing Surprise Medical Bill Problem Shouldn’t Fall To Consumers, Panel Told

Though a range of policy solutions have been discussed by Congress, the White House and other experts, a theme of a House subcommittee hearing Tuesday was that providers and insurers are key to correcting the issue.

By Rachel Bluth

April 2, 2019

As Hospitals Post Price Lists, Consumers Are Asked To Check Up On Them

Most hospitals appear to be complying with the federal rule to post their prices online. Yet there is little follow-up by the government or industry and debate continues about whether the price lists are creating more confusion than clarity among consumers.

By Steven Findlay

March 8, 2019

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ A ‘Healthy’ State Of The Union

Health was a featured player in President Donald Trump’s 2019 State of the Union address. The president set goals to bring down prescription drug prices, end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. and cure childhood cancer, among other things. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and, for “extra credit,” provide their favorite health policy stories of the week. Rovner also interviews KHN senior correspondent Phil Galewitz about the current “Bill of the Month” feature.

Feb. 7, 2019

Transparent Hospital Pricing Exposes Wild Fluctuation, Even Within Miles

A new federal rule requires hospitals to post their prices online. These lists reveal the wildly different charges for basic procedures and services, but consumers will have a hard time putting this information to use.

By Harriet Blair Rowan

Feb. 4, 2019

Analysis: Pulling Back Curtain On Hospital Prices Adds New Wrinkle In Cost Control

The Trump administration has ordered hospitals to reveal their prices. If patients and politicians pay attention, this could be a game changer for health care.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal

Jan. 28, 2019

Listen: Do Consumers Benefit When Hospitals Post Sticker Prices Online?

As of Jan. 1, hospitals must post price lists — known as chargemasters — online. These massive compendiums include the costs set by each hospital for every service or drug a patient might encounter.

Jan. 14, 2019

TV Ads Must Trumpet Drug Prices, Trump Administration Says. Pharma Tries A Plan B.

Drug pricing is a top issue in the run-up to the midterm elections.

By Shefali Luthra and Sarah Jane Tribble

Oct. 15, 2018

Putting Oversized Health Care Costs Upfront — On T-Shirts

The Maryland Health Care Commission has created a consumer education campaign that puts the costs of common health care procedures on a place where people might see them – T-shirts.

By Jay Hancock

Sept. 26, 2018

Bill Of The Month

The $109K Heart Attack Bill Is Down To $332. What About Other Surprise Bills?

“I don’t feel any consumer should have to go through this,” says Drew Calver, who faced a life-changing surprise bill from an Austin hospital after a heart attack last year. After attention as a "Bill of the Month" patient, he paid the hospital $332. But he worries about other patients with surprise bills.

By Chad Terhune

Aug. 31, 2018

Bill of the Month

Readers And Tweeters Are Buzzing Over ‘Bill Of The Month’

A crowdsourced investigation by KHN and NPR gives voice to those who are puzzled and outraged by medical invoices.

May 18, 2018

Bill Of The Month

Bill Of The Month: For Toenail Fungus, A $1,500 Prescription

How a prescription wiped out one woman’s health reimbursement account, raising questions about prescription drug price tags and about how health care professionals deal (or don’t) with medical costs.

By Shefali Luthra

March 16, 2018

Need A Medical Procedure? Pick The Right Provider And Get Cash Back

Incentives to encourage health care consumers to shop around gain momentum as a means to rein in spending.

By Julie Appleby

March 5, 2018

Reporter’s Notebook: In Health Care, A Good Price (Or Any Price) Is Hard To Find

Not only are health prices hidden, industry players are contractually obligated to keep them secret. That’s why answering a simple question — how much does it cost to have a baby in Mountain View, Calif.? — became a journalistic quest.

By Jenny Gold

Sept. 14, 2017

Too Few Patients Follow The Adage: You Better Shop Around

Three-quarters of participants in a newly released study said they did not know of resources for comparing health care costs, while half said that if a website were available to provide such information, they would use it.

By Michelle Andrews

Aug. 18, 2017

Price Transparency In Medicine Faces Stiff Opposition — From Hospitals And Doctors

A coalition of health care providers are blocking Ohio’s law requiring health care providers to tell what non-emergency services will cost them.

By Rachel Bluth

July 25, 2017

California Presses Forward In Fight To Regulate Pharma

Such efforts have previously failed in the face of opposition from the drug industry, which questions their effectiveness and contends prices reflect research and development costs.

By Carrie Feibel, KQED

April 12, 2017