Cost and Quality

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Listen: Generous Deals, and a Few Unwanted Surprises, at Covered California

KFF Health News Original

Southern California correspondent Bernard J. Wolfson answers questions about the health coverage deals available on California’s Affordable Care Act marketplace during Radio Bilingüe’s news program “Línea Abierta.”

Resistance to a Boston Hospital’s Expansion Centers on Rising Prices

KFF Health News Original

Mass General Brigham’s $2.3 billion expansion plan is raising state officials’ concerns that it will reduce competition and raise the price of care in Massachusetts. It also signals a national shift from a focus on hospital mergers and purchases of physician practices — which boost the cost of care — to individual hospitals’ expansions to gain a bigger share of the market.

Watch: ER Charged $1,012 for Almost No Care

KFF Health News Original

KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal weighs in on the January installment of KHN-NPR’s Bill of the Month, in which a family gets burned over a visit to the emergency room.

The Doctor Didn’t Show Up, but the Hospital ER Still Charged $1,012

KFF Health News Original

A St. Louis-area toddler burned his hand on the stove, and his mom took him to the ER on the advice of her pediatrician. He wasn’t seen by a doctor, and the dressing on the wound wasn’t changed. The bill was more than a thousand dollars.

Patient, Beware: Some States Still Pushing Ineffective Covid Antibody Treatments

KFF Health News Original

The top 12 states using antibody therapies produced by Regeneron and Lilly — which research shows don’t work against the omicron variant — include several Southern states with some of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates, but also California, which ranks among the top 20 for fully vaccinated residents.

‘Heart’ of Little Shell: Newest Federally Recognized Tribe to Open First Clinic

KFF Health News Original

The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana plans to open the nation’s newest Indian Health Service clinic in Great Falls on Jan. 31 — marking the first time the tribe will have its culture reflected in health care offerings.

HHS Proposal for Marketplace Plans Carries a Hefty Dose of Consumer Caution

KFF Health News Original

The Department of Health and Human Services issued preliminary rules regarding health insurance marketplaces that aim to deter fraudulent sign-ups for coverage. Experts say the agency’s action indicates a problem exists.

Cinco cosas que deberías saber sobre las pruebas caseras “gratis” para covid

KFF Health News Original

Los estadounidenses siguen escuchando que es importante hacerse pruebas caseras para covid con frecuencia. El problema es encontrar tests que sean lo suficientemente asequibles para poder comprarlos a menudo.

Officials Struggle to Regulate Pop-Up Covid Testing Sites — And Warn Patients to Beware

KFF Health News Original

High demand for covid screening and scarce supply have opened the door to bad actors, and officials in some states are sounding the alarm about dubious street testing operators that could put people’s personal data, their health or wallets at risk.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Dealing With Drug Prices

KFF Health News Original

Medicare officials tentatively plan to restrict the use of a controversial Alzheimer’s drug to only those patients participating in clinical trials, while the Department of Health and Human Services looks into lowering the monthly Medicare Part B premium. Meanwhile, covid confusion still reigns, as the Biden administration moves, belatedly, to make more masks and tests available. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

App Attempts to Break Barriers to Bankruptcy for Those in Medical Debt

KFF Health News Original

Medical bills are a leading reason people get stuck in a cycle of debt. Declaring bankruptcy is one lifeline, but attorney and court fees can put it out of reach. The nonprofit Upsolve created an app it calls the “TurboTax of bankruptcy” to help people hit the reset button and rebuild their financial lives.

Clinics Say State’s New Medicaid Drug Program Will Force Them to Cut Services

KFF Health News Original

On Jan. 1, California started buying prescription drugs for its nearly 14 million Medicaid enrollees, a responsibility that had primarily been held by managed-care insurance plans. State officials estimate California will save hundreds of millions of dollars by flexing its purchasing power, but some health clinics expect to lose money.

California Ballot Will Be Heavy on Health Care

KFF Health News Original

In the Nov. 8 general election, California voters will consider overturning the state’s flavored tobacco ban and hiking medical malpractice awards. Other proposals to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms, target dialysis clinics and boost public health funding could also be on the ballot, along with a plan to limit business and school closures during public health emergencies.

Nursing Homes Bleed Staff as Amazon Lures Low-Wage Workers With Prime Packages

KFF Health News Original

Add nursing homes to the list of industries jolted by Amazon’s handsome hourly wages. Enticed by an average starting pay rate of $18 an hour and the potential for benefits and signing bonuses, low-wage workers are fleeing entry-level elder care for jobs packing boxes.