Latest Morning Briefing Stories
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.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Ask Us Anything!
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico answer listeners’ questions about health policy and politics.
Watch: What Happened To That $109,000 Heart Attack
The story of a Texas teacher who faced a surprise “balance bill” of almost twice his annual salary gets a surprise happy ending.
Más que nada, la cera en los oídos genera riesgos para adultos mayores en hogares
La cera excesiva en los oídos de los adultos mayores puede causar sordera, vértigo y otros problemas en el conducto auditivo.
For Nursing Home Patients, Breast Cancer Surgery May Do More Harm Than Good
A new study of 6,000 older patients shows little gain from surgeries for breast cancer.
Earwax, Of All Things, Poses Unrecognized Risk In Long-Term Care
Up to two-thirds of residents in nursing homes may have impacted earwax, which can worsen hearing loss, falls and cognitive decline.
¡Puñalada! Tienes seguro, pero igual debes pagar $109 mil por un ataque al corazón
Un maestro de Austin, Texas, quien sufrió un ataque cardíaco, tuvo que vivir una odisea cuando recibió una cuenta astronómica.
A Jolt To The Jugular! You’re Insured But Still Owe $109K For Your Heart Attack
A Texas teacher, 44, faces a “balance bill” of almost twice his annual salary for a heart attack he never expected to have.
Escuela de medicina gratuita genera debate de millones de dólares
La Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Nueva York anunció que buscará donaciones para hacer la carrera totalmente gratuita.
Readers And Tweeters Revisit Surgery Centers, Think Twice About Single-Payer
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Tuition-Free Med School Touches Off Multimillion-Dollar Debate
NYU’s promise to help keep medical students debt-free generates joy on campus. But critics question whether it is the best way to recruit a more diverse student pool or get young doctors to commit to primary care.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Opioids, EpiPens And Health Funding
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico discuss Senate action on health funding and opioid legislation, the state of the individual insurance market and consternation over expiration dates on EpiPens, the self-injected allergy remedy. Also, could an otter with asthma signal a potential public health crisis?
A Black Eye For Blue Shield: Consumers Lash Out Over Coverage Lapses
California’s third-largest insurer faces anger from customers in the individual market who unexpectedly lost their insurance despite paying premiums faithfully. In its recently filed lawsuit, the company blamed a contractor for “egregious” billing problems.
Polémica por aprobación de la FDA de una app “natural” para control de la natalidad
Natural Cycles guía a la mujer para que registre su temperatura corporal y su ciclo menstrual, con el fin de estimar cuáles son los días de ovulación.
Biorhythms And Birth Control: FDA Stirs Debate By Approving ‘Natural’ App
Critics worry about the message federal officials are sending by approving a new birth control option, which uses a mobile phone app for women to track their body temperature and menstrual cycle to avoid pregnancy. But the more choices the better, some reproductive health experts say.
Hospitals Battle For Control Over Fast-Growing Heart-Valve Procedure
Medicare limits payments for valve replacement via a catheter to hospitals with large numbers of heart procedures. But smaller facilities are crying foul.
Purdue Pharma’s Sales Pitch Downplayed Risks Of Opioid Addiction
Through a widely circulated brochure and a videotape of testimonials, the maker of OxyContin stressed patients’ right to opioid treatment for pain.
Shortage Of Insurance Fraud Cops Sparks Campaign Debate
About a quarter of fraud investigator positions at the state Department of Insurance are open, and Steve Poizner has made the vacancies a focus of his campaign for insurance commissioner. His opponent, Ricardo Lara, says chasing criminals isn’t the only solution to rising health care costs.
Energy-Hog Hospitals: When They Start Thinking Green, They See Green
Some hospitals have taken steps to be more energy-efficient. Though at times these changes barely represent rounding errors in their budgets, comprehensive efforts are beginning to make a difference.
Financial Ties That Bind: Studies Often Fall Short On Conflict-Of-Interest Disclosures
A new study in JAMA Surgery finds that a large sample of published medical research failed to disclose details on the financial relationships between medical device makers and physicians. Changes in the disclosure process could close this loop.
