Latest Morning Briefing Stories
People With Medical Debt Most Likely To Be Dunned By Collection Agencies
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports in a new study that 59 percent of people contacted by a debt collector had outstanding medical bills.
California’s Community Clinics, Big ACA Beneficiaries, Worry About Their Future
A flow of Medi-Cal expansion dollars — and patients — has fueled significant growth, making clinics in California one of the linchpins of primary care under Obamacare.
Sleeping Like A Baby Is A $325 Million Industry
Newborn sleep is a valuable commodity.
KHN Video: Orphan Drugs Creating Gold Rush For Pharmaceutical Firms
The designation, which is made by the Food and Drug Administration, allows drugmakers to claim seven years of market exclusivity.
Inside Hospital, Families Find Refuge With Recliners, Tissues And Cake
More hospitals, including Montefiore Medical Center in New York, are setting up support centers to help stressed-out family members cope.
Sin Obamacare, ¿qué pasará con el seguro de salud a través de su empleo?
Si piensas que porque tienes seguro de salud a través de tu trabajo en una gran compañía, no te afectará si los republicanos cambian el Obamacare, piénsalo dos veces. Muchas de las provisiones de la ley también aplican a los planes ofrecidos por grandes empleadores.
Sky-High Prices For Orphan Drugs Slam American Families And Insurers
Orphan drugs for rare diseases have helped or saved hundreds of thousands of patients like 2-year-old Luke Whitbeck, but families and insurers are picking up the astronomical cost.
Una investigación de Kaiser Health News analiza las acciones de compañias farmacéuticas para manipular los precios de medicamentos huérfanos, utilizados para tratar enfermedades raras.
Large Employer Health Plans Could Also See Some Impacts From Obamacare Overhaul
With the future of Obamacare on the line, workers might want to consider what benefits they have gained through the landmark law.
Drugmakers Manipulate Orphan Drug Rules To Create Prized Monopolies
Drugmakers have brought almost 450 orphan drugs to market and collected rich incentives but nearly a third of those products aren’t new or were repurposed multiple times, an investigation shows.
Follow the twists and turns of the orphan drug industry over the past three decades.
Cheaper Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids Could Be On The Way
The FDA and other agencies are loosening restrictions on hearing aid sales and opening the door to less expensive, over-the-counter products.
HHS Secretary: Give Medicare Authority To Negotiate Drug Prices
More work is needed to improve health care in U.S., but there are no “silver bullets” to get the job done, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell tells the National Press Club in a farewell speech defending Obamacare.
One In Three Women With Breast Cancer Treated Unnecessarily, Study Concludes
Mammograms find many slow-growing cancers that aren’t life-threatening and shouldn’t be treated, a Danish study said.
New Rules to Limit ‘Death Fees’ For California Medicaid Enrollees
Medi-Cal’s controversial program to go after your assets when you die will be significantly curtailed, but some enrollees could be hit by new claims.
In Towns That Lost Most Obamacare Insurers, Rate Increases Still Competitive
Premiums on 2017 plans are rising by comparable amounts both in counties where multiple insurers still compete and in those where only one insurer remains after several companies stopped selling individual plans under the health law, according to Avalere, a consulting firm.
Leading Republicans See A Costly Malpractice Crisis — Experts Don’t
The incoming HHS secretary wants to boldly reform the malpractice system, saying hundreds of billions are wasted on “lawsuit abuse” and defensive medicine. Industry experts say premiums and claims are down and “it’s a wonderful time for doctors.”
Bundled Payments Work, Study Finds, But HHS Nominee No Fan
A study found that Medicare’s bundled payments model for joint replacement could save the government billions of dollars without harming patient care.
Millones de personas buscan medicamentos más baratos fuera de EE.UU.
Por los altos precios de los medicamentos, millones de personas, en general respetuosas de la ley, han reaccionado cometiendo un acto ilegal: comprándolos fuera de los Estados Unidos.
Medicare Pays For A Kidney Transplant, But Not The Drugs To Keep It Viable
The federal government pays for kidney transplants. But the program only pays for essential anti-rejection drugs for three years. Many people can’t afford them and can end up losing the kidney.
