Health Care Costs

Latest KFF Health News Stories

In California, Novel Initiatives Test Cities’ Power — And Will — To Tame Health Costs

KFF Health News Original

Union-backed initiatives in Palo Alto and Livermore, Calif., aim to cap charges by hospitals and doctors, seeking to build on national furor over rising medical bills. The measures arise in health care markets that are among the most expensive in the nation.

States Act To Safeguard Young Cancer Patients’ Chances To Have Children

KFF Health News Original

Fighting cancer often involves toxic therapies that can cause infertility. In the past couple of years, five states have moved to require that plans pay for services such as egg removal and storage.

Drugmakers Funnel Millions To Lawmakers; A Few Dozen Get $100,000-Plus

KFF Health News Original

Drugmakers’ contributions to lawmakers have peaked as surging drug prices emerge as a hot-button political issue. In the past decade, Congress has received nearly $79 million from 68 pharma PACs, run by employees of companies that make drugs treating everything from cancer to erectile dysfunction.

No More Secrets: Congress Bans Pharmacist ‘Gag Orders’ On Drug Prices

KFF Health News Original

Congress approved two bills last month that prohibit provisions keeping pharmacists from telling patients when they can save money by paying the cash price instead of the price negotiated by their insurance plan.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ (Almost) Live from Austin!

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Alice Ollstein of Politico talk about how health issues will play in midterm elections, the Trump administration’s move that could penalize legal immigrants who use government aid programs, and other topics. Due to technical difficulties, the original discussion taped Sept. 27 at the 2018 Texas Tribune Festival could not be broadcast, so the panelists reconvened from Austin and Washington on Sept. 28.

Putting Oversized Health Care Costs Upfront — On T-Shirts

KFF Health News Original

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.

‘Physicians Of The Mouth’? Dentists Absorb The Medical Billing Drill

KFF Health News Original

Health insurance generally pays more than dental insurance, and newly minted experts say it’s legitimate to bill medical plans for services extending beyond tooth care. Medical insurers caution against inappropriate billing and fraud.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health On The Hill

KFF Health News Original

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico talk about a spate of health-related legislative action on Capitol Hill, including Senate passage of a bill to address the opioid epidemic. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week.

Confusión deja a niños de bajos ingresos en un limbo de atención de salud

KFF Health News Original

Bajo la ley federal, los niños son elegibles para una amplia gama de servicios, pero proveedores confundidos y los planes de salud a menudo solo consideran los pocos servicios aprobados para los adultos.