Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Taking Surprise Medical Bills To Court
Some legal experts say contract law could provide consumers another avenue to challenge unexpected hospital bills.
After Her Skiing Accident, An Uphill Battle Over Snowballing Bills
She took a bad fall on the slopes and her surgeon used a metal plate to put the splintered bones of her leg back together. When that device failed less than four months later, she and her insurer had to pay full price for the replacement plate.
Health Care Is Where The Jobs Are. But What Kind Of Jobs?
The health care industry adds thousands of jobs to the economy each month. While they aren’t all doctors and nurses, they aren’t all paper pushers either.
Health Care Industry ‘Pays Tribute’ To California’s Influential Lawmakers
The leaders of California’s legislative health committees who wield power over state health policy have been showered with money from the health care sector, with drug companies, health plans, hospitals and doctors providing nearly 40 percent of their 2017-18 campaign funds.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Feds Join Lawsuit Alleging Sutter Health Padded Revenue With False Patient Data
The whistleblower complaint says that Sutter, one of the largest health systems in the U.S., exaggerated how sick certain Medicare patients were in order to collect higher payments from the government-funded program.
For The Asking, A Check Is In The Mail To Help Pay For Costly Drugs
It’s a little-known secret that patients can get thousands of dollars directly from a drugmaker.
Blue Shield’s Trims To Out-Of-State Coverage Give Some Californians The Blues
To keep costs down, Blue Shield of California next year will scale back on a program allowing members to receive a wide range of care beyond the state’s borders. Customers with individual plans mostly won’t be able to get coverage out of state except for emergencies or other exceptional circumstances.
‘We’re Fighting For Our Lives’: Patients Protest Sky-High Insulin Prices
The price of insulin keeps going up. For people with Type 1 diabetes, high prices can be a life-or-death issue. Now a grass-roots movement is pushing for change.
¿Cuánto cuesta un implante de senos? Depende quién pague…
Un implante de senos por razones cosméticas es mucho más económico que uno que se realiza luego del tratamiento por una enfermedad… ¿Por qué?
One Implant, Two Prices. It Depends On Who’s Paying.
Breast implants — used for both cancer and cosmetic surgeries — give a glimpse into how hospitals mark up prices of medical devices to increase their bottom lines.
Must-Reads Of The Week On Health Care
Executive editor Damon Darlin takes a spin as host of “The Friday Breeze,” whirling through a week of health care news so you don’t have to.
California: hogares para adultos mayores se resisten a cumplir reglas de personal
Nuevas normas exigen que los hogares ofrezcan atención individualizada a sus residentes por más tiempo al día.
More Than Half Of California Nursing Homes Balk At Stricter Staffing Rules
Patient advocates say the state’s new staffing regulations are a good start toward better protecting the frail, but the nursing home industry contends they’re too burdensome.
Si no hay efectivo, no hay corazón. Centros de trasplantes piden prueba de pago
Casi todos los más de 250 centros de trasplantes de la nación requieren que los pacientes verifiquen cómo cubrir las facturas.
No Cash, No Heart. Transplant Centers Require Proof Of Payment.
The case of a Michigan woman told to fundraise $10,000 for a heart transplant sparked viral outrage, but experts say “wallet biopsies” are common.
Medicare reduce pagos a hogares cuyos pacientes vuelven a ser hospitalizados
El gobierno federal reducirá los pagos de un año a casi 11,000 hogares cuyos pacientes vuelven al hospital con demasiada frecuencia.
Medicare Cuts Payments To Nursing Homes Whose Patients Keep Ending Up In Hospital
The incentive program to discourage nursing homes from discharging patients too quickly will also give bonuses to facilities with fewer rehospitalizations.
Readers And Tweeters Demand Action On Gun Violence, Mental Health Care Options
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Feds Order More Weekend Inspections Of Nursing Homes To Catch Understaffing
Medicare instructs inspectors to look for staffing inadequacies in homes that report suspiciously low numbers of registered nurses and weekend workers.
