Audio

In Louisiana, Obamacare Subsidies Mean Financial Independence For Some

Meet three people from the Bayou State who would likely lose their insurance and their newfound sense of financial stability if the Supreme Court rules subsidies illegal in the King v. Burwell case.

Staffing An Intensive Care Unit From Miles Away Has Advantages

Some hospitals are using a remote command center to keep an eye on ICU patients. This brings the expertise of a major medical center to rural hospitals — and may help keep the rural centers open.

What’s At Stake In The Supreme Court Obamacare Case

Despite political opposition to the Affordable Care Act, more than 186,000 people in Louisiana signed up for health insurance through healthcare.gov. The vast majority of those received subsidies, which could be lost in the King v. Burwell case before the Supreme Court.

Battle For Mental Health Parity Produces Mixed Results

Some of the obvious problems, such as separate deductibles for mental health care, have been eliminated. But advocates are concerned about more subtle insurance processes, such as reviews of medical necessity, that could be hampering coverage.

Some Face A Big Bill From Medi-Cal — After They Die

California is one of the few states that charge the estates of deceased Medicaid beneficiaries for the cost of their health coverage. A bill is moving through the state legislature to stop the practice.

FDA Heads Into Uncharted Territory Of ‘Biosimiliar’ Drugs

Under a new process set out by the health law, the FDA approved the first so-called biosimilar drug for sale in the U.S. It’s a copy of the cancer medicine Neupogen that will be sold under the brand name Zarxio.

Digital Dilemma For Medicine: How To Share Records

Most industries share complicated digital files to do business, but health care still leans hard on paper printouts and fax machines. Despite a $30 billion taxpayer investment in electronic health records since 2009, most of those systems are unable to talk to each other.

Tax Preparers Brace To Be Bearers Of Bad Health Law News

With Affordable Care Act open enrollment ending Feb. 15, taxpayers could find themselves shut out of health insurance – and saddled with big fines – if they don’t do their taxes early this year.