Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Insurance Exchanges Launch With Few Glitches
More than 100,000 apply for coverage of federal marketplace as year-two health law enrollment period begins.
You Paid What? How Negotiated Deals Hide Health Care’s Cost
A patient’s portion of a health care bill is a complicated equation – but it’s simple compared to the deals between insurers and hospitals.
State Health Insurance Exchanges Hope To Woo Urban Minorities
Tomorrow it begins again – open enrollment for Obamacare. Two very successful state health insurance exchanges, Connecticut’s and California’s, are both intent on reaching people who avoided signing up last year – especially young Latinos and African-Americans. “The big takeaway for us last year was that the uninsured were really pocketed in a couple of […]
Network Blues: Big Bills Surprise Some E.R. Patients
Even when using hospitals in their insurance network, people often find that the doctors are not covered and they are responsible for those charges.
How Much Is That MRI, Really? Massachusetts Shines A Light
A state law now requires insurers to reveal prices of their medical tests, and the variation is amazing, bargain hunters say. An MRI of the back is $614 at one place; $1,800 at another.
Soda Tax Succeeds In Berkeley, Fizzles In San Francisco
The nation’s first tax on sugary drinks aims to combat obesity and diabetes, with a penny-per-ounce levy.
Home Health Workers Struggle For Better Pay And Health Insurance
Home health care aides often toil for low pay and in jobs without benefits, including health insurance. A million more home health care workers will be needed to meet demand over the next decade.
Oregon Has A Shortage Of Certified Medical Interpreters
Thirteen years ago, Oregon passed a bill requiring trained translators be available in health care settings for patients who speak little English. But there are still fewer than 100 qualified interpreters in the state.
With Good Hospital Practices, Emory Rises To Ebola Challenge
The same Atlanta hospital that treated the first U.S. Ebola patient in August discharged its fourth patient Tuesday. All survived. Patients in isolation need extra emotional support, the team says.
California Nurses’ Union Pulls Ebola Into Contract Talks
The powerful California Nurses Association has put Ebola on the bargaining table in its negotiations for a new contract with Kaiser Permanente.
Despite Supreme Court Ruling, Some Texas Abortion Clinics Remain Closed
Texas abortion providers were surprised by the legal reprieve from the high court this week that allows them to reopen at least until December. But the legal battle has permanently changed the landscape for abortion clinics in the state.
Spike in ER, Hospitalization Use Short-Lived After Medicaid Expansion
Rates of hospitalization for the “highest pent-up demand” group also started high and dropped by almost 80 percent over the two-year period.
Ohio Medicaid Expansion Faces 2015 Political Hurdle
Gov. Kasich’s workaround means more than 350,000 gained Medicaid coverage in the Buckeye State in 2014. But the legislature needs to approve the program next year for it to continue, hospital chief warns.
California Prop. 46, Inspired By Tragedy, Pits Doctors Against Lawyers
Opponents wage costly campaign, eroding public support.
Price Tags On Health Care? Only In Massachusetts
Under a new state law, Massachusetts insurers have to post how much tests and procedures cost at different providers in a consumer-friendly way.
How One U.S. Hospital Braces For Ebola
This story is part of a partnership that includes WNPR, NPR and Kaiser Health News. It can be republished for free. (details) Dr. Jack Ross is used to seeing potentially lethal viruses, and he is used to putting patients into isolation. Still, Ebola is different. “I think, for any hospital today, Ebola represents one step higher than anything […]
Poll: Californians Support Health Coverage For Undocumented Immigrants
This story is part of a partnership that includes KQED, NPR and Kaiser Health News. It can be republished for free. (details) A majority of the state’s voters support extending current health insurance programs to all low-income Californians, including undocumented immigrants, according to a new statewide poll released today. The poll was commissioned by The California Endowment, […]
Calif. Governor Vetoes Bill To Protect Assets From Medi-Cal
This story is part of a partnership that includes Capital Public Radio, NPR and Kaiser Health News. It can be republished for free. (details) With the stroke of a pen, Gov. Jerry Brown rejected an effort to protect the estates of Medicaid beneficiaries in California, the San Jose Mercury News reported Friday. The bill, which […]
Personal Attention Seen As Antidote To Rising Health Costs
Some of a hospital’s income now depends on keeping patients healthy. Kevin Wiehrs seeks to save hospitals money by keeping former patients out of the hospital.
A Single Insurer Holds Obamacare Fate In Two States
Where did the insurance marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act struggle the most? The answer lies in commerce, not politics.
