After Wiping Out $6.7 Billion in Medical Debt, This Nonprofit Is Just Getting Started
Soon after giving birth to a daughter two months premature, Terri Logan received a bill from the hospital. She recoiled from the string of numbers […]
Cost and Quality
No, the Senate-Passed Reconciliation Bill Won’t Strip $300 Billion From Medicare
Senate Democrats’ reconciliation bill “will strip $300 billion from Medicare.” Ad from the American Prosperity Alliance, posted July 19 As Senate Democrats raced to pass […]
Rapper Fat Joe Says No One Is Making Sure Hospitals Post Their Prices
“Nobody’s enforcing that law.” Rapper Fat Joe, in a TV ad about hospital price transparency requirements that began running this spring Rapper Fat Joe takes […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Her Bill for a Prenatal Test Felt Like a ‘Bait-and-Switch’ Scheme
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Can a health care company make enough people mad […]
La crisis de deuda que los estadounidenses enfermos no pueden evitar
La promesa de campaña del presidente Joe Biden de cancelar la deuda estudiantil por los primeros $10,000 adeudados en préstamos universitarios federales ha generado un […]
‘True Cost of Aging’ Index Shows Many Seniors Can’t Afford Basic Necessities
Fran Seeley, 81, doesn’t see herself as living on the edge of a financial crisis. But she’s uncomfortably close. Each month, Seeley, a retired teacher, […]
‘So Rudderless’: A Couple’s Quest for Autism Treatment for Their Son Hits Repeated Obstacles
When Sebastian Rios was a toddler, he hardly talked. “Don’t worry,” his pediatrician told Amparo and Victor Rios, Sebastian’s parents. Kids who grow up in […]
Parents Become Drug Developers to Save Their Children’s Lives
Maggie Carmichael wasn’t developing like other kids. As a toddler, she wasn’t walking and had a limited vocabulary for her age. She was diagnosed with […]
No-Bid Medicaid Contract for Kaiser Permanente Is Now California Law, but Key Details Are Missing
[Editor’s note: KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.] California lawmakers have approved a controversial no-bid statewide Medi-Cal contract for HMO giant Kaiser Permanente over […]
Biden’s FTC Has Blocked 4 Hospital Mergers and Is Poised to Thwart More Consolidation Attempts
Fresh off the Federal Trade Commission’s successful challenges to four hospital mergers, the Biden administration’s new majority on the commission is primed to more aggressively […]
Listen: Why Medical Debt Touches Every Corner of America
KHN’s Noam N. Levey talks with Sasha-Ann Simons of WBEZ about America’s sprawling medical debt crisis. Levey explains that the problem is only partially addressed […]
Patients With Epilepsy Navigate Murky Unregulated CBD Industry
In 2013, Tonya Taylor was suicidal because her epileptic seizures persisted despite taking a long list of medications. Then a fellow patient at a Denver […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: One ER Doctor Grapples With the Inequities of American Health Care
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Dr. Thomas Fisher, an emergency room physician at a […]
Medi-Cal’s Reliance on Prisoners to Make Cheaper Eyeglasses Proves Shortsighted
To dodge hefty costs for eyewear, California’s health insurance program for low-income people, Medi-Cal, has an innovative strategy: It contracts exclusively with the state’s prisons, […]
In America, Cancer Patients Endure Debt on Top of Disease
RAPID CITY, S.D. ― Jeni Rae Peters would make promises to herself as she lay awake nights after being diagnosed with breast cancer two years […]
‘Free’ Screening? Know Your Rights to Get No-Cost Care
An ounce of prevention … well, you know the rest. In medicine, prevention aims to spot problems before they worsen, affecting both a patient’s health […]
Listen: He Was Denied Care Because He Owed His Doctor Less Than $100
Ariane and Samantha Buck of Arizona have had their lives upended by $50,000 in medical debt. They rely on family to provide Christmas gifts for […]
His-and-Hers Cataract Surgeries, But His Bill Was 20 Times as Much
Danilo Manimtim’s vision was cloudy and blurred — and it was growing worse. The 73-year-old retired orthopedic surgeon in Fresno, California, knew it was time […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The FDA Goes After Nicotine
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, or wherever you […]
Pesa el legado de Trump, mientras Colorado busca zanjar la brecha del seguro de salud hispano
Armando Peniche Rosales tiene un dedo del pie torcido, que durante años ha pronosticado el clima y se vuelve sensible cuando se avecina lluvia o […]
Trump’s Legacy Looms Large as Colorado Aims to Close the Hispanic Insurance Gap
Armando Peniche Rosales has a crooked toe that for years has predicted the weather, growing sensitive when rain or cold is coming. “It never healed […]
Watch: She Almost Died. The $250K Debt Took Their House.
Cindy Powers needed 19 surgeries over the course of five years for abdominal problems and life-threatening infections. “I knew of at least three times where […]
Medi-Cal Will Cover Doulas at More Than Twice California’s Initial Proposed Rate
California will cover doula services for low-income residents at more than twice the state’s initial proposed rate under a spending plan lawmakers passed last week. […]
100 Million People in America Are Saddled With Health Care Debt
Elizabeth Woodruff drained her retirement account and took on three jobs after she and her husband were sued for nearly $10,000 by the New York […]
Upended: How Medical Debt Changed Their Lives
Loading… Some lost their homes. Some emptied their retirement accounts. Some struggled to feed and clothe their families. Medical debt now touches more than 100 […]
Buy and Bust: When Private Equity Comes for Rural Hospitals
MEXICO, Mo. — When the new corporate owners of two rural hospitals suddenly announced they would stop admitting patients one Friday in March, Kayla Schudel, […]
Covid Funding Pries Open a Door to Improving Air Quality in Schools
Many U.S. schools were in dire need of upgrades — burdened by leaking pipes, mold, and antiquated heating systems — long before the covid-19 pandemic […]
Miles de niños tienen problemas de vista que no se detectan a tiempo
Jessica Oberoi, de 13 años, no puede recordar exactamente cuándo su vista comenzó a ser borrosa. Todo lo que sabe es que tenía que entrecerrar […]
Children’s Vision Problems Often Go Undetected, Despite Calls for Regular Screening
Jessica Oberoi, 13, can’t exactly remember when her eyesight started getting blurry. All she knows is that she had to squint to see the whiteboard […]
A Deep Dive Into the Widening Mortality Gap Across the Political Aisle
New research indicates politics may be a matter of life or death. A study published June 7 by the BMJ examined mortality rates and voting […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Good News for Your Credit Report
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Credit reporting bureaus announced in March that they would […]
For Many Low-Income Families, Getting Formula Has Always Been a Strain
Miracle Abbott became pregnant during her junior year at the University of South Carolina Upstate. She worked a low-wage job and had mounting student debt, […]
Despite a First-Ever ‘Right-to-Repair’ Law, There’s No Easy Fix for Wheelchair Users
Robin Bolduc isn’t the type of person who takes “no” for an answer — particularly when it comes to fixing her husband’s wheelchair. Her husband, […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Private Equity Is Everywhere in Health Care. Really.
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. When a listener wrote to us about a pricey […]
Patients, Doctors, Insurers Agree: Prior Approvals for Treatment Should Come Faster
Andrew Bade, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes nearly two decades ago, is accustomed to all the medical gear he needs to keep his […]
Census Undercount Threatens Federal Food and Health Programs on Reservations
The 2020 census missed nearly 1 of every 17 Native Americans who live on reservations, an undercount that could very well lead to insufficient federal […]
Senate GOP Puts Up Roadblocks to Bipartisan House Bill for Veterans’ Burn Pit Care
Thousands of military veterans who are sick after being exposed to toxic smoke and dust while on duty are facing a Senate roadblock to ambitious […]
States Watching as Massachusetts Takes Aim at Hospital Building Boom and Costs
A Massachusetts health cost watchdog agency and a broad coalition including consumers, health systems, and insurers helped block the state’s largest — and most expensive […]
Why Cheap, Older Drugs That Might Treat Covid Never Get Out of the Lab
In March 2020, Dr. Joseph Vinetz left the contemplative world of his Yale University infectious-disease laboratory and plunged into the covid ward at Yale New […]
Battle Lines Are Drawn Over California Deal With Kaiser Permanente
[Editor’s note: KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.] California counties, health insurance plans, community clinics, and a major national health care labor union are lining […]
Private Equity Ownership of Nursing Homes Triggers Capitol Hill Questions — And a GAO Probe
In his State of the Union address last month, President Joe Biden focused attention on how private equity ownership of nursing homes can affect residents’ […]
Patients’ Perilous Months-Long Waiting for Medicaid Coverage Is a Sign of What’s to Come
Korra Elliott has tried to avoid seeing a doctor while waiting to get on Medicaid. She worries she can’t afford more bills without any insurance […]
Record Fines Might Mean California Is Finally Serious About Improving Medi-Cal
Is California getting tougher on health plans that participate in Medi-Cal, the state’s insurance program for low-income residents? A few weeks ago, state regulators imposed […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: A Fight for the Right to Help
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Americans get sued over medical debt. A lot. And […]
Missouri Tried to Fix Its Doctor Shortage. Now the Fix May Need Fixing.
Missouri state Rep. Tricia Derges is pushing a bill to give assistant physicians like herself a pathway to becoming fully licensed doctors in the state. […]
Want Vulnerable Californians to Have Healthier Pregnancies? Doulas Say the State Must Pay Up.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — This was supposed to be the year that low-income Californians could hire a doula to guide them through pregnancy and advocate for […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Need an Expensive Drug? Here’s What You Need to Know
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Lillian Karabaic teaches personal finance to millennials through a […]
Listen: An Unsettling Investigation Into the Closure of a Chain of Pain Clinics
Last spring, Lags Medical Centers, a sprawling chain of pain clinics serving more than 20,000 patients in California, abruptly shuttered amid a cloaked state investigation […]
Seeking to Shift Costs to Medicare, More Employers Move Retirees to Advantage Plans
As a parting gesture to a pandemic-ravaged city, former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio hoped to provide the city with a gift that would […]
Plan to Fix Postal Service Shifts New Retirees to Medicare — Along With Billions in Costs
A congressional effort to fix the nation’s deteriorating mail service may come at the expense of an even bigger and more complicated problem: Medicare solvency. […]
Backlogs in California’s Medicaid Drug Program Ease, but Problems Persist
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The contractor running California’s new Medicaid prescription drug program has addressed shortfalls that earlier this year left thousands of enrollees without critical medications, […]
Readers and Tweeters Have Mental Health Care on Their Minds
Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We edit for length and clarity and require full names. Therapists […]
‘Injections, Injections, Injections’: Troubling Questions Follow Closure of Sprawling Pain Clinic Chain
HANFORD, Calif. — On May 13 of last year, the cellphones of thousands of California residents undergoing treatment for chronic pain lit up with a […]
Missouri Takes Months to Process Medicaid Applications — Longer Than Law Allows
Aneka French applied for Medicaid in October, not long after Missouri became the 38th state to expand eligibility for the program. But her application sat […]
As Politics Infects Public Health, Private Companies Profit
For some counties and cities that share a public health agency with other local governments, differences over mask mandates, business restrictions, and other covid preventive […]
La alta demanda de perros de servicio crea un mercado salvaje y a veces fraudulento
Jenni Mahnaz admite que no le gustan mucho los perros. Es ligeramente alérgica y la única mascota que tuvo de niña fue un cangrejo ermitaño. […]
Demand for Service Dogs Unleashes a ‘Wild West’ Market
Jenni Mahnaz admits she’s not much of a dog person. She’s mildly allergic and the only pet she had as a child was a hermit […]
Inside the Tactical Tug of War Over the Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug
The drug industry, patient advocates, and congressional Republicans have all attacked federal officials’ decision to decline routine Medicare coverage for a controversial Alzheimer’s drug. They’ve […]
This Doctor Thought She Could Navigate US Health Care. Then Her Autistic Son Needed Help.
Alexander Roodman was packing up his room, preparing for a gap year before college, when I met him at his family’s Washington, D.C., townhouse. The […]
What Are Taxpayers Spending for Those ‘Free’ Covid Tests? The Government Won’t Say.
The four free covid-19 rapid tests President Joe Biden promised in December for every American household have begun arriving in earnest in mailboxes and on […]
Skirmish Between Biden and Red States Over Medicaid Leaves Enrollees in the Balance
When Republican-led states balked at expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s administration tossed them a carrot — allowing several to charge […]
‘Somebody Is Gonna Die’: Medi-Cal Patients Struggle to Fill Prescriptions
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A month into its debut, California’s new Medicaid prescription drug program is riddled with problems, leaving thousands of patients without medications — […]
Federal Investigation Into Spine Surgeries Uses Mob Laws to Target Health Care Fraud
A Texas consulting company that arranges spine surgery and other medical care for people injured in car crashes has come under scrutiny in a widening […]
Health Care Paradox: Medicare Penalizes Dozens of Hospitals It Also Gives Five Stars
The federal government has penalized 764 hospitals — including more than three dozen it simultaneously rates as among the best in the country — for […]
Mental Health Therapists Seek Exemption From Part of Law to Ban Surprise Billing
Groups representing a range of mental health therapists say a new law that protects people from surprise medical bills puts providers in an ethical bind […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Know Your ‘No Surprises’ Rights
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. On Jan. 1, Americans woke up with some new […]
Faxes and Snail Mail: Will Pandemic-Era Flaws Unleash Improved Health Technology?
Jamie Taylor received two letters from the Missouri Department of Social Services Family Support Division that began, “Good news,” before stating that she was denied […]
Listen: Generous Deals, and a Few Unwanted Surprises, at Covered California
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. KHN Southern California correspondent Bernard J. Wolfson was on “Línea Abierta,” a Radio Bilingüe weekday news […]
Readers and Tweeters: Give Nurse Practitioners Their Due
Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We edit for length and clarity and require full names. The […]
Watch: ER Charged $1,012 for Almost No Care
“CBS Mornings” host Tony Dokoupil interviewed KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal about January’s Bill of the Month installment, a collaboration with NPR. The Bhatt family of […]
Resistance to a Boston Hospital’s Expansion Centers on Rising Prices
A boisterous political battle over a proposed expansion by the largest and most expensive hospital system in Massachusetts is spotlighting questions about whether similar expansions […]
The Doctor Didn’t Show Up, but the Hospital ER Still Charged $1,012
Dhaval Bhatt had been warned about hospital emergency rooms. “People always told me to avoid the ER in America unless you are really dying,” said […]
Patient, Beware: Some States Still Pushing Ineffective Covid Antibody Treatments
As the omicron variant completes its sweep across the U.S., states with scarce supplies of monoclonal antibody therapies continue to use two treatments that federal […]
‘Heart’ of Little Shell: Newest Federally Recognized Tribe to Open First Clinic
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Louella Fredrickson has long created workarounds to fill gaps in the spotty medical care available to her as a member of […]
Cinco cosas que deberías saber sobre las pruebas caseras “gratis” para covid
Los estadounidenses siguen escuchando que es importante hacerse pruebas caseras para covid con frecuencia. El problema es encontrar tests que sean lo suficientemente asequibles para […]
HHS Proposal for Marketplace Plans Carries a Hefty Dose of Consumer Caution
Some insurance brokers are enrolling people into Affordable Care Act health plans without their consent, perhaps for the commissions, a move that could put consumers […]
5 Things You Should Know About ‘Free’ At-Home Covid Tests
Americans keep hearing that it is important to test frequently for covid-19 at home. But just try to find an “at-home” rapid covid test in […]
Funcionarios advierten sobre sitios de pruebas para covid de dudosa calidad
NUEVA YORK, NY.- En los últimos meses, los sitios para pruebas de covid en carpas y camiones se han multiplicado en las calles como la […]
Officials Struggle to Regulate Pop-Up Covid Testing Sites — And Warn Patients to Beware
NEW YORK — In recent months, mobile covid-19 testing tents and vans have sprouted on urban sidewalks and street curbs as demand has skyrocketed in […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Dealing With Drug Prices
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Aplicación ayuda a desestigmatizar la bancarrota para afrontar cuentas médicas
Un embarazo no planificado, y complicado, puso a Carlazjion Constant, de Smyrna, Tennessee, al borde del abismo financiero. Durante el embarazo de alto riesgo, su […]
Clinics Say California’s New Medicaid Drug Program Will Force Them to Cut Services
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California’s sweeping new program to buy prescription drugs for its nearly 14 million Medicaid patients has alarmed health clinics that say they […]
App Attempts to Break Barriers to Bankruptcy for Those in Medical Debt
An unplanned and complicated pregnancy pushed Carlazjion Constant of Smyrna, Tennessee, to the financial brink. Her high-deductible health insurance paid virtually nothing toward the extra […]
California Ballot Will Be Heavy on Health Care
SACRAMENTO — When Californians go to the polls later this year, they will confront contentious health care choices. Voters will weigh whether to overturn a […]
A New Paradigm Is Needed: Top Experts Question the Value of Advance Care Planning
For decades, Americans have been urged to fill out documents specifying their end-of-life wishes before becoming terminally ill — living wills, do-not-resuscitate orders, and other […]
‘Then the Bill Came’: Year 4 of KHN-NPR’s Bill of the Month Is a Wrap
In 2021, more than 880 of you submitted ideas for KHN-NPR’s Bill of the Month investigative series, trusting us with two of the most personal […]
Nursing Homes Bleed Staff as Amazon Lures Low-Wage Workers With Prime Packages
ERLANGER, Ky. — The sleek corporate offices of one of Amazon’s air freight contractors looms over Villaspring of Erlanger, a stately nursing home perched on […]
Rural Communities Left Hurting Without a Hospital, Ambulance or Doctors Nearby
STATENVILLE, Ga. — Georgia’s Echols County, which borders Florida, could be called a health care desert. It has no hospital, no local ambulances. A medical […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Manchin Blows Up Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: The Rapid-Test Edition: Who’s Making a Buck?
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Rapid, at-home covid-19 tests are close to essential if […]
Crash Course: Injured Patients Who Sign ‘Letters of Protection’ May Face Huge Medical Bills and Risks
Jean Louis-Charles couldn’t afford spine surgery to ease nagging neck and back pain after a car crash. So he signed a document, promising to pay […]
As Hospitals Fill Up, Paramedics Spend More Time Moving Patients, Less on Emergencies
GUNNISON, Colo. — The night after Thanksgiving, a small ambulance service that covers a huge swath of southwestern Colorado got a call that a patient […]
Seeking Refills: Aging Pharmacists Leave Drugstores Vacant in Rural America
Ted Billinger Jr. liked to joke that he would work until he died. That turned out to be prophetic. When Billinger died of a heart […]
‘The Charges Seem Crazy’: Hospitals Impose a ‘Facility Fee’ — For a Video Visit
When Arielle Harrison’s 9-year-old needed to see a pediatric specialist at Yale New Haven Health System in June, a telehealth visit seemed like a great […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: She Fights Health Insurers for Fun — And Wins
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Health insurance is like some medieval horror, law professor […]
Suit by Doctors, Hospitals Seeks Change in How Arbitrators Settle Surprise Billing Cases
Two of the largest lobbying groups representing physicians and hospitals filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging a Biden administration decision on how to implement the law […]
From ‘Physician Assistant’ to Medicare, Readers and Tweeters Mince No Words
Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We edit for length and clarity and require full names. On […]
Oncology Doctors Say the Build Back Better Act Will Slash Cancer Care Funding — A Skewed Argument
“An independent analysis shows that payments for cancer care will be slashed by close to 45% causing cancer clinics to close and massively raising your […]
Texas Toughens Ban on Medication-by-Mail Abortions With Jail Time and Hefty Fine
Texas already had the most restrictive abortion laws in the U.S. — and they just got tougher. On Wednesday, a new law took effect that […]
‘I Can Go Anywhere’: How Service Dogs Help Veterans With PTSD
It was supper time in the Whittier, California, home of Air Force veteran Danyelle Clark-Gutierrez, and eagerly awaiting a bowl of kibble and canned dog […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: How to Avoid the Worst Health Insurance
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. This episode kicks off with a wild ride: How […]
Black Tech Founders Want to Change the Culture of Health Care, One Click at a Time
When Ashlee Wisdom launched an early version of her health and wellness website, more than 34,000 users — most of them Black — visited the […]
Becerra Says Surprise Billing Rules Force Doctors Who Overcharge to Accept Fair Prices
Overpriced doctors and other medical providers who can’t charge a reasonable rate for their services could be put out of business when new rules against […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: The Insurance Warrior’s Battle Plan
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. Matthew Lientz was an engineer for Boeing for over […]
Why You Can’t Find Cheap At-Home Covid Tests
While developing a rapid test that detects the coronavirus in someone’s saliva, Blink Science, a Florida-based startup, heard something startling: The Food and Drug Administration […]
The ER Charged Him $6,500 for Six Stitches. No Wonder His Critically Ill Wife Avoided the ER.
Jason and DeeAnn Dean recently relocated to her hometown of Dellrose, Tennessee, where she grew up on a farm. Both in their late 40s, they’re […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Boosting Confusion
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Stranded by the Pandemic, He Had Only Travel Insurance. It Left Him With a $38,000 Bill.
Duy Hoa Tran, a retired Vietnamese schoolteacher, arrived in Los Angeles in February 2020 to visit his daughter and 2-month-old grandson. Two weeks later, the […]
Public Opinion Is Unified on Lowering Prescription Drug Prices. Why Are Leaders Settling for Less?
Democrats and Republicans are crystal clear in polls that they want government to be allowed to negotiate down high drug prices. Americans pay nearly three […]
As Big Pharma and Hospitals Battle Over Drug Discounts, Patients Miss Out on Millions in Benefits
In early July, as the covid-19 pandemic slammed rural America, the president of a small Kansas hospital sat down on a Friday afternoon and wrote […]
Your Out-of-Pocket Health Care Costs Need Not Be a Mystery
If you’ve ever had a serious illness or cared for someone who has, you know how quickly the medical bills can pile up: from labs, […]
How Rural Communities Are Losing Their Pharmacies
Batson’s Drug Store seems like a throwback to a simpler time. The independently owned pharmacy in Howard, Kansas, still runs an old-fashioned soda counter and […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Why Health Care Is So Expensive, Chapter $22K
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Researcher: Medicare Advantage Plans Costing Billions More Than They Should
Switching seniors to Medicare Advantage plans has cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars more than keeping them in original Medicare, a cost that has […]
As Workers Struggle With Pandemic’s Impact, Employers Expand Mental Health Benefits
As the covid-19 pandemic burns through its second year, the path forward for American workers remains unsettled, with many continuing to work from home while […]
Hormone Blocker Sticker Shock — Again — As Patients Lose Cheaper Drug Option
Sudeep Taksali thought he’d won his battle to avoid a steep price tag on a medicine for his daughter. He was wrong. In 2020, he’d […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Compromise Is Coming — Maybe
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Few Acute Care Hospitals Escaped Readmissions Penalties
Preventable rehospitalization of the nation’s older adults has proved a persistent health and financial challenge for the U.S., costing Medicare hundreds of millions of dollars […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Need Surgery to Save Your Life? Tips for Getting Insurance to Pay
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Laurie Todd calls herself the “Insurance Warrior.” She helps people get their health insurance companies to pay […]
Labs With No One to Run Them: Why Public Health Workers Are Fleeing the Field
There were days, nights and weekends in the early months of the pandemic when Denise Von Bargen was the only person running covid tests at […]
What’s Scarier Than Covid? Halloween Health Haikus
Boo that we couldn’t treat all the readers participating in our third annual KHN Halloween Haiku Contest to their moment of gory glory. Your entries […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Biden Social-Spending ‘Framework’ Pulls Back on Key Health Pledges
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Medicare Punishes 2,499 Hospitals for High Readmissions
The federal government’s effort to penalize hospitals for excessive patient readmissions is ending its first decade with Medicare cutting payments to nearly half the nation’s […]
Look Up Your Hospital: Is It Being Penalized By Medicare?
Under programs set up by the Affordable Care Act, the federal government cuts payments to hospitals that have high rates of readmissions and those with […]
How Billing Turns a Routine Birth Into a High-Cost Emergency
Caitlin Wells Salerno knew that some mammals — like the golden-mantled ground squirrels she studies in the Rocky Mountains — invest an insane amount of […]
Analysis: A Procedure That Cost $1,775 in New York Was $350 in Maryland. Here’s Why.
For the past 18 months, while I was undergoing intensive physical therapy and many neurological tests after a complicated head injury, my friends would point […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Hello? We Spend 12 Million Hours a Week on the Phone With Insurers
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. After Stanford professor Jeffrey Pfeffer got back surgery years ago, he kept a file folder labeled “Blue […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Politics of Vaccine Mandates
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Surprise-Billing Rule ‘Puts a Thumb on the Scale’ to Keep Arbitrated Costs in Check
Patients are months away from not having to worry about most surprise medical bills — those extra costs that can amount to hundreds or thousands […]
The Public Backs Medicare Rx Price Negotiation Even After Hearing Both Sides’ Views
As Congress debates cutting prescription drug costs, a poll released Tuesday found the vast majority of adults — regardless of their political party or age […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: How One State Protects Patients From Hospital Lawsuits
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. In Maryland, hospitals had been suing people — taking them to court and garnishing wages — even […]
Youthful Advisers Help Shape a Mental Health Program for Their Peers
Phebe Cox grew up in what might seem an unlikely mental health danger zone for a kid: tony Palo Alto, California, in the heart of […]
What the Stalemate on Capitol Hill Means for Your Drug Prices
As President Joe Biden’s government overhaul stalls in Congress, tensions are mounting over what changes ― if any ― could come for Americans at the […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Health Agenda Still on Hold
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on Acast. Democrats on Capitol Hill missed their deadline to finish two huge bills that constitute […]
Alzheimer’s Drug Targets People With Mild Cognitive Impairment. What Does That Mean?
The approval of a controversial new drug for Alzheimer’s disease, Aduhelm, is shining a spotlight on mild cognitive impairment — problems with memory, attention, language […]
These Schools Use Weekly Testing to Keep Kids in Class — And Covid Out
On a recent Monday morning, a group of preschoolers filed into the gymnasium at Hillside School in the west Chicago suburbs. These 4- and 5-year-olds […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Autumn of Democrats’ Discontent
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Biosimilar Drugs Are Cheaper Than Biologics. Are They Similar Enough to Switch?
It took years for Elle Moxley to get a diagnosis that explained her crippling gastrointestinal pain, digestion problems, fatigue, and hot, red rashes. And after […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: They Turned Grief Into Action
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. In 2004, 24-year-old Manny Lanza urgently needed surgery for a life-threatening brain condition. But he didn’t have […]
The Solution to Au Pairs’ Health Coverage Gaps May Be Simple: ACA Plans
In 2016, Isis Mabel, of Mexico, wanted to improve her English. On advice from an aunt, she enrolled with an au pair agency to come […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Much Ado About Drug Prices
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen to podcasts. Congressional Democrats are […]
Justice Department Targets Data Mining in Medicare Advantage Fraud Case
The Justice Department has accused an upstate New York health insurance plan for seniors and its medical analytics company of cheating the government out of […]
Why At-Home Rapid Covid Tests Cost So Much, Even After Biden’s Push for Lower Prices
Rapid at-home covid tests are flying off store shelves across the nation and are largely sold out online as the delta variant complicates a return […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Future of Public Health
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: How Charity Care Made It Into the ACA
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Charity care is one tiny provision in the giant Affordable Care Act, and it can make a […]
Florida Spine Surgeon and Device Company Owner Charged in Kickback Scheme
A Florida orthopedic surgeon and designer of costly spinal surgery implants was arrested Tuesday and charged with paying millions of dollars in kickbacks and bribes […]
V-Safe: How Everyday People Help the CDC Track Covid Vaccine Safety With Their Phones
Of the 203 million people who have received at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine, more than 9 million have enrolled in a program […]
Watch: Same Providers, Similar Surgeries, But Different Bills
Ely Bair had similar surgeries, at the same hospital, with the same insurer. But he received very different big medical bills. KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Vaccine Approval Moves the Needle on Covid
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Meet the Mississippi Lawyer Who Helped Start the Fight for Charity Care
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Richard “Dickie” Scruggs, famous for taking on Big Tobacco in the ’90s and winning, worked on a […]
Injuries Mount as Sales Reps for Device Makers Cozy Up to Surgeons, Even in Operating Rooms
Cristina Martinez’s spinal operation in Houston was expected to be routine. But after destabilizing her spine, the surgeon discovered the implant he was ready to […]
A Health Care Giant Sold Off Dozens of Hospitals — But Continued Suing Patients
Tennova Healthcare-Lebanon doesn’t exist anymore as a hospital. But it still sued Hope Cantwell. A knock came on the door of Cantwell’s Nashville, Tennessee, apartment […]
New Moms Latched On to Remote Breastfeeding Help. Will Demand Wane as Pandemic Fades?
Madison Cano knew she wanted to breastfeed her son, Theo. But breastfeeding was painful for her. The skin on her breasts was chafed and blistered […]
At Urgent Care, He Got 5 Stitches and a Big Surprise: A Plastic Surgeon’s Bill for $1,040
It was a Sunday morning in late November when Bryan Keller hopped on a bike for a routine ride to pick up his groceries, cruising […]
Watch: Cyclist Hits Olympic-Size Medical Bills After Crash
“CBS This Morning,” in partnership with KHN and NPR, interviews Phil Gaimon, a cyclist who had hoped to be in Tokyo next week as a […]
Diabetes Drug’s New Weight Loss Formula Fuels Cost-Benefit Debate
The long list of side effects that follow ads for the newer expensive drugs to treat Type 2 diabetes sometimes include an unusual warning: They […]
Olympic Dream Dashed After Bike Crash and Nightmare Medical Bill Over $200K
It was a race in Pennsylvania that could have sent cyclist Phil Gaimon to the Tokyo Olympics; instead, a serious crash landed the Californian in […]
Pfizer Court Fight Could Legalize Medicare Copays and Unleash ‘Gold Rush’ in Sales
Three years ago, pharma giant Pfizer paid $24 million to settle federal allegations that it was paying kickbacks and inflating sales by reimbursing Medicare patients […]
Bye-Bye to Health Insurance ‘Birthday Rule’? Kansas Lawmaker Floats Fix
When Kayla Kjelshus gave birth to her first child, the infant spent seven days in the neonatal intensive care unit, known as the NICU. This […]
Facing Headwinds on New Alzheimer’s Drug, Biogen Launches Controversial Campaign
Do you sometimes lose your train of thought or feel a bit more anxious than is typical for you? Those are two of the six […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Delta Changes the Covid Conversation
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Though Millions Are at Risk for Diabetes, Medicare Struggles to Expand Prevention Program
Damon Diessner tried for years to slim down from his weight of more than 400 pounds, partly because his size embarrassed his wife but even […]
Sen. Wyden: $3.5T Budget May Have to Trim but It Can Set a Path to ‘Ambitious Goals’
Exactly what American health care will look like if Democrats can pass their $3.5 trillion spending plan is unclear, but the senator negotiating its health-related […]
California Makes It Easier for Low-Income Residents to Get and Keep Free Health Coverage
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Getting clean drinking water cost Ignacio Padilla his health insurance. The World War II veteran needed to repay the loan for the […]
Hospital ‘Trauma Centers’ Charge Enormous Fees to Treat Minor Injuries and Send People Home
The care was ordinary. A hospital in Modesto, California, treated a 30-year-old man for shoulder and back pain after a car accident. He went home […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Here Comes Reconciliation
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
How ERs Fail Patients With Addiction: One Patient’s Tragic Death
Jameson Rybak tried to quit using opioids nearly a dozen times within five years. Each time, he’d wait out the vomiting, sweating and chills from […]
Dying Patients With Rare Diseases Struggle to Get Experimental Therapies
At 15, Autumn Fuernisen is dying. She was diagnosed at age 11 with a rare degenerative brain disorder that has no known cure or way […]
Why We May Never Know Whether the $56,000-a-Year Alzheimer’s Drug Actually Works
The Food and Drug Administration’s approval in June of a drug purporting to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease was widely celebrated, but it also […]
Effort to Decipher Hospital Prices Yields Key Finding: Don’t Try It at Home
A federal price transparency rule that took effect this year was supposed to give patients, employers and insurers a clearer picture of the true cost […]
Paying Billions for Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug? How About Funding This Instead?
If you could invest $56 billion each year in improving health care for older adults, how would you spend it? On a hugely expensive medication […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Tips for Fighting Medical Bills from ProPublica’s Marshall Allen
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Veteran health journalist Marshall Allen has been exposing health care grifters for years. Now, he’s written a […]
Hospital Prices Must Now Be Transparent. For Many Consumers, They’re Still Anyone’s Guess.
A colonoscopy might cost you or your insurer a few hundred dollars — or several thousand, depending on which hospital or insurer you use. Long […]
Desperate for Home Care, Seniors Often Wait Months With Workers in Short Supply
CASTINE, Maine — For years, Louise Shackett has had trouble walking or standing for long periods, making it difficult for her to clean her house […]
A Hospital Charged $722.50 to Push Medicine Through an IV. Twice.
Claire Lang-Ree was in a lab coat taking a college chemistry class remotely in the kitchen of her Colorado Springs, Colorado, home when a profound […]
Pandemia eleva el número de beneficiarios de Medicaid a más de 80 millones
Las últimas cifras de inscripción al Medicaid muestran que creció de 71,3 millones de miembros en febrero de 2020, cuando la pandemia comenzaba en los […]
Pandemic Swells Medicaid Enrollment to Record 80 Million People
The pandemic-caused recession and a federal requirement that states keep Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled until the national emergency ends swelled the pool of people in the […]
Device Makers Have Funneled Billions to Orthopedic Surgeons Who Use Their Products
Dr. Kingsley R. Chin was little more than a decade out of Harvard Medical School when sales of his spine surgical implants took off. Chin […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: When Your Insurance Company Says No, How to Ask for a Yes
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Jeannine Cain started her career dealing with insurance companies for various medical offices. Later she worked for […]
In Alleged Health Care ‘Money Grab,’ Nation’s Largest Hospital Chain Cashes In on Trauma Centers
After falling from a ladder and cutting his arm, Ed Knight said, he found himself at Richmond, Virginia’s Chippenham Hospital surrounded by nearly a dozen […]
Doctor on Call? Lawmakers Debate How Much to Pay for Phone Appointments
It took covid-19 to give millions of Americans the option of telling their doctor about their aches and pains by phone. But now that more […]
Colorado Bill Aims to Give Farmworkers Easier Access to Medical Care
SAN LUIS VALLEY, Colo. — A woman with pregnancy complications needed permission from her boss to visit a doctor. Community health volunteers were turned away […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Our 200th Episode!
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts or wherever you […]
Kidney Experts Say It’s Time to Remove Race From Medical Algorithms. Doing So Is Complicated.
Alphonso Harried recently came across a newspaper clipping about his grandfather receiving his 1,000th dialysis treatment. His grandfather later died — at a dialysis center […]
Montana Med School Clash Revives For-Profit Vs. Nonprofit Flap
Two universities are eyeing the chance to be the first to build a medical school in one of the few states without one. The jockeying […]
Biden Administration Signals It’s in No Rush to Allow Canadian Drug Imports
Use Our Content It can be republished for free. The Biden administration said Friday it has no timeline on whether it will allow states to import drugs from Canada, an effort that was […]
Caring for an Aging Nation
USE OUR CONTENT This story can republished for free. Please contact KHNweb@kff.org for embed codes. Table of Contents A Variety of Services Booming Number of […]
Suficiente para arruinar el descanso: le cobran $10,322 por un estudio del sueño
Los ronquidos de José Mendoza eran malos, pero para su esposa Nancy era peor cuando dejaba de respirar. El repentino silencio la despertaba, y si […]
Enough to Wreck Their Rest: $10,322 for a Sleep Study
José Mendoza’s snoring was bad — but the silence when he stopped breathing was even worse for his wife, Nancy. The sudden quiet would wake […]
As Pandemic Eases, Many Seniors Have Lost Strength, May Need Rehabilitative Services
Ronald Lindquist, 87, has been active all his life. So, he wasn’t prepared for what happened when he stopped going out during the coronavirus pandemic […]
‘Kicking You When You’re Down’: Many Cancer Patients Pay Dearly for Parking
For cancer patients, the road from diagnosis to survivorship feels like a never-ending parade of medical appointments: surgeries, bloodwork, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, scans. The routine […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Drug Price Effort Hits a Snag
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. The high cost of prescription drugs is a top health issue for the public and […]
Mental Health Services Wane as Insurers Appear to Skirt Parity Rules During Pandemic
Therapists and other behavioral health care providers cut hours, reduced staffs and turned away patients during the pandemic as more Americans experienced depression symptoms and […]
Big Investors Push Nursing Homes to Upgrade Care and Working Conditions
Nursing homes and long-term care facilities, where 182,000 Americans perished during the covid pandemic, have taken heat from government regulators, residents and their families. Now […]
UVA Health Will Wipe Out Tens of Thousands of Lawsuits Against Patients
University of Virginia Health System, which for years has sued thousands of patients annually for unpaid bills, said Monday it will cancel a massive backlog […]
Expertos en salud pública temen que los fondos desaparezcan cuando termine la pandemia
En respuesta a la pandemia de covid-19, el Congreso ha invertido decenas de miles de millones de dólares en los departamentos de salud pública estatales […]
Public Health Experts Worry About Boom-Bust Cycle of Support
Congress has poured tens of billions of dollars into state and local public health departments in response to the covid-19 pandemic, paying for masks, contact […]
Biden Seeks $400 Billion to Buttress Long-Term Care. A Look at What’s at Stake.
There’s widespread agreement that it’s important to help older adults and people with disabilities remain independent as long as possible. But are we prepared to […]
They Tested Negative for Covid. Still, They Have Long Covid Symptoms.
Kristin Novotny once led an active life, with regular CrossFit workouts and football in the front yard with her children — plus a job managing […]
Medicamentos ya conocidos, y baratos, podrían ser clave para tratar covid
¿Podría un antidepresivo que se usa desde hace décadas ser un arma secreta contra covid? Algunos científicos creen que sí, después de que dos pequeños […]
Scientists Seek Covid Treatment Answers in Cheap, Older Drugs
Could a decades-old antidepressant be a secret weapon against covid? A few scientists think so, after two small studies showed that fluvoxamine, typically prescribed for […]
Military Exposed to Toxic Fumes From Burn Pits Set to Get Bipartisan Boost
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Friday planned to roll out what could be the most ambitious attempt ever tried to treat American war fighters poisoned […]
How One State’s Public Health Defunding Led to Vaccination Chaos
ST. LOUIS — Missourians have driven hours to find vaccines in rural counties — at least those with cars and the time. Tens of thousands […]
Her Doctor’s Office Moved One Floor Up. Her Bill Was 10 Times Higher.
Kyunghee Lee’s right hand hurts all the time. She spent decades running a family dry cleaning store outside Cleveland after emigrating from South Korea 40 […]
‘Incredibly Concerning’ Lawsuit Threatens No-Charge Preventive Care for Millions
With a challenge to the Affordable Care Act still pending at the Supreme Court, conservatives are continuing to launch legal attacks on the law, including […]
Lots of Health Insurance Help in Covid Relief Law — But Do Your Homework First
There’s something for everyone with private health insurance in the American Rescue Plan Act, but determining the best way to benefit may be confusing. This […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: In Vaccinating Philadelphia, A Mix of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. In Philadelphia, the good, the bad and the ugly have all been on vivid display in the […]
Democrats Eye Medicare Negotiations to Lower Drug Prices
Democrats, newly in control of Congress and the White House, are united behind an idea that Republican lawmakers and major drugmakers fiercely oppose: empowering the […]
Doctors Found Jet Fuel in Veteran’s Lungs. He Can’t Get Full Benefits.
The lungs Bill Thompson was born with told a gruesome, harrowing and unmistakable tale to Dr. Anthony Szema when he analyzed them and found the […]
‘Painless’ Glucose Monitors Pushed Despite Little Evidence They Help Most Diabetes Patients
In the nation’s battle against the diabetes epidemic, the go-to weapon being aggressively promoted to patients is as small as a quarter and worn on […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Expanding the ACA in an Unpredicted Way
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. For the first time since its enactment in 2010, the Affordable Care Act is slated […]
Children’s Hospitals Grapple With Young Covid ‘Long Haulers’
This story also ran on USA Today. It can be republished for free. A slumber party to celebrate Delaney DePue’s 15th birthday last summer marked […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Revisiting Insulin: How the Medicine Got So Expensive
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. We’re re-releasing a story we first reported in 2019, about how insulin got to be so expensive. […]
College Tuition Sparked a Mental Health Crisis. Then the Hefty Hospital Bill Arrived.
Despite a lifelong struggle with panic attacks, Divya Singh made a brave move across the world last fall from her home in Mumbai, India. She […]
Medicare Cuts Payment to 774 Hospitals Over Patient Complications
Use Our Content It can be republished for free. The federal government has penalized 774 hospitals for having the highest rates of patient infections or […]
California Aims to Address the ‘Urgent’ Needs of Older Residents. But Will Its Plan Work?
USE OUR CONTENT It can be republished for free. Even as the pandemic derailed some of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s biggest health care proposals, such as […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Viral TikTok Video Serves Up Recipe to ‘Crush’ Medical Debt
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Jared Walker, who runs a nonprofit that helps people pay medical bills, posted a TikTok video explaining […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Tips for Fighting Medical Bills From a Former ‘Bad Guy’ Lawyer
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Lawyer Jeff Bloom used to be the person whom medical providers and debt collectors would hire to […]
4 Vital Health Issues — Not Tied to Covid — That Congress Addressed in Massive Spending Bill
This story also ran on NPR. It can be republished for free. Late last month, before President Joe Biden took office and proposed his pandemic […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Host Dan Weissmann Talks Price Transparency on ‘Axios Today’
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. As we settle into the new year, we have two small doses of good news. First, a […]
California Budget Reflects ‘Pandemic-Induced Reality,’ Governor Says
USE OUR CONTENT It can be republished for free. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The coronavirus pandemic doomed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plans last year to combat […]
Aunque controlen el Senado, demócratas necesitarán apoyo republicano en temas clave de salud
Ante la pandemia, los demócratas han abogado por ayudas más generosas, más presión sobre las farmacéuticas para que bajen los precios y más atención al […]
‘An Arm And a Leg’: How a Former Health Care Executive Became a Health Care Whistleblower
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Former health care executive Wendell Potter spent part of 2020 publishing high-profile apologies for the work he […]
Even With Senate Control, Democrats Will Need Buy-In From GOP on Key Health Priorities
Use Our Content It can be republished for free. Democrats have argued for more generous pandemic relief, more pressure on drugmakers to lower prices and […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: A Look Back at 2020 — What We Learned and Where We’re Headed
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. This episode turns the tables: Host Dan Weissmann gets interviewed about what he learned in 2020 and […]
Retiree Living the RV Dream Fights $12,387 Nightmare Lab Fee
Lorraine Rogge and her husband, Michael Rogge, travel the country in a recreational vehicle, a well-earned adventure in retirement. This spring found them parked in […]
Surprise! Congress Takes Steps to Curb Unexpected Medical Bills
Most Americans tell pollsters they’re worried about being able to afford an unexpected medical bill. Late Monday, Congress passed a bill to allay some of […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: All I Want for Christmas Is a COVID Relief Bill
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. Congress appears to be inching ever closer to agreement on a long-delayed COVID-19 relief bill, […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Shopping for Health Insurance? Here’s How One Family Tried to Pick a Plan
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. When host Dan Weissmann and his wife set out to pick a health insurance plan for next […]
Dialysis Industry Spends Millions, Emerges as Power Player in California Politics
SACRAMENTO — The nation’s dialysis industry has poured $233 million into California campaigns over the past four years, establishing its leading companies as a formidable […]
California Lawmakers to Newsom: Give All Immigrants Health Coverage
Use Our Content It can be republished for free. SACRAMENTO — California Democratic lawmakers so far have failed to convince Gov. Gavin Newsom that the […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Obamacare Alum Andy Slavitt Takes Stock of the COVID Pandemic — So Far
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Andy Slavitt has spent much of 2020 talking with almost everybody who knows anything about the COVID-19 […]
During ACA Open Enrollment, Picking a Plan Invites New COVID Complications
People buying their own health insurance have even more to think about this year, particularly those post-COVID-19 patients with lingering health concerns, the “long haulers,” […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: How to Avoid a Big Bill for Your COVID Test
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Tests for the coronavirus are supposed to be free. And, usually, they are. But sometimes … things […]
After Kid’s Minor Bike Accident, Major Bill Sets Legal Wheels in Motion
Adam Woodrum was out for a bike ride with his wife and kids on July 19 when his then 9-year-old son, Robert, crashed. “He cut […]
Were You Notified About Missing Tax Forms for Your ACA Subsidy? Blame COVID.
The notice from the federal health insurance marketplace grabbed Andrew Schenker’s attention: ACT NOW: YOU’RE AT RISK OF LOSING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE STARTING JANUARY 1, 2021. […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: For Your Next Health Insurance Fight, an Exercise in Financial Self-Defense
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. A listener asked: ‘How do I remain cool when calling insurance companies?” So we called veteran self-defense […]
Workers Who Lost Jobs Due to COVID May Need Help Getting Coverage This Fall
Michelina Moen lost her job and health insurance in April. Only weeks earlier she had begun to feel ill and not her usual energetic self […]
Cinco preguntas críticas sobre la vacuna contra COVID-19 de Pfizer
El anuncio de Pfizer de que su vacuna contra COVID-19 prevendría que nueve de cada 10 personas contraigan la enfermedad hizo que el precio de […]
Five Important Questions About Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine
Pfizer’s announcement on Monday that its COVID-19 shot appears to keep nine in 10 people from getting the disease sent its stock price rocketing. Many […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: David vs. Goliath: How to Beat a Big Hospital in Small Claims Court
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. When Jeffrey Fox and his wife got an outrageous medical bill for a simple test, he said […]
Hospital Bills for Uninsured COVID Patients Are Covered, but No One Tells Them
When Darius Settles died from COVID-19 on the Fourth of July, his family and the city of Nashville, Tennessee, were shocked. Even the mayor noted […]
App-Based Companies Pushing Prop. 22 Say Drivers Will Get Health Benefits. Will They?
App-based driving services such as Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart are bankrolling California’s Proposition 22, which would keep their drivers classified as independent contractors, not […]
If Trump Wins, Don’t Hold Your Breath Waiting for That ACA Replacement Plan
If President Donald Trump wins reelection next week, it seems unlikely he will unveil the health plan he’s been promising since before his election in […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Vetting TikTok Mom’s Advice for Dealing With Debt Collectors
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. TikTok mom Shaunna Burns used to be a debt collector, so she knows a few things about […]
Job-Based Health Insurance Costs Are Up 4% This Year, 55% in Past Decade
Health insurance costs for Americans who get their coverage through work continued a relentless march upward with average family premiums rising 4% to $21,342 this […]
Refuge in the Storm? ACA’s Role as Safety Net Is Tested by COVID Recession
The Affordable Care Act, facing its first test during a deep recession, is providing a refuge for some — but by no means all — […]
Easier-to-Use Coronavirus Saliva Tests Start to Catch On
As the coronavirus pandemic broke out across the country, health care providers and scientists relied on the standard method for detecting respiratory viruses: sticking a […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: TikTok Mom Takes On Medical Bills
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Shaunna Burns went viral on TikTok, partly because of a series of videos dishing out real-talk advice […]
Not Pandemic-Proof: Insulin Copay Caps Fall Short, Fueling Underground Exchanges
DENVER — D.j. Mattern had her Type 1 diabetes under control until COVID’s economic upheaval cost her husband his hotel maintenance job and their health […]
