Watch: What Happens When Car and Health Insurance Collide
“CBS This Morning,” in collaboration with KHN and NPR, tells the story of Mark Gottlieb, a marketing consultant in Little Ferry, New Jersey, who faced […]
Health Care Costs
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Picking Up the Pace of Undoing Trump Policies
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. The Biden administration is speeding up the pace of efforts to undo Trump administration health […]
After Accident, Patient Crashes Into $700,000 Bill for Spine Surgery
Mark Gottlieb’s life changed in an instant when another driver crashed into his car, damaging four vertebrae in his upper spine and smashing six teeth. […]
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 […]
The FDA Seeks a New Way to Review Old Drugs Without Causing Prices to Soar
Chuck Peterson of Omaha, Nebraska, recently experienced a swollen, painful knuckle caused by arthritis. He got a prescription for colchicine. Doctors have used the drug […]
‘Explained by KHN’: Health Insurance Help in Covid Relief Law
The twists and turns of the American health system can sometimes leave people lost, confused and looking for answers. We’ve created a new video series […]
Despite Covid, Many Wealthy Hospitals Had a Banner Year With Federal Bailout
Last May, Baylor Scott & White Health, the largest nonprofit hospital system in Texas, laid off 1,200 employees and furloughed others as it braced for […]
Analysis: How the US Invested in the War on Terrorism at the Cost of Public Health
This story also ran on Los Angeles Times. It can be republished for free. Here’s one big takeaway from our country’s disastrous 2020 covid response: […]
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 […]
The Great Undoing: Which of Trump’s Policies Will Biden Reverse?
KHN has put together an interactive tool of significant health policies implemented by the Trump administration using its own authority — executive orders, agency guidance […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Getting Down to Work at HHS
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. As questions swirl about the covid vaccine made by AstraZeneca, public health experts are worried […]
Democrats Gave Americans a Big Boost Buying Health Insurance. It Didn’t Come Cheap.
When Democrats pushed through a two-year expansion of the Affordable Care Act in the covid-relief bill this month, many people celebrated the part that will […]
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 […]
Analysis: The Trump Health Care Policies That Deserve to Stick Around
President Joe Biden’s goal of providing health care for more Americans advanced this week with his signing of an economic stimulus package that includes subsidies […]
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 […]
Pandemic Aid Package Includes Relief From High Premiums
This story also ran on NPR. It can be republished for free. As President Joe Biden’s pandemic relief package steams through Congress, Democrats have hitched […]
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 […]
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 […]
Montana’s Health Policy MVP Takes Her Playbook on the Road
Use Our Content It can be republished for free. Marilyn Bartlett might be the closest thing health policy has to a folk hero. A certified […]
‘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 […]
Health Policy Valentines to Warm the Heart
Nothing warms our hearts like a few good Health Policy Valentines ― especially those that are sweet on KHN. Tweeters lit up our timeline in […]
As Demand for Mental Health Care Spikes, Budget Ax Set to Strike
Use Our Content It can be republished for free. HELENA, Mont. — When the pandemic hit, health officials in Montana’s Beaverhead County had barely begun […]
‘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 […]
Baby Blues: First-Time Parents Blindsided by ‘the Birthday Rule’ and a $207,455 NICU Bill
In the nine months leading up to her due date, Kayla Kjelshus and her husband, Mikkel, meticulously planned for their daughter’s arrival. This story also […]
Readers and Tweeters Fight Stigma and Salute Front-Line Workers
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. In […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The Biden Health Agenda
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. President Joe Biden wasted no time getting down to work. Among the raft of executive […]
After a Decade of Lobbying, ALS Patients Gain Faster Access to Disability Payments
Anita Baron first noticed something was wrong in August 2018, when she began to drool. Her dentist chalked it up to a problem with her […]
Patients Fend for Themselves to Access Highly Touted Covid Antibody Treatments
By the time he tested positive for covid-19 on Jan. 12, Gary Herritz was feeling pretty sick. He suspects he was infected a week earlier, […]
‘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 […]
Seniors Face Crushing Drug Costs as Congress Stalls on Capping Medicare Out-Of-Pockets
This story also ran on Fortune. It can be republished for free. Sharon Clark is able to get her life-sustaining cancer drug, Pomalyst — priced […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: 2020 in Review — It Wasn’t All COVID
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. COVID-19 was the dominant — but not the only — health policy story of 2020. […]
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, […]
As Congress Bickers Over Pandemic Relief, Flight Attendant’s Life Is in a Holding Pattern
Troy Muenzer has seen the damage that COVID can do. A flight attendant who was diagnosed with a “suspected” case of the deadly virus, Muenzer, […]
‘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 […]
‘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 […]
Think Your Health Care Is Covered? Beware of the ‘Junk’ Insurance Plan
Looking back, Sam Bloechl knows that when the health insurance broker who was helping him find a plan asked whether he’d ever been diagnosed with […]
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Who Will Run the Biden Health Effort?
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. The quadrennial guessing game about who will get what health job in a new presidential […]
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. […]
Surprise Federal Drug Rule Directs Insurers to Reveal What They Pay for Prescription Drugs
Health insurance companies will have to give their customers estimated out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and disclose to the public the negotiated prices they pay […]
‘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 […]
KHN on the Air This Week
KHN Editor-in-Chief Elisabeth Rosenthal discussed how to manage unexpected health care costs with CBSN on Wednesday. Click here to watch Rosenthal on CBSN KHN chief […]
Fiscal general de California: los jueces deben ver que ACA es “indispensable”
Sacramento.- Cuando la Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos esté escuchando el martes 10 un caso que podría decidir el destino de la Ley de […]
Justices Bound to See ACA as ‘Indispensable,’ Says Californian Leading Defense
SACRAMENTO — When the U.S. Supreme Court hears a case Tuesday that could decide the fate of the Affordable Care Act, California will be leading […]
‘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 […]
A $200 Debit Card Won’t Do Much for Seniors’ Drug Costs
If they’ve been listening to President Donald Trump, seniors may be expecting a $200 debit card in the mail any day now to help them […]
Haiku Winner Unmasked! Read If You Dare
A big thanks to our readers who participated in our second annual KHN Halloween Haiku Contest. Your entries — like our health care system — […]
A $10,000 Obamacare Penalty? Doubtful.
“Because our family couldn’t afford health insurance, Obama/Biden penalized us about $10,000, then took that $10,000 and used it to pay for others’ free Obamacare. […]
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 […]
Readers and Tweeters Shed Light on Vaccine Trials and Bias in Health Care
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. […]
Savvy Patient Fought for the Price She Was Quoted − And Didn’t Give Up
When Tiffany Qiu heard how much her surgery was going to cost her, she was sure the hospital’s financial department had made a mistake. Qiu, […]
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 […]
North Carolina Treasurer Took On the Hospitals. Now He’s Paying Political Price.
Cartel is a term frequently associated with illegal narcotics syndicates. In North Carolina, it has become the favored word of State Treasurer Dale Folwell to […]
Florida Fails to Attract Bidders for Canada Drug Importation Program
Florida’s plan to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada — designed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and endorsed by President Donald Trump — has tasted its […]
Progressive Group Highlights Trump, Tillis Weakness on Insulin Price Tags
During the first presidential debate of 2020, President Donald Trump touted his efforts to curb skyrocketing drug prices and declared that insulin is […]
UVA Health Still Squeezing Money From Patients — By Seizing Their Home Equity
Doris Hutchinson wanted to use money from the sale of her late mother’s house to help her grandchildren go to college. Then she learned the […]
‘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 […]
Al sopesar los temas de salud, la mayoría de los votantes se inclinan hacia Biden
Al menos la mitad de los votantes prefiere el enfoque de la atención médica del ex vicepresidente Joe Biden al del presidente Donald Trump, lo […]
Majority of Voters Tilt Toward Biden as Health Issues Weigh Heavily
At least half of voters prefer former Vice President Joe Biden’s approach to health care over President Donald Trump’s, suggesting voter concern about lowering costs […]
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 […]
Moved by Plight of Young Heart Patient, Stranger Pays His Hospital Bill
Even with insurance, Matthew Fentress faced a medical bill of more than $10,000 after a heart operation. A cook at a senior living community in […]
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 — […]
Fighting for Patient Protections While Attacking ACA — Hard to Have It Both Ways
Throughout the 2020 election cycle, candidates’ positions on health care have been particularly important for voters with underlying and often expensive medical needs — in […]
‘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 […]
Watch: Young Man Faces Medical Bankruptcy — Even With Insurance
“CBS This Morning” tells the story of Matthew Fentress, a young man who developed serious heart disease after a bout of flu when he was […]
Trump’s COVID Program for Uninsured People: It Exists, but Falls Short
In a wide-ranging executive order, President Donald Trump this month outlined some of the efforts he has made to affect health care since taking office. […]
Opposition to Obamacare Becomes Political Liability for GOP Incumbents
In the 2014 elections, Republicans rode a wave of anti-Affordable Care Act sentiment to pick up nine Senate seats, the largest gain for either party […]
Trump Again Claims He’s Bringing Down Drug Prices, But Details of How Are Skimpy
President Donald Trump has long considered lowering the high cost of prescription drugs to be one of his signature issues, and it is likely to […]
Republican Convention, Day 1: A Campaign-Style Trump Speech and More
Before the prime-time GOP showcase began, President Donald Trump took to the podium Monday afternoon and delivered an approximately one-hour campaign-style speech to delegates after […]
Rather Than Give Away Its COVID Vaccine, Oxford Makes a Deal With Drugmaker
In a business driven by profit, vaccines have a problem. They’re not very profitable — at least not without government subsidies. Pharma companies favor expensive […]
Veteran’s Appendectomy Launches Excruciating Months-Long Battle Over Bill
In late August 2019, Shannon Harness awoke to serious pain in the lower right side of his abdomen — a telltale sign of appendicitis. He […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: How to Fight Bogus Medical Bills Like a Bulldog
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. After Izzy Benasso had knee surgery, she and her dad received a letter from a surgical assistant […]
Inside the Race to Build a Better $500 Emergency Ventilator
As the coronavirus crisis lit up this spring, headlines about how the U.S. could innovate its way out of a pending ventilator shortage landed almost […]
Primary Care Doctors Look at Payment Overhaul After Pandemic Disruption
For Dr. Gabe Charbonneau, a primary care doctor in Stevensville, Montana, the coronavirus pandemic is an existential threat. Charbonneau, 43, his two partners and 10 […]
‘An Arm and a Leg’: Financial Self-Defense School Is Now in Session
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. When you need medical care, it can be a lot like entering a casino — playing for […]
Readers and Tweeters Defend Human — And Animal — Rights
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. […]
Don’t Count on Lower Premiums Despite Pandemic-Driven Boon for Insurers
When COVID-19 smacked the United States in March and April, health plans feared medical costs could skyrocket, jacking up premiums drastically in 2021, when millions […]
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Republicans in COVID Disarray
Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. President Donald Trump’s pivot to a more serious view of the coronavirus pandemic didn’t last […]
Missourians to Vote on Medicaid Expansion as Crisis Leaves Millions Without Insurance
ST. LOUIS — Haley Organ thought she had everything figured out. After graduating from a small private college just outside Boston, she earned her master’s […]
Last Thing Patients Need During Pandemic: Being Last to Know a Doctor Left Network
NEW YORK — As the coronavirus spread silently through New York City early this year, Deborah Koeppel had an appointment with her cardiologist and two […]
Medicaid Mystery: Millions of Enrollees Haven’t Materialized in California
The predictions were dire: Coronavirus lockdowns would put millions of Americans out of work, stripping them of their health insurance and pushing them into Medicaid, […]
Another Problem on the Health Horizon: Medicare Is Running Out of Money
Everyone involved even tangentially in health care today is completely consumed by the coronavirus pandemic, as they should be. But the pandemic is accelerating a […]
Administration Eases Rules to Give Laid-Off Workers More Time to Sign Up for COBRA
People who’ve been laid off or furloughed from their jobs now have significantly more time to decide whether to hang on to their employer-sponsored health […]
For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation
In advance of an upcoming road trip with her elderly parents, Wendy Epstein’s physician agreed it would be “prudent” for her and her kids to […]
Listen: Colorado Cuts Back Health Care Programs Amid Dual Crises
KHN senior correspondent Markian Hawryluk joined KUNC’s Erin O’Toole on “Colorado Edition” to discuss his recent story on how Colorado is one of the many […]
Azar Says Federal Law Had Preexisting Conditions Covered Before ACA. Not So Much.
“First off, it’s in statute already in HIPAA that preexisting conditions are covered.” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, on July 9, speaking at […]
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: ‘Open The Schools, Close The Bars’
What The Health? · ‘Open The Schools, Close The Bars’ Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. Julie Rovner Kaiser Health News […]
Why business hours are bad for hospitals
The post Why business hours are bad for hospitals appeared first on Healthy Debate.
