Fred Clasen-Kelly

Author's posts

An Unexplained Injury Discovered After Eye Surgery. What Should Happen Next?

Some doctors and medical practices voluntarily give rebates on a bill if an injury occurs during a procedure, while others will not, an expert says. Here’s how patients can respond.

He woke up from eye surgery with a gash on his forehead. What happened?

Some doctors and medical practices voluntarily give rebates on a bill if an injury occurs during a procedure, while others will not, a medical ethicist says. Here’s how patients can respond.

Hospitals Said They Lost Money on Medicare Patients. Some Made Millions, a State Report Finds.

A North Carolina state treasurer’s report found hospitals give conflicting information about whether they profit from Medicare patients. Experts said the findings are significant because they suggest the federal government has failed to closely watch the billions of dollars in tax breaks that nonprofit hospitals have received.

As Giant Hospitals Get Bigger, An Independent Doctor Feels the Squeeze

Independent medical practices keep closing as doctors join behemoth hospital groups or leave the field. Research suggests that’s bad news for patients. Studies repeatedly conclude that consolidation in the health care industry is driving up costs while showing no clear evidence of improved care.

A Disability Program Promised to Lift People From Poverty. Instead, It Left Many Homeless.

A federal disability program meant to provide basic income for people unable to work has left many of its recipients homeless. Advocates for the poor say the crisis is growing worse as rents rise and Congress decides whether to make changes to the program that would affect millions of people.

High rents outpace federal disability payments, leaving many homeless

Supplemental Security Income, a federal program meant to be a financial floor for people unable to work, hasn’t kept pace with inflation. Many recipients are homeless, unable to save for an apartment.