Sarah Jane Tribble

Author's posts

Richer Medicare Payments For Rural Hospitals Could Come At Urban Centers’ Expense

The administration’s proposed adjustment to the wage index, a key factor used to set hospitals’ Medicare payments, could help rural facilities while hurting those in cities.

No Mercy: How A Kansas Town Is Grappling With Its Hospital’s Closure

People in Fort Scott, Kansas, depended on their local hospital for more than a century. In December, the hospital closed Fort Scott residents now are trying to cope with life without it.

Why The U.S. Remains The Most Expensive Market For ‘Biologic’ Drugs In The World

Biologic drugs, often made with the help of living organisms, are especially lucrative because they have scant competition from biosimilars, drugs akin to generics. It’s a different story in Europe.

Drugmakers Play The Patent Game To Lock In Prices, Block Competitors

Pharmaceutical companies like Purdue Pharma, maker of OxyContin, often win patents for incremental changes with debatable value. Now there’s a twist involving an opioid addiction treatment.