Category: Uninsured

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: The Affordable Care Act Turns 10

Next week is the 10th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Millions of Americans have benefited from the law, yet its future is in the hands of both the Supreme Court and voters in November. For this special episode of “What the Health?” host Julie Rovner interviews Kathleen Sebelius, who was Obama’s secretary of Health and Human Services when the law was passed. Then Rovner, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News discuss its history, impact and prospects for the future.

Sebelius, Looking Back At ACA, Says The Country’s Never ‘Seen This Kind Of Battle’

On KHN’s “What the Health? ” podcast, the former secretary of Health and Human Services says she continued to believe during the debate 10 years ago on the health law that it would eventually gain some Republican support. But that never happened.

Your School Assignment For The Day: Spelling And Specs

In California’s rural Central Valley, low-income children have limited access to vision care. School districts are teaming up with nonprofits to fill the gaps.

Trump’s Medicaid Chief Labels Medicaid ‘Mediocre.’ Is It?

This claim ‘wouldn’t pass muster’ in a first-year statistics class.

It’s Not Just Hospitals That Sue Patients Who Can’t Pay

Until very recently, the separate company that runs the emergency department at Nashville General Hospital in Tennessee was continuing to haul patients who couldn’t pay medical bills into court.

Analysis: Who Profits From Steep Medical Bills? The People Tasked With Fixing Them.

Surprise bills are just the latest weapons in a decades-long war among health care industry players over who gets to keep the fortunes generated each year from patient illness: $3.6 trillion in 2018. The practice is an outrage, yet no one in the health care sector wants to unilaterally make the type of big concessions that would change things.

Surge In Enrollment As Californians Avoid Penalty, Receive State Aid

Although a new state tax penalty and state financial aid motivated people to sign up for health insurance this year, Covered California is reopening enrollment for those who said they weren’t aware of them.

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Happy Friday! In news that is technically really good and exciting but is also kind of icky: yarn made from human skin could eventually be used to stitch up surgical wounds as a way to cut down on detrimental reactions from patients. As CNN reports, “The researchers say their ‘human textile,’ which they developed from […]

Bloomberg On Health Care: Translating His Mayoral Record To The National Stage

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg uses health care as a key message in his Democratic presidential primary run.

Team Trump Says Administration’s Action On Health Care ‘Is Working.’ Is It?

The impact of the Trump administration’s health policies is not as clear-cut as the president’s reelection campaign suggests.