As the number of people who inject drugs has soared, the rate of hepatitis C infection has climbed steeply, too, because the disease can be tied to sharing needles. Yet many drug patients are not checked for the virus that can damage the liver.
Category: Cost and Quality
After Her Skiing Accident, An Uphill Battle Over Snowballing Bills
She took a bad fall on the slopes and her surgeon used a metal plate to put the splintered bones of her leg back together. When that device failed less than four months later, she and her insurer had to pay full price for the replacement plate.
Health Suffers Deep In The Troubled Heart Of Texas
The Lone Star State is an economic powerhouse, yet it fails to take care of its residents’ health and is home to some of the most extreme entrepreneurial medical practices.
For The Asking, A Check Is In The Mail To Help Pay For Costly Drugs
It’s a little-known secret that patients can get thousands of dollars directly from a drugmaker.
One Implant, Two Prices. It Depends On Who’s Paying.
Breast implants — used for both cancer and cosmetic surgeries — give a glimpse into how hospitals mark up prices of medical devices to increase their bottom lines.
One Implant, Two Prices. It Depends On Who’s Paying.
Breast implants — used for both cancer and cosmetic surgeries — give a glimpse into how hospitals mark up prices of medical devices to increase their bottom lines.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Is Health Spending The Next Big Political Issue?
Diabetics dying because they can’t afford insulin. Organ transplant patients undergoing “wallet biopsies” to get on waiting lists. Are out-of-pocket costs going to dominate the health discussion in the next election? Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this as well as new Trump administration rules giving states the ability to make major changes to the Affordable Care Act. Also, lame-duck lawmakers in Wisconsin and Michigan try to cement health changes before Democrats take over.
No Cash, No Heart. Transplant Centers Require Proof Of Payment.
The case of a Michigan woman told to fundraise $10,000 for a heart transplant sparked viral outrage, but experts say “wallet biopsies” are common.
In Grandma’s Stocking: An Apple Watch To Monitor Falls, Track Heart Rhythms
The new-generation gadget is designed to alert and protect wearers from falls and heart problems, expanding Apple’s target audience beyond the usual, tech-savvy, early adopters to those with older tickers.
Medicare Cuts Payments To Nursing Homes Whose Patients Keep Ending Up In Hospital
The incentive program to discourage nursing homes from discharging patients too quickly will also give bonuses to facilities with fewer rehospitalizations.
