Category: Health Care Costs

Are Surprises Ahead For Legislation To Curb Surprise Medical Bills?

This high-profile issue has gained bipartisan attention, but it remains unclear if that’s enough to move it to the finish line. Here’s a review of the current state of play.

‘Sham’ Sharing Ministries Test Faith Of Patients And Insurance Regulators

Officials in Washington and other states are cracking down on companies that avoid health insurance regulations by masquerading as faith-based care.

How To Find And Use New Federal Ratings For Rehab Services At Nursing Homes

For the first time, the federal government is measuring the quality of rehab services in nursing homes for the millions of older adults who need post-hospitalization care.

‘John Doe’ Patients Sometimes Force Hospital Staff To Play Detective

The 50-something man with a shaved head and brown eyes was unresponsive when the paramedics wheeled him into the emergency room. His pockets were empty: no wallet, no cellphone, not a single scrap of paper that might reveal his identity to the nurses and doctors working to save his life. His body lacked any distinguishing […]

Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes

Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.

Surprise! Fixing Out-Of-Network Bills Means Someone Must Pay

Despite the broad agreement on the need to address surprise bills, insurers and health care providers oppose the other side’s preferred solutions.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ ‘Conscience’ Rules, Rx Prices and Still More Medicare

Joanne Kenen of Politico, Jen Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss the latest news about the Trump administration’s effort to allow health care practitioners and organizations to refuse to provide care or refer patients for services that violate their conscience or religion. Also this week, the administration orders TV ads for prescription drugs to include list prices. And Tennessee wants free rein from the federal government to run its Medicaid program. Plus, Rovner interviews Joan Biskupic, author of a new book on Chief Justice John Roberts, about the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the 2012 ruling upholding the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.

A Plan To Cover Immigrants Would Divert Public Health Dollars

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to provide health coverage to unauthorized immigrants ages 19 to 25 would siphon money that four counties currently use for public health efforts such as battling contagious diseases.

A Plan To Cover Immigrants Would Divert Public Health Dollars

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to provide health coverage to unauthorized immigrants ages 19 to 25 would siphon money that four counties currently use for public health efforts such as battling contagious diseases.

The Money And Politics Of Prescription Drugs: What You Need To Know

America spends about as much on prescription drugs as all the revenues of the three big car makers combined. Tracking where the money goes is hard. PolitiFact has some charts to help.