Category: Health Care Costs

As Nonprofit Hospitals Reap Big Tax Breaks, States Scrutinize Their Required Charity Spending

Nonprofit hospitals avoid paying taxes if they provide community benefits such as charity care. More states are examining that trade-off, scrutinizing the extent of hospitals’ spending on their communities.

What You Need to Know About the Drug Price Fight in Those TV Ads

At least nine bills introduced in Congress take aim at pharmacy benefit managers, the powerful middlemen that channel prescription drugs to patients.

Patients Squeezed in Fight Over Who Gets to Bill for Pricey Infusion Drugs

To drive down costs, insurers are bypassing hospital system pharmacies and delivering high-priced infusion drugs, including some used in chemotherapy, via third-party pharmacies. Smarting from losing out on billing for those drugs, hospitals and clinics are trying to convince states to limit this practice, known as “white bagging.”

An Arm and a Leg: Credit Card, Please

What do you do when a medical provider asks you to provide a credit card upfront? In this episode, we hear advice about your options in this situation.

An Arm and a Leg: Credit Card, Please

What do you do when a medical provider asks you to provide a credit card upfront? In this episode, we hear advice about your options in this situation.

The Hospital Bills Didn’t Find Her, but a Lawsuit Did — Plus Interest

Recovering from emergency gallbladder surgery, a Tennessee woman said she spent months without a permanent mailing address and never got a bill. She was sued by the health system two years later.

‘We’re Not Doing That’: Why a Black Couple Wouldn’t Crowdfund to Pay Off Medical Debts

Kristie Fields, a cancer patient in Virginia, was urged to go public to seek financial help. She worried about feeding hurtful stereotypes.

Dementia Can Take a Toll on Financial Health, as Some Families Learn the Hard Way

People with dementia and their families often find themselves with few legal rights when dealing with financial scams or the mismanagement of their assets. Research reveals financial troubles can be both an early sign and a painful symptom of cognitive decline.

What One Hospital’s Slow Recovery From a Cyberattack Means for Patients

U.S. hospitals have seen a record number of cyberattacks over the past few years. Getting hacked can cost a hospital millions of dollars, expose patient data, and even jeopardize patient care.

What One Hospital’s Slow Recovery From a Cyberattack Means for Patients

U.S. hospitals have seen a record number of cyberattacks over the past few years. Getting hacked can cost a hospital millions of dollars, expose patient data, and even jeopardize patient care.