Category: Health Care Costs

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: How’s That Open Enrollment Going?

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace plans is halfway over and, so far, the number of people signing up is down, but not dramatically. Meanwhile, Congress and President Donald Trump can’t seem to agree on what to do about teen vaping, drug prices or “surprise” medical bills. And Democrats lurch to the left on abortion. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more health news.

Nothing To Sneeze At: The $2,659 Bill To Pluck Doll’s Shoe From Child’s Nostril

A 3-year-old girl put matching doll shoes up her nose. One came out easily. The second required an emergency department visit ― and generated a bill that is not child’s play.

Last-Minute Loophole Could Undermine Texas Law Against Surprise Medical Bills

Texas passed a bipartisan law against surprise medical billing, but advocates warn that a proposed rule could severely weaken it, continuing to allow surprise bills outside of emergencies.

UVA Doctors Decry Aggressive Billing Practices By Their Own Hospital

In the wake of a Kaiser Health News investigation, doctors want the University of Virginia’s health system to stop suing its patients over unpaid bills.

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.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: A Medical Bill Ninja Shares Her Secrets

On Season 3, Episode 2 of the podcast “An Arm and a Leg,” an Illinois woman harnesses a lifetime of experience — and frustration — with health care finances to help other people solve their medical bill problems.

In This Democratic Debate, Health Care Issues Took A Backseat

The latest Democratic debate did not dwell on “Medicare for All,” despite strong divisions among the presidential candidates.

Do 160 Million Americans Really Like Their Health Plans? Kind Of

The context matters.

The Case Of The ACA’s Disappearing Taxes

When passing the Affordable Care Act, Democrats touted the fact that they had included many measures to pay for the bill’s expanded coverage. But nearly 10 years later, many of the “pay-fors” have been eliminated.

The Startlingly High Cost Of The ‘Free’ Flu Shot

Although many consumers pay nothing out of pocket for flu shots, insurers foot the bill. And those prices vary dramatically.