KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Category: Health Industry
Ouch. That ‘Free’ Annual Checkup Might Cost You. Here’s Why.
The designers of the Affordable Care Act might have assumed that they spelled out with sufficient clarity that millions of Americans would no longer have to pay for certain types of preventive care. But they didn’t reckon with America’s ever-creative medical billing juggernaut.
Senate Probes the Cost of Assisted Living and Its Burden on American Families
In the wake of a KFF Health News-New York Times series, members of the Special Committee on Aging are asking residents and their families to submit their bills and are calling for a Government Accountability Office study.
The Colonoscopies Were Free. But the ‘Surgical Trays’ Came With $600 Price Tags.
Health providers may bill however they choose — including in ways that could leave patients with unexpected bills for “free” care. Routine preventive care saddled an Illinois couple with his-and-her bills for “surgical trays.”
988-Hotline Counselors Air Concerns: More Training Needed to Juggle a Mix of Calls
Dozens of crisis counselors responded to a survey about their work experiences, painting a picture of uneven training, uncertainty about how long to stay on the line, and different policies on whether to inform a caller when police are on their way.
In Los Angeles, Occupational Therapists Tapped to Help Homeless Stay Housed
Los Angeles County is deploying a small team of occupational therapists to help newly housed individuals adjust to life indoors. Therapists are trained to recognize disabilities and help with basic living skills, such as hygiene and cleanliness, that can help prevent clients from getting evicted or slipping back onto the streets.
What the Health Care Sector Was Selling at the J.P. Morgan Confab
When bankers and investors flocked to San Francisco for the largest gathering of health care industry investors, the buzz was all about artificial intelligence, the next hit weight-loss drug, and new opportunities to make money through nonprofit hospitals.
Federal Lawmakers Take First Steps Toward Oversight of $50 Billion in Opioid Settlements
The four-page bill lists how states should spend settlement money, but it doesn’t specify consequences for flouting the rules or name who is in charge of monitoring compliance.
Watch: Older Americans Say They Feel Stuck in Medicare Advantage Plans
You’ve probably seen advertising about Medicare Advantage plans. KFF Health News’ Sarah Jane Tribble explains the pros and cons of this insurance option as enrollment in these plans increases.
In This Oklahoma Town, Most Everyone Knows Someone Who’s Been Sued by the Hospital
Hospitals nationwide face growing scrutiny over how they secure payment from patients, but at one community hospital, the debt collection machine has been quietly humming along for decades.
