Category: Medicare

Business Is Booming for Dialysis Giant Fresenius. It Took a $137M Bailout Anyway.

Half of the money the Trump administration gave dialysis companies was collected by Fresenius, an international juggernaut with a robust balance sheet, a KHN analysis has found.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Still Waiting for That Trump Health Plan

President Donald Trump keeps promising a comprehensive plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. And he keeps not delivering. Meanwhile, members of Congress and White House officials seem unable to agree on a new COVID-19 relief bill. And Missouri becomes the sixth state where voters approved a Medicaid expansion ballot measure. Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too.

Missourians to Vote on Medicaid Expansion as Crisis Leaves Millions Without Insurance

Around the country, Medicaid enrollment is up as people who have lost jobs during the pandemic seek health insurance. Expanding eligibility for Missouri’s program, which could help thousands of recently unemployed residents, will be on the ballot Tuesday.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Trump Twists on Virus Response

President Donald Trump has, for now at least, become a realist on the extent of the COVID-19 crisis around the country, and he is urging Americans to socially distance and wear masks. Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, Republicans facing a July 31 deadline are scrambling to come together on their version of the next COVID relief bill. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Tami Luhby of CNN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, Rovner interviews NPR’s Pam Fessler, author of the new book “Carville’s Cure,” which traces the history of the United States’ only federal leprosarium.

Another Problem on the Health Horizon: Medicare Is Running Out of Money

With millions out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to help keep Medicare’s trust fund intact.

Comparing Private Payer and Medicare Payment Rates for Select Inpatient Hospital Services

This issue brief analyzes hospital payments paid by private payers and by Medicare for a selection of inpatient services, including services requiring similar inpatient treatments to those used for COVID-19. It finds that private insurance payments for…

What’s the Latest on Prescription Drug Proposals from the Trump Administration, Congress, and the Biden Campaign?

This slideshow explains the similarities and differences among major proposals to lower prescription drug costs introduced by the Trump Administration, members of Congress, and the Biden campaign.

Pandemic Forced Insurers To Pay For In-Home Treatments. Will They Disappear?

With stay-at-home orders in place, hospitals experimented with delivering many treatments to patients where they lived. They were a success. As society reopens, the return of old payment practices may prevent the adoption of this new, efficient model of care.

If You’ve Lost Your Health Plan In The COVID Crisis, You’ve Got Options

But some of those options, like special enrollment periods, are time-sensitive.

When A Doctor No Longer Accepts Medicare, Patients Left Holding The Bag

As doctors look for alternative ways to charge patients for care, some Medicare enrollees may lose access to their physicians.