Category: Kaiser Health News

DOJ Lawyers Try New Tricks To Undo Obamacare. Will It Work?

KHN consulted legal experts about some of the arguments advanced by Trump administration lawyers during the most recent round of oral arguments in the legal challenge brought by 18 “red” states to overturn the Affordable Care Act.

Hospitals Block ‘Surprise Billing’ Measure In California

California lawmakers on Wednesday pulled legislation that would have protected some patients from surprise medical bills for emergency care, citing opposition from hospitals. They vowed to resurrect the bill next year.

Biden Calling ACA ‘Breakthrough’ For Mental Health Parity Highlights Gaps

Did the Affordable Care Act create equal coverage of mental and physical health? Seems true on paper but not always in practice.

Biden Calling ACA ‘Breakthrough’ For Mental Health Parity Highlights Gaps

Did the Affordable Care Act create equal coverage of mental and physical health? Seems true on paper but not always in practice.

Medicare Going In ‘Right Direction’ On Opioid Epidemic

A new report by the inspector general for HHS shows prescriptions to treat opioid addiction are way up in recent years, while prescriptions for the painkillers have fallen.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: The Full Story Of Insulin And Its Cost ― No Sugarcoating It

Skipping meals. Rationing medicine to make it last. The high cost of insulin has pushed some people with diabetes to make hard choices. Hear about insulin’s backstory and the hacks that might make it affordable.

How To Get A Cheaper Prescription Before Leaving The Doctor’s Office

A pricing tool embedded in their electronic health record and prescribing system lets doctors see how much patients will pay out-of-pocket based on their insurance and the pharmacy. But doctors have been slow to adopt the technology, which has limitations.

Watch: High Cost Of Insulin Sends Americans To Canada To Stock Up

KHN, in collaboration with PBS NewsHour, reports on the skyrocketing cost of insulin — and the trend’s deadly consequences. The price in the U.S. nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016, prompting some patients and activists to travel to Canada, where insulin can be 90% cheaper.

Watch: High Cost Of Insulin Sends Americans To Canada To Stock Up

KHN, in collaboration with PBS NewsHour, reports on the skyrocketing cost of insulin — and the trend’s deadly consequences. The price in the U.S. nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016, prompting some patients and activists to travel to Canada, where insulin can be 90% cheaper.

Medi-Cal Enrollment Among Immigrant Kids Stalls, Then Falls. Is Fear To Blame?

Enrollment among undocumented immigrant children in California’s Medicaid program started strong before stagnating and then falling. Although this decline is similar to an enrollment decline among all children in Medicaid nationwide, experts believe there are different reasons behind it.