Medical debt can ruin lives, and in many states patients have few financial protections. North Carolina is considering a new law that could lead the way in shielding patients from high medical bills.
Category: NPR
A secret abortion shaped the rest of these two sisters’ lives
Two sisters in Tennessee each got pregnant when they were young. The paths they took and the secrets they kept have shaped their lives.
The Midwest and South could see larger abortion deserts if Roe v. Wade is overturned
About a quarter of clinics that offer abortions would shut down if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Those closures would be concentrated in the Midwest and South where abortion services are already scarce.
Sick and struggling to pay, 100 million people in the U.S. live with medical debt
The U.S. health system now produces debt on a mass scale, a new investigation shows. Patients face gut-wrenching sacrifices.
Medical debt upended their lives. Here’s what it took from them
First, they were struck by illness and then by medical bills they couldn’t pay. Here are seven stories of Americans living under the shadow of health care debt.
‘1619 Project’ journalist lays bare why Black Americans ‘live sicker and die quicker’
Linda Villarosa says bias in the health care system and the “weathering” affect of living in a racist society are taking a serious toll on African Americans. Her new book is Under the Skin.
In deep-red S.C., Democrats running for governor aren’t trying to appeal to moderates
Democrats have to stop “being scared,” said one South Carolina candidate. Abortion rights, gun control, and LGBTQ rights are among the top issues for Democrats challenging GOP Gov. Henry McMaster.
CTE is rare in brains of deceased service members, study finds
Despite a high risk of brain injuries, military personnel rarely develop a disabling brain condition often found in former boxers and football players.
When routine medical tests trigger a cascade of costly, unnecessary care
MRIs done early for uncomplicated low back pain and routine vitamin D tests “just to be thorough” are considered “low-value care” and can lead to further testing that can cost patients thousands.
They thought they bought Obamacare plans. What they got wasn’t insurance
Some consumers sign up for Obamacare and find out later they actually purchased a membership to a health care sharing ministry. But regulators and online advertising sites don’t do much about it.
