Category: Hospitals

A Doctor’s Love Letter to ‘The People’s Hospital’

Could a charity hospital founded by a crusading Dutch playwright, a group of Quakers, and a judge working undercover become a model for the U.S. health care system? In this episode of the podcast “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann speaks with Dr. Ricardo Nuila to find out. Nuila’s new book, The People’s […]

States Step In as Telehealth and Clinic Patients Get Blindsided by Hospital Fees

At least eight states have implemented or are considering limits on what patients can be billed for the use of a hospital’s facilities even without having stepped foot in the building.

ER’s Error Lands a 4-Year-Old in Collections (For Care He Didn’t Receive)

A Florida woman tried to dispute an emergency room bill, but the hospital and collection agency refused to talk to her — because it was her child’s name on the bill, not hers.

A Progress Check on Hospital Price Transparency

Hospitals are facing mixed reviews regarding their efforts to comply with a federal requirement that they post information about prices related to nearly every health care service they provide.

Congressman Seeks to Plug ‘Shocking Loophole’ Exposed by KHN Investigation

A federal lawmaker has introduced a House bill that would close one of a laundry list of oversight gaps revealed in a recent KHN investigation of the system regulators use to ban fraudsters from billing government health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.

How Do Facility Fees Contribute To Rising Emergency Department Costs?

With the high costs of emergency department visits of significant importance to consumers and policymakers, this analysis examines claims data from privately insured individuals with large employer health plans, to examine the role that facility fees p…

Banning Noncompete Contracts for Medical Staff Riles Hospitals

It’s about the money — on both sides — as arguments swirl about patient safety, rising prices, and paying back on-the-job training.

Legal Questions, Inquiries Intensify Around Noble Health’s Rural Missouri Hospital Closures

A year after private equity-backed Noble Health shuttered two rural Missouri hospitals, a slew of lawsuits and state and federal investigations grind forward. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey recently confirmed an “ongoing” investigation as former employees continue to go unpaid and cope with unpaid medical claims.

End of Covid Emergency Will Usher in Changes Across the US Health System

The May 11 expiration of the federal government’s pandemic emergency declaration will affect patient care across a broad range of settings, including telemedicine, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Temp Nurses Cost Hospitals Big During Pandemic. Lawmakers Are Now Mulling Limits.

Missouri is considering making it a felony to jack up temporary health care staffing prices during a statewide or national emergency. It’s one of at least 14 states looking to reel in travel nurse costs, after many hospitals struggled to pay for needed staffers earlier in the covid pandemic.