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The growth of insurance plans built around small networks of health-care providers is fueling new fights over surprise medical bills, when patients inadvertently get care from out-of-network doctors. Providers and insurers are blaming each other for sticking patients with higher bills in such cases, and nearly two dozen states have passed or are considering legislation to protect consumers. (Beck, 7/8)

Maybe you’ve experienced this on your own: Out-of-pocket expenses for hospital patients have jumped sharply, according to a recent report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Between 2009 and 2013, patient shares of the cost of in-hospital stays were up 37 percent. Deductibles grew by 86 percent and coinsurance was up a third. Many consumers don't realize there are ways to reduce such costs. (Sherman, 7/8)

More than half of U.S. states have so-called "filial responsibility" laws that require adult children to support their parents if they become indigent. For example, under Pennsylvania's 2005 statute, spouses, parents, and children are obligated to care for or financially assist destitute family members. (Arvedlund, 7/10)