California Aims to Maximize Health Insurance Subsidies for Workers During Labor Disputes
Workers who lose employer-based health coverage during a strike or lockout will have access to a full-subsidy plan through Covered California.
Health Care Costs
821 - 840 of 1,848 Results
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Audits 鈥 Hidden Until Now 鈥 Reveal Millions in Medicare Advantage Overcharges
Taxpayers had to foot the bills for care that should have cost far less, according to records released after KHN filed a lawsuit under the Freedom of Information Act. The government may seek to recover up to $650 million as a result.
By Fred Schulte and Holly K. Hacker -
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: The Changing of the Guard
Democrats retained control of the U.S. Senate in the midterm elections, while Republicans won a majority in the House, giving them the ability to block items on President Joe Biden鈥檚 agenda. Meanwhile, the lame-duck, Democratic-led Congress won鈥檛 have the votes to pass abortion rights legislation, although they may try to undo some long-standing anti-abortion policies in federal spending bills. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more.
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How Banks and Private Equity Cash In When Patients Can鈥檛 Pay Their Medical Bills
Hospitals strike deals with financing companies, generating profits for lenders, and more debt for patients.
By Noam N. Levey and Aneri Pattani -
How Optimism Can Close the Medicaid Coverage Gap
Low-income residents in states that haven鈥檛 expanded Medicaid are in a tough spot: They don鈥檛 qualify for the subsidies that people with slightly higher incomes get to buy marketplace plans because of a glitch in the federal health law. But a court decision last year makes it easier for them to make good-faith estimates of a pay increase, and there is no financial penalty if they don鈥檛 hit that figure.
By Phil Galewitz and Daniel Chang -
Watch: As Health Costs Spike, the Role of Hospitals Often Gets Overlooked
A new documentary, 鈥淚nHospitable,鈥 explores how disputes between big hospitals can leave patients with few options for care and imperil their health.
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Medicare Plan Finder Likely Won鈥檛 Note New $35 Cap on Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs
In August, Congress approved a $35 cap on what seniors will pay for insulin, but that change came too late to add to the online tool that helps Medicare beneficiaries compare dozens of drug and medical plans. Federal officials say beneficiaries who use insulin will have the opportunity to switch plans after open enrollment ends Dec. 7.
By Susan Jaffe -
California Stockpiles Penalties From Uninsured Residents Instead of Lowering Care Costs
California is collecting hundreds of millions of dollars a year in tax penalties from uninsured residents. The state was supposed to use the money to help lower costs for Californians who couldn鈥檛 afford insurance but hasn鈥檛 distributed any of the revenue it has collected 鈥 citing uncertain economic times.
By Angela Hart -
Sick Profit: Investigating Private Equity鈥檚 Stealthy Takeover of Health Care Across Cities and Specialties
Private equity firms have shelled out almost $1 trillion to acquire nearly 8,000 health care businesses, in deals almost always hidden from federal regulators. The result: higher prices, lawsuits, and complaints about care.
By Fred Schulte -
鈥楢n Arm and a Leg鈥: No Money, No Job, No Health Care? Not Always.
For many Americans, it鈥檚 open enrollment season for 2023 health insurance. One listener asked: If you don鈥檛 have a job and are too old to be on your parents鈥 plan, does it make sense to rely on charity care? This episode breaks it all down.
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Journalists Tackle the Midterms and Open Enrollment
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
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Abortion Issue Helps Limit Democrats鈥 Losses in Midterms
Although control of Congress was still undecided Wednesday, Republicans seemed poised to take power in the House, while the fate of the Senate remained too close to call. Economic issues were at the top of voters鈥 minds, but abortion access also played a large role in their decisions.
By Julie Rovner -
Defense Department Health Plan Cuts Its Pharmacy Network by Nearly 15,000 Outlets
Many of the pharmacies were small, independent operations that had decided not to participate next year because of the lowered reimbursement being offered. But they were surprised by an early dismissal, and some patients with specialized drug needs could face difficulties in the transition.
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Hospital Giant HCA Fends Off Accusations of Questionable Inpatient Admissions
The nation鈥檚 largest private health system, HCA Healthcare, has faced years of scrutiny over its share of emergency room patients who are admitted to the hospital. And now U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, a Democrat from New Jersey, is calling for a federal investigation, prompting an escalating defense by the hospital system, based in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Centene Showers Politicians With Millions as It Courts Contracts and Settles Overbilling Allegations
Centene, the largest Medicaid managed-care company in the U.S., has thrown more than $26.9 million at political campaigns across the country since 2015, especially focused on states where it is wooing Medicaid contracts and settling accusations that it overbilled taxpayers. Among its tactics: Centene is skirting contribution limits by giving to candidates through its many subsidiaries.
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: ACA Open Enrollment Without the Drama
The Affordable Care Act鈥檚 10th annual open-enrollment period began Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2023, in most states. But for the first time, the health law seems to be enrolling Americans with far less controversy than in previous years. Meanwhile, as Election Day approaches, Democrats are focusing on GOP efforts to cut Social Security and Medicare. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Julie Appleby of KHN join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these topics and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN鈥檚 Arthur Allen, who wrote the latest KNH-NPR Bill of the Month, about an old but still very expensive cancer drug.
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Cash for Colonoscopies: Colorado Tries to Lower Health Costs Through Incentives
State employees could receive checks ranging from $50 to thousands of dollars if they choose the right provider.
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This Open Enrollment Season, Look Out for Health Insurance That Seems Too Good to Be True
Complaints about misleading health insurance marketing are soaring. State insurance commissioners are taking notice. They鈥檝e created a shared internal database to monitor questionable business practices, and, in the future, they hope to provide a public-facing resource for consumers. In the meantime, consumers should shop wisely as open enrollment season begins.
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Readers Boo Medical Debt and Viral Threats in Winning Halloween Haikus
We unmask the winner and runners-up in KHN鈥檚 fourth annual Halloween haiku competition 鈥 plus the original artwork they inspired as a special treat.
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Shopping for ACA Health Insurance? Here’s What’s New This Year
Consumers may find relief in some key changes made by Congress and the Biden administration, although other issues remain unsettled.