Health Care Costs Archives - Page 50 of 93 - �鶹Ů�� Health News

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Congress Shelves Covid Funding for Now

The Biden administration’s request for billions more in funding to fight covid-19 hit a snag on Capitol Hill this week, as Democrats objected to Republican demands that money allocated to states but not yet spent be reclaimed. Meanwhile, the big annual spending bill about to cross the finish line addresses other health policy changes, such as giving the FDA authority to regulate “synthetic” nicotine. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Jessie Hellmann of Modern Healthcare join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

March 10, 2022

13-year-old Joshua Davis stands up as people around him applaud and smile during the State of the Union address.

$35 Insulin Cap Is Welcome, Popular, and Bipartisan. But Congress May Not Pass It Anyway.

Spun off from the ailing but not-quite-dead Build Back Better legislation, a popular proposal to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 a month faces tough political realities that could kill it.

By Michael McAuliff

March 4, 2022

Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks from behind a podium, gesturing with his arms outside of a restaurant. A blue sign sits in front of the microphone at the podium that says, "The California Blueprint."

California Governor’s Big Promises on Drug Prices Are Slow to Materialize

Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched several initiatives to cut rising drug prices, but the savings haven’t been as monumental as he promised. And his plan to have California make its own generic drugs hasn’t gotten off the ground.

By Angela Hart, Rachel Bluth, and Samantha Young

March 4, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A Health-Heavy State of the Union

President Joe Biden spent a large portion of his first State of the Union address talking about foreign affairs, but he also spent time on an array of health topics, including mental health, nursing home regulation, and toxic burn pits. Also this week, the administration unveiled a strategy to address the covid pandemic going forward. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Amy Goldstein of The Washington Post, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

March 3, 2022

Seeking to Shift Costs to Medicare, More Employers Move Retirees to Advantage Plans

Private and public employers are increasingly using the government’s Medicare Advantage program as an alternative to their existing retiree health plan and traditional Medicare coverage. As a result, the federal government is paying the “overwhelming majority” of medical costs, according to an industry analyst.

By Susan Jaffe

March 3, 2022

A bottle of Truvada, an HIV prevention drug, tips out blue pills onto a pill counting tray.

HIV Preventive Care Is Supposed to Be Free in the US. So, Why Are Some Patients Still Paying?

The Department of Labor issued rules in July clarifying that health plans need to cover the costs of prescription drugs proven to prevent HIV infection, along with related lab tests and medical appointments, at no cost to patients. More than half a year later, the erroneous billing continues.

By Sarah Varney

March 3, 2022

President Joe Biden speaks from a podium with Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi standing behind him.

Fact Check: Biden Sets High Bar in 1st State of the Union Speech

What a difference a year makes. The speech was delivered to a largely unmasked crowd of lawmakers, justices, and Cabinet members in the House chamber.

By Victoria Knight and Colleen DeGuzman

March 2, 2022

KHN & PolitiFact HealthCheck

Biden’s Blanket Statement — ‘No More Surprise Billing’ — Doesn’t Quite Cover It

The president used broad language to say that Americans no longer needed to worry about surprise bills, but there are exceptions to the new law that could cost unsuspecting consumers.

By Victoria Knight

March 1, 2022

Gov. Gavin Newsom raises his right hand while talking to reporters at a press conference.

The Demise of Single-Payer in California Trips Up Efforts in Other States

The failure of single-payer health care legislation in California casts doubt on the ability of other states to pass government-run, universal health care. But activists in New York, Washington state, and elsewhere say they are taking lessons from California and changing their tactics.

By Angela Hart

Feb. 28, 2022

Sen. Rick Scott counts on his fingers while speaking during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Plan to Fix Postal Service Shifts New Retirees to Medicare — Along With Billions in Costs

After a years-long bitter partisan fight over reforming the U.S. Postal Service’s finances and service, congressional leaders say they have a compromise. The bill, which has won endorsements from both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, would force future Postal Service retirees to use Medicare as their primary source of health coverage.

By Michael McAuliff

Feb. 25, 2022

Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters Have Mental Health Care on Their Minds

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Feb. 24, 2022

Bill of the Month

An $80,000 Tab for Newborns Lays Out a Loophole in the New Law to Curb Surprise Bills

The insurance company said that the birth of the Bull family’s twins was not an emergency and that NICU care was “not medically necessary.” The family’s experience with a huge bill sent to collections happened in 2020, but it exposes a hole in the new No Surprises law that took effect Jan. 1.

By Jay Hancock

Feb. 23, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: It’s Health Costs, Stupid (2022 Edition)

As the pandemic wanes, for now, the ever-rising cost of health care is again taking center stage. Meanwhile, a year into the Biden administration, the FDA finally has a Senate-confirmed commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf. Tami Luhby of CNN, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Hannah Wesolowski of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about how the pandemic has worsened the nation’s mental health crisis and what can be done about it.

Feb. 17, 2022

Inside the Tactical Tug of War Over the Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug

An epic battle is playing out behind the scenes over whether the government should pay for Aduhelm, an FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drug that scientists say has not been proven to work.

By Arthur Allen

Feb. 16, 2022

Jennifer Arnold sits on a bench with her arm extended as Great, a fluffy goldendoodle, approaches to tap her hand..

Demand for Service Dogs Unleashes a ‘Wild West’ Market

Service dogs can help people with ailments from autism to epilepsy, but a trained dog can cost up to $40,000 — and insurance won’t cover it.

By Markian Hawryluk

Feb. 16, 2022

A stethoscope rests on top of a sheet of health insurance paperwork.

Why Millions on Medicaid Are at Risk of Losing Coverage in the Months Ahead

State Medicaid agencies for months have been preparing for the end of a federal mandate that has prevented states from removing people from the safety-net program during the pandemic.

By Rachana Pradhan

Feb. 14, 2022

Health Policy Valentines Too Sweet Not to Tweet

KHN highlights some of the creative valentines posted on Twitter by health policy enthusiasts.

Feb. 14, 2022

Podcast

‘An Arm and a Leg’: Know Your ‘No Surprises’ Rights

The No Surprises Act protects patients from surprise out-of-network bills. But there are caveats. For instance, these protections apply only to care in a hospital. This episode breaks it all down.

By Dan Weissmann

Feb. 2, 2022

Letters to the Editor

Readers and Tweeters: Give Nurse Practitioners Their Due

KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Jan. 27, 2022

I Write About America’s Absurd Health Care System. Then I Got Caught Up in It.

A KHN reporter had written for years about the people left behind by the absurdly complex and expensive U.S. health care system. Then he found himself navigating that maze as he tried to get his insulin prescription filled.

By Bram Sable-Smith

Jan. 25, 2022

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