health care costs

Tighter Patent Rules Could Help Lower Drug Prices, Study Shows

11:44am August 23, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Repeated extensions of drug patents help fend off competitors, researchers say, keeping prices high. And the fact that Medicare and Medicaid can't negotiate for discounts doesn't help, either.

Who has the upper hand in health care prices?

In Battle Of Health Care Titans, Should Insurers Act Like Wal-Mart?

5:10pm August 11, 2016

by Jay Hancock

Evidence shows dominant insurers hold down hospital prices. Big insurers seeking to get bigger want to take that idea to the extreme. Hospitals and doctors object.

Hikes In Employees' Health Premiums To Outpace Raises Again

12:55pm August 10, 2016

by Jay Hancock

Most employees at large companies should expect a 5 percent increase in their health insurance premiums in 2017 and few changes to the coverage and features.

A makeshift memorial continues to grow outside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on July 11, one month after the mass shooting at the club.

The Costs Of The Pulse Nightclub Shooting

5:00pm August 07, 2016

by Abe Aboraya

Researchers are taking a look at the economic costs of the mass shooting at the Orlando nightclub. Meanwhile, those affected personally are fretting about their bills.

Prescribing of oxycodone and other opioid pain pills rose sharply after 2000.

Many More People Seek Medical Help For Opioid Abuse

12:56pm August 01, 2016

by Julie Appleby

Insurance claims for medical services related to opioid dependence rose more than 3,000 percent between 2007 and 2014, a study finds, suggesting that opioid problems have gone mainstream.

HHS Report Says Obamacare Plans Are Cheaper Than They Look

3:40pm July 12, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The deductibles that most people actually pay are much lower than those advertised because of subsidies, according to a report released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Glenn Baker, 44, stands in his South Side apartment that is paid for by a program of the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago.

A Hospital Offers Frequent ER Patients An Out — Free Housing

6:22pm June 29, 2016

by Miles Bryan

Glenn Baker is what hospitals call a superutilizer, coming into the ER again and again with multiple health issues made worse by homelessness. So a Chicago hospital decided to offer him a home.

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Federal Program That Helps Patients Navigate Medicare May Be Cut

4:45pm June 17, 2016

by Susan Jaffe

Counselors nationwide have helped 7 million people choose Medicare plans, challenge coverage denials and get subsidies. But some senators just voted to spend the money on other causes.

An independent commission recommended changes to Medicare Part D, including reducing or waiving copayments for generic drugs for low-income enrollees.

More Generics And Negotiating Leverage Could Slow Medicare Drug Spending

6:20pm June 16, 2016

by Julie Appleby

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission told Congress that rising drug costs helped push Medicare Part D spending up nearly 60 percent between 2007 and 2014. There are options to contain spending.

The Probuphine implant delivers medication for six months. It helps reduce cravings for people with opioid use disorder.

Long-Acting Opioid Treatment Could Be Available In A Month

5:35pm May 27, 2016

by Martha Bebinger

The FDA has approved the Probuphine implant for medication-assisted therapy for opioid addiction. It lasts for six months, compared to daily pills. But it also will be more expensive.

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