health care costs

There will be about 55 percent more people with diabetes as baby boomers become senior citizens, a report finds.

Baby Boomers Will Become Sicker Seniors Than Earlier Generations

3:30pm May 25, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The seniors of tomorrow will have much higher rates of diabetes and obesity than the seniors of today, according to a data analysis. That means higher medical bills for them — and for taxpayers, too.

In some New York City schools, the bathroom dispensers provide sanitary products for free.

New York Aims To Become The Next State To Toss The Tampon Tax

7:26pm May 16, 2016

by Fred Mogul

If 2015 was the year of the period, 2016 may be the year when women have to pay less for sanitary supplies, or even get them for free. Some state, local and federal legislators are pushing for change.

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Ratio of state average prices to national average price for 162 common medical services (2015 prices)

That Surgery Might Cost You A Lot Less In Another Town

10:41pm April 27, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

You may be paying $38,000 more for that knee replacement than someone in another state, or even a few hundred miles down the road. And there doesn't seem to be any method to this madness.

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When The Cost Of Care Triggers A Medical Deportation

4:08pm April 09, 2016

by John Henning Schumann

Hospitals are legally obligated to find suitable places to discharge patients, but their insurance status makes all the difference. Things get complicated if people have entered the country illegally.

Along with the diagnosis, patients often want to talk about how much treatment will cost.

Health & Safety

Patients Miss Out On Savings When Doctors Fail To Talk About Costs

4:45pm April 04, 2016

by Shefali Luthra

Doctors aren't used to discussing financial barriers to care, and many think it's inappropriate to bring up money at all during conversations with patients.

"You won't believe the price of this one!"

Physician Group Calls On Government To Rein In Drug Prices

3:22pm March 29, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The American College of Physicians will lobby Congress to allow the re-importation of medicines from other countries and to let Medicare bargain with drugmakers over price. Will lawmakers go along?

Harvoni can cure hepatitis C, but the drug costs a fortune. Are loans to patients the answer?

Buying Costly Drugs On The Installment Plan: Could It Work?

8:42pm March 28, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Two academics suggest that loans financed by the private sector could be one way to help patients cover the cost of expensive, curative pharmaceuticals. Think mortgages.

Indianapolis-based Anthem wants Express Scripts to cough up more of the rebates it gets from drugmakers.

Health & Safety

Anthem Sues Express Scripts For A Bigger Slice Of Drug Savings

4:03pm March 21, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

The giant health insurer says Express Scripts, a manager of drug benefits, should be passing along more of the savings it negotiates with drugmakers.

Drug-Company Payments Mirror Doctors' Brand-Name Prescribing

9:51am March 17, 2016

An analysis of Medicare data shows that the more money a doctor gets from pharmaceutical companies, the more likely he or she is to prescribe brand-name medications. And that influences cost.

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Health & Safety

Cancer And Arthritis Drugs Drive Up Spending On Medicines

8:01pm March 14, 2016

by Alison Kodjak

Patients switching to generic medicines and hard bargaining with drugmakers helped moderate spending on prescription drugs in 2015, according to Express Scripts, a manager of drug benefits.