Study: 1 In 5 Patients Gets A Surprise Medical Bill After Surgery
With two bills up for debate in the House this week aiming to stop surprise billing, research finds the average surprise bill post-surgery exceeds $2,000.
health care costs
When Insurance Won't Cover Drugs, Americans Make 'Tough Choices' About Their Health
With drug costs on the rise — and insurers refusing to cover some prescriptions — even patients with insurance can find themselves facing high out-of-pocket costs or going without.
'To Stop Now Would Be Foolish': Doubling Down On Services For High-Cost Patients
A study this month showed giving extra social services to the neediest patients didn't reduce hospital readmissions. Now health advocates say that might not be the right measurement of success.
Texas Set To Implement Tough Surprise Billing Law After Loophole Gets Shot Down
Texas will enact a law on Jan. 1 to prevent consumers from getting hit with surprise medical bills. The law survived last-minute efforts to write rules that would have gutted it.
The House Just Passed Its Prescription Drug Plan — Here's What's In It
Lawmakers Thursday passed a bill to rein in drug costs. President Trump has vowed to veto it. But the plan shares a lot with other bipartisan efforts. Here's how it would work.
Law To Protect Patients Against Surprise Medical Bills In Texas Proves Hard To Enact
Texas passed a bipartisan law against surprise medical billing, but advocates warn that a proposed rule could severely weaken it, continuing to allow surprise bills in many situations.
They Bring Medical Care To The Homeless And Build Relationships To Save Lives
"Street medicine" programs, like one in Atlanta, seek out people living in back alleys and under highways. The public health outreach improves patients' health and is cost-effective, hospitals find.
'The Price We Pay' Argues Rising Health Care Costs Undermine Public Trust In Medicine
Surgeon and researcher Marty Makary traveled the country talking to people about their experiences with health care. He learned that costs are poisoning Americans' relationships with medicine.
It's Not Just Insulin: Diabetes Patients Struggle To Get Crucial Supplies
Type 1 diabetes can be well managed with insulin if blood sugar is consistently monitored. But insurance rules can make it hard for patients to get the medical supplies their doctors say they need.
Why Competition Hasn't Brought Down The High Price Of Snakebite Treatment
The snakebite antivenin CroFab, on the U.S. market since 2000, now faces competition from a drug called Anavip. But both are expensive. "Perverse incentives" keep prices high, says one legal scholar.