health care costs

Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar announced his agency is dropping a proposal intended to lower drug prices.

As Its Drug Pricing Plans Fall Through, Trump Administration Turns To Congress To Act

4:35pm July 11, 2019

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

It was a tough week for the agency in charge of implementing Trump's ambitious plans to reduce drug costs. The administration rolled back one plan and had another shot down in court.

An employee at a Methodist University Hospital is being sued by her employer for unpaid medical bills incurred before they hired her.

Health & Safety

A Tennessee Hospital Sues Its Own Employees When They Can't Pay Their Medical Bills

5:10pm June 29, 2019

by Wendi C. Thomas

A nonprofit hospital network in Memphis has taken its own workers to court over unpaid medical bills. Some of them earn as little as $12.25 an hour but still see their wages garnished.

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Health & Safety

Louisiana's Novel 'Subscription' Model For Pricey Hepatitis C Drugs Gains Approval

5:28pm June 26, 2019

Certain high-cost drugs are straining state budgets. A new deal approved Wednesday allows Louisiana to spend a fixed amount for unlimited access to a costly cure. Other states may try to follow suit.

Daisha Smith says she only realized she had been sued over her hospital bill when she saw her paycheck was being garnished. "I literally have no food in my house because they're garnishing my check," she says.

Health & Safety

Hospitals Earn Little From Suing For Unpaid Bills. For Patients, It Can Be 'Ruinous'

10:32pm June 25, 2019

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

When patients can't afford to pay their medical bills, many hospitals offer a payment plan — or free or discounted care. But some try to collect by suing patients and garnishing their wages.

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An executive order President Trump signed Monday aims to make most hospital pricing more transparent to patients, long before they get the bill.

Trump's Plan To Lower Your Hospital Costs: Here's What You Need To Know

9:24pm June 24, 2019

by Julie Appleby

A broad executive order issued Monday is supposed to help consumers get better estimates of health care costs. But whether it will be a game changer depends on the details, say health care analysts.

The executive order on drug price transparency that President Trump signed Monday doesn't spell out specific actions; rather, it directs the department of Health and Human Services to develop a policy and then undertake a lengthy rule-making process.

Trump Administration Pushes To Make Health Care Pricing More Transparent

5:40pm June 24, 2019

President Trump is issuing an executive order intended to force hospitals to disclose prices. A lot of work remains to turn this order into a regulation, and the industry is resisting the move.

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In many rural areas, helicopters are the only speedy way to get patients to a trauma center or hospital burn unit. As more than 100 rural hospitals have closed around the U.S. since 2010, the need for air transport has only increased.

Why Air Ambulance Bills Are Still Sky-High

5:00am June 14, 2019

by Rachel Bluth

The median air ambulance bill is more than $36,000 and is seldom covered by health plans. So far, legislative hurdles and industry pressure have kept Congress from stepping in.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the ranking member, and Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate health committee, introduced legislation to address health care issues such as surprise medical bills and high drug costs.

Sens. Alexander, Murray Release Health Legislation Targeting High Bills, Drug Costs

3:34pm May 23, 2019

by Rachel Bluth

The bipartisan legislation proposes plans to deal with surprise medical bills, prescription drug patents, price transparency and vaccine education.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is co-sponsoring legislation with Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., to curtail surprise medical bills.

Health & Safety

Surprise Medical Bills Are Driving People Into Debt: Will Congress Act To Stop Them?

6:35pm May 22, 2019

by Rachel Bluth

Lawmakers are discussing several measures to solve the problem of unexpected medical bills, which can wreak havoc on patients' lives. Here's our guide to the current roster of proposed legislation.

Errors in reading diagnostic images like MRIs or CT scans can lead to unnecessary and costly medical procedures. Walmart is pushing its employees to use a vetted list of high-quality imaging centers to avoid errors.

Health & Safety

To Improve Health, Cut Costs, Walmart Pushes For Better Medical Imaging For Workers

11:34am May 17, 2019

by Phil Galewitz

To cut down on unnecessary procedures — and health costs — Walmart is pushing its workers to get more accurate diagnoses by using diagnostic imaging centers known for high quality, not low price.