health care

Valerie Davidson was appointed health commissioner by Alaska's Gov. Bill Walker to help him expand Medicaid in the state. She'll look for middle ground with Republicans to get it done, she says.

Alaska's Governor Eager To Expand Medicaid

7:31am December 16, 2014

by Annie Feidt

The state's last top guy was hostile to Obamacare. But Gov. Bill Walker, an independent, sees Medicaid expansion as a cost-effective no-brainer. Can he convince Republicans in Alaska's legislature?

Queue Listen Now

More than a year after he was nominated, Dr. Vivek Murthy was confirmed as the next surgeon general Monday. Back in February, Murthy testified about his nomination before a Senate panel.

The U.S. Has A Surgeon General, For The First Time In 17 Months

7:14pm December 15, 2014

by Bill Chappell

A job that's been open in President Obama's administration since July of 2013 was finally filled Monday, as the Senate voted to confirm Vivek Murthy as America's new surgeon general.

Queue Listen Now

Where are the health insurance deals? On the exchanges, many small businesses have concluded.

Health & Safety

Small Businesses Drop Coverage As Health Law Offers Alternatives

12:57pm December 15, 2014

by Jay Hancock

Subsidies created by the health law to help workers buy their own coverage and steady increases in companies' insurance costs have made it easier for them to decide to discontinue health insurance.

Confusion Over Job-Based Insurance Can Shortchange Consumers

7:20am December 15, 2014

by Michelle Andrews

Some consumers mistakenly think that having access to skimpy coverage at work means they won't qualify for subsidies if they are interested in a more complete policy on the health care exchanges.

Wellness At Work Often Comes With Strings Attached

10:05pm December 14, 2014

by Julie Rovner

A group of CEOs wants the Obama administration to backtrack on efforts to regulate workplace wellness. The programs have ballooned in popularity, but there's little evidence they work.

Queue Listen Now

David Goldhill (second from left) talks with Dan Hilferty of Independence Blue Cross, Kevin Nazemi of Oscar Insurance and Sam Nussbaum of WellPoint in a conversation about health costs. Moderator Avik Roy is at far left.

Making The Human Condition Computable

5:03pm December 11, 2014

by Eric Whitney

Technological advances are making it easier for you and your doctor to track your health and to find treatments for complex diseases. But the technology may be costly and there are privacy pitfalls.

Nursing Homes Rarely Penalized For Oversedating Patients

6:26pm December 10, 2014

by Ina Jaffe

An NPR probe finds many nursing homes are still prescribing schizophrenia drugs to calm dementia patients — despite FDA warnings — but only 2 percent of excessive-medication cases result in penalties.

Queue Listen Now

This Nursing Home Calms Troubling Behavior Without Risky Drugs

5:34pm December 10, 2014

by Ina Jaffe

The staff's goal was to reduce the prescription of antipsychotic drugs by 20 percent. In the first year, they cut use by 97 percent. How? By addressing the real reasons for agitation and aggression.

Queue Listen Now

The proportion of elective early deliveries under Medicaid has declined but remains a problem.

Health & Safety

Despite Decline, Elective Early Births Remain A Medicaid Problem

1:00pm December 10, 2014

by Phil Galewitz

The rate for early elective delivery for women covered by Medicaid has fallen since 2007. Still, the early births remain common and are a potential source of health trouble for mothers and babies.

"We need a system instead of 20, 40 components, each one having its own financial model, and each one making a profit," says New York Times correspondent Elisabeth Rosenthal.

'Paying Till It Hurts': Why American Health Care Is So Pricey

10:02am December 10, 2014

New York Times correspondent Elisabeth Rosenthal is spending a year investigating why American medical bills are so much higher than in other developed countries.

Queue Listen Now