Hospitals

The reality of electronic medical records has yet to live up to the promise.

Health & Safety

Why The Promise Of Electronic Health Records Has Gone Unfulfilled

5:42pm March 18, 2019

by Fred Schulte

The government used a 2009 financial stimulus package to move the country from paper medical charts to electronic records. Care was supposed to get better, safer and cheaper. It hasn't worked out.

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The proposed legislation aims to reduce patients' costs by beefing up a Texas Department of Insurance program that scrutinizes surprise balance bills greater than $500 from any emergency health care provider.

Texas Sharpens Aim At Surprise Medical Bills In Bipartisan Proposal

8:24pm March 01, 2019

by Ashley Lopez

Legislation introduced in Texas this week would force the state's health care providers and health insurers to mediate payment disputes before they send bills to patients.

Jeannette Parker, an animal-loving biologist, stopped to feed a stray cat in a rural area outside Florida's Everglades National Park. Instead of showing appreciation, the cat bit her.

Health & Safety

Cat Bites The Hand That Feeds; Hospital Bills $48,512

10:31am February 26, 2019

by Julie Appleby

An animal lover stopped to feed a hungry-looking stray cat outside Everglades National Park in Florida. The cat bit her finger; then treatment for a possible rabies infection bit her pocketbook.

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"There does seem to be across-the-board understanding that what's happening to patients right now isn't right or fair," Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said about surprise medical bills.

Health & Safety

Bipartisan Support Builds For Limits On Surprise Medical Bills

11:41am February 05, 2019

President Trump said that taming unexpected medical bills would be a top priority for his administration. The sentiment found support from many in Congress.

Anthem Blue Cross of California, one of the state's largest health insurers, is battling Sutter Health over how much it should pay the company's 24 hospitals and 5,000 doctors in Northern California to care for tens of thousands of patients.

Patients Suffer As Insurers And Big Health Systems Spar For Market Share

12:46pm January 30, 2019

by Barbara Feder Ostrov

As hospital chains and insurers across the U.S squeeze one another, hoping to increase their market share, many patients are suddenly finding their preferred doctors and hospitals are out of network.

Matt Gleason fainted at work after getting a flu shot, so colleagues called 911 and an ambulance took him to the ER. Eight hours later, Gleason went home with a clean bill of health. Later still he got a hefty bill that wiped out his deductible.

Health & Safety

A Fainting Spell After A Flu Shot Leads To $4,692 ER Visit

8:51pm January 28, 2019

by Phil Galewitz

A 39-year-old man fainted after getting a flu shot at work, so his colleagues called 911. The man turned out to be fine, but the trip to the emergency room cost him his annual deductible.

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Demonstrators affiliated with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association protested the federal shutdown at a Capitol Hill rally earlier this month in Washington, D.C.

Federal Shutdown Has Meant Steep Health Bills For Some Families

3:15pm January 18, 2019

by Julie Appleby

An air traffic controller is just one employee locked into the terms of a health plan because of the ongoing federal shutdown. It's meant his child's hospital bills are "out-of-network."

Illustration of a young doctor trapped in a snowglobe by Katherine Streeter for NPR.

Health & Safety

How Working On Christmas Became A Privilege For 2 Young Doctors

8:02am December 25, 2018

by John Henning Schumann

In late December, medical interns are halfway through their first year of hands-on work with patients. The holiday season marks a special challenge as these doctors take on more responsibility.

Sarah Witter had two operations to repair bones in her lower left leg after a skiing accident last February. The second surgery was needed to replace a stabilizing plate that broke.

Health & Safety

Bill Of The Month Update: Skier To Get $6,358 Refund After Surgery For Broken Leg

1:56pm December 24, 2018

by Jordan Rau

Ski buff Sarah Witter will get $6,358 back from her hospital and insurer after a review of her bill following the NPR-Kaiser Health News story about her case.

Charlotte Potts, who has a history of heart problems, lives within sight of Livingston Regional Hospital. After a recent stint there, she was discharged into the care of a home health agency, and now gets treatment in her apartment for some ailments.

How Helping Patients Get Good Care At Home Helps Rural Hospitals Survive

7:00am December 23, 2018

by Blake Farmer

Hospitals are now financially rewarded by insurers for safety and efficacy — which often results in patients spending less time as inpatients.