Evidence Shows ACA鈥檚 Mandated Benefits Alone Don鈥檛 Drive Up Costs. The Debate Continues.
The Affordable Care Act put in place a package of benefits that health insurance plans must cover. Critics contend this mandate has jacked up premiums. Evidence supporting that claim is mixed.
To Avoid Care Disruptions, Know When the Clock Runs Out on Your Prior Authorization
A Massachusetts woman knew the medicine her doctor prescribed required preauthorization, but she didn鈥檛 realize the approval had an expiration date. It took nearly three weeks of phone calls and paperwork to get her prescription refilled.
Listen: Why Do I Need Prior Authorization?
When the doctor says you need a prescription or treatment, sometimes you need approval from your health insurance first. Without it, they won鈥檛 pay. Health reporter Sarah Boden joins 鈥淟ife Kit鈥 host Marielle Segarra to discuss prior authorization.
Farmers Now Owe a Lot More for Health Insurance
More than a quarter of the agricultural workforce purchases health insurance through the individual marketplace, a much larger share than the overall percentage of U.S. adults. After a tough year for farmers, the loss of enhanced ACA subsidies is putting health insurance out of reach for many.
El alto costo del seguro m茅dico pone en jaque a los granjeros
Y ahora, los subsidios mejorados de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio, en los que muchos agricultores confiaban para comprar cobertura, no han sido renovados.
For Seniors With Hoarding Disorder, a Support Group Helps Confront Stigma and Isolation
Hoarding disorder disproportionately affects older people. As baby boomers age, it is a growing public health concern. Effective treatments are scarce, and treating hoarding can require expensive interventions that drain municipal resources. Some experts fear a coming crisis.
House Cats With Bird Flu Could Pose a Risk to Public Health
The current strain of bird flu is spreading from wildlife and livestock to house cats. To keep pets healthy, many virologists and veterinarians say, house cats shouldn鈥檛 eat raw food and should be kept indoors. Despite no known cases of H5N1 transmission between cats and people, some public health agencies and virologists are warning cat owners to be mindful of the theoretical risks to the health of humans in their households if a pet gets sick.
Gatos dom茅sticos con gripe aviar podr铆an ser un riesgo para la salud p煤blica
Un peque帽o pero creciente n煤mero de gatos dom茅sticos se han enfermado con H5N1, la cepa de gripe aviar protagonista del brote actual en el pa铆s, despu茅s de comer alimentos crudos o beber leche sin pasteurizar.
Long-Covid Patients Are Frustrated That Federal Research Hasn’t Found New Treatments
The federal government has allocated $1.15 billion to long-covid research without any new treatments yet brought to market. Patients and scientists say it鈥檚 time to push harder for breakthroughs.
Nursing Homes Fell Behind on Vaccinating Patients for Covid
Last winter, only 4 in 10 nursing home residents got an updated covid vaccine. The low uptake leaves a fragile population vulnerable. Some industry watchdogs say it could be a sign of eroding trust between nursing home residents and providers.
