Bill of the Month
Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health News, in collaboration with The Washington Post, examines and decodes your perplexing medical bills.
Investigations
Priced Out
Americaâs health insurance crisis
Deadly Denials
Prior authorization has become a confusing maze that denies or delays care, burdens physicians with paperwork, and perpetuates racial disparities.
161 - 180 of 419 Results
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As Medicaid Purge Begins, âStaggering Numbersâ of Americans Lose Coverage
In whatâs known as the Medicaid âunwinding,â states are combing through rolls to decide who stays and who goes. But the overwhelming majority of people who have lost coverage so far were dropped because of technicalities, not because officials determined they are no longer eligible.
By Hannah Recht -
Many People Living in the ‘Diabetes Belt’ Are Plagued With Medical Debt
The âDiabetes Belt,â as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, comprises 644 mostly Southern counties where diabetes rates are high. Of those counties, Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health News and NPR found, more than half also have high levels of medical debt.
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He Returned to the US for His Daughterâs Wedding. He Left With a $42,000 Hospital Bill.
After emergency surgery, an American expatriate with Swiss insurance now carries the baggage of a five-figure bill. Costs for medical care in the U.S. can be two to three times the rates in other developed countries, so foreigners and expats with good insurance in their home countries need travel insurance to protect themselves from âcrazy prices.â
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A Rural Countyâs Choice: Use Opioid Funds to Pay Off Debt, or Pay Them Forward to Curb Crisis
Greene County, Tennessee, so far has received more than $2.7 million from regional and national settlements with opioid manufacturers and distributors. But most of the money is not going to help people and families harmed by addiction.
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Biden Administration Issues New Warning About Medical Credit Cards
Americans paid an estimated $1 billion in deferred interest on medical debt in just three years, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports. The agency warns against medical credit cards, which are often pitched right in doctorsâ offices.
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Community Paramedics Donât Wait for an Emergency to Visit Rural Patients at Home
Community paramedicine is expanding nationwide, including in rural areas, as health care providers, insurers, and state governments recognize its potential to improve health and save money.
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After Idahoâs Strict Abortion Ban, OB-GYNs Stage a Quick Exodus
At least two Idaho hospitals are ending labor and delivery services, with one citing the stateâs âlegal and political climateâ and noting that ârecruiting replacements will be extraordinarily difficultâ as doctors leave.
By Sarah Varney -
Listen: How Are States Spending Money From the Opioid Settlements? Itâs Not Easy to Know
Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani appeared on NPRâs â1Aâ on May 1 to discuss issues related to how opioid settlement funds are being distributed.
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Expectant Mom Needed $15,000 Overnight to Save Her Twins
Doctors rushed a pregnant woman to a surgeon who charged thousands upfront just to see her. The case reveals a gap in medical billing protections for those with rare, specialized conditions.
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A California Physician Training Program Adds Diversity, but Where Do Graduates End Up?
Researchers found that, while a University of California medical training program has diversified the systemâs pool of medical students, thereâs not enough long-term data to know whether graduates return to practice where theyâre needed most.
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The Biden Administration Vowed to Be a Leading Voice on Opioid Settlements But Has Gone Quiet
Billions of dollars are headed to state and local governments to address the opioid crisis. Policy experts and advocates expect the federal government to play a role in overseeing the use of the money. Failure to do so, they say, could lead to wasted opportunities. And, since Medicaid helps pay health care costs, the feds could have a claim to portions of statesâ opioid settlements.
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Doctor Shortages Distress Rural America, Where Few Residency Programs Exist
Patients in rural northeastern Nevada soon will have fewer providers and resources, after a local hospital decided to close its medical residency program. Nationally, the number of rural residency slots has grown during the past few years but still makes up just 2% of programs and residents nationwide.
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FDA Evaluates âSafety Concernsâ Over Dental Devices Featured in KHN-CBS Investigation
A KHN and CBS News investigation found that a dental appliance called the AGGA has been used by more than 10,000 patients, and multiple lawsuits allege it has caused grievous harm to patients.
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Localize This: Public Reporting of Opioid Settlement Cash
Ńîšóĺú´ŤĂ˝Ňîl Health Newsâ recent investigation offers a great opportunity for reporters to investigate an important issue of government accountability from a state or local angle.
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$50 Billion in Opioid Settlement Cash Is on the Way. Weâre Tracking How Itâs Spent.
Spending the money effectively and equitably is a tall order for state and local governments, and a lack of transparency in the process is already leading to fears of misuse.
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ERâs Error Lands a 4-Year-Old in Collections (For Care He Didnât Receive)
A Florida woman tried to dispute an emergency room bill, but the hospital and collection agency refused to talk to her â because it was her childâs name on the bill, not hers.
By Daniel Chang -
Listen to âTradeoffsâ: Medical Debt Delivers ‘A Shocking Amount of Misery’
Medical debt in America pushes families to the edge. Ariane Buck and his wife, Samantha, were denied care at their doctor's office because of an unpaid bill of less than $100. A trip to the emergency room added thousands of dollars to their health care debt, which topped $50,000 by the time they filed for bankruptcy.
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Biden Administration Urged to Take More Aggressive Steps to Relieve Medical Debt
Consumer and patient advocates push for new federal rules to protect Americans from debt collectors and force hospitals to make financial assistance more accessible.
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KHN-CBS NEWS INVESTIGATION
Watch: Dental Device at Center of Lawsuits Was Used on Patients Without FDA Review
More than 10,000 dental patients have been fitted with an Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance, or AGGA, according to court records. But the unproven and unregulated device has not been evaluated by the FDA, according to a months-long joint investigation by KHN and CBS News.
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This Dental Device Was Sold to Fix Patientsâ Jaws. Lawsuits Claim It Wrecked Their Teeth.
A dental device called AGGA has been used on about 10,000 patients without FDA approval or proof that it works. In lawsuits, patients report irreparable harm. The AGGAâs inventor and manufacturer have denied all liability in court.