A Guide To Following The Health Debate In The 2020 Elections
As the Democratic primary campaign nears pivotal voting, important aspects of health care policy are being overlooked.
Surprise Bills
101 - 120 of 147 Results
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For 2020, California Goes Big On Health Care
California lawmakers are proposing ambitious health care ideas, from creating a state generic drug label to banning the sale of flavored e-cigarette products. Even though Democrats control state government, they鈥檙e likely to face pushback from powerful health care industry groups like hospitals.聽
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Loopholes Limit New California Law To Guard Against Lofty Air Ambulance Bills
A new state law limits what consumers owe if they鈥檙e transported by an air ambulance that鈥檚 not part of their insurance network to the amount that they鈥檇 be charged if they used an in-network provider. But the law won鈥檛 protect millions of consumers whose health plans aren鈥檛 regulated by the state.
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For Her Head Cold, Insurer Coughed Up $25,865
A New York City woman, worried that her sore throat might be strep, got swabbed at her doctor鈥檚 office. The sample was sent to an out-of-network lab for sophisticated DNA tests 鈥 with a price tag similar to a new SUV.
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat The Health?鈥: ACA Still Under A Cloud After Court Ruling
A federal appeals court in New Orleans has agreed with a lower court that a key piece of the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. But it is sending the case back to the lower-court judge to decide how much of the rest of the law can stand. Also, Congress is leaving town after finishing work on a major spending bill that includes many changes to health policy. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss this and more.
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Loophole Averted After Surprise-Bill Brouhaha In Texas
The Texas Medical Board bowed out of the rule-making process for a new law protecting consumers from surprise medical bills. Advocates hailed the new rules written by the state insurance regulators.
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Surprising Swings In Momentum For Legislation On Surprise Medical Bills
A legislative compromise on how to curb unexpected out-of-network medical bills has made recent progress. But many insiders expect work to continue into 2020.
By Rachel Bluth -
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat The Health?鈥: Legislate-A-Palooza
The House passed legislation that would give federal workers 12 weeks of paid parental leave. The measure appears headed for passage in the Senate, and President Donald Trump has promised to sign the measure into law. Meanwhile, House and Senate lawmakers have a tentative deal on surprise medical bills, but don鈥檛 count on a compromise just yet. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Emmarie Huetteman of Kaiser Health News join guest host Mary Agnes Carey of KHN to discuss this and more. And for 鈥渆xtra credit,鈥 the panelists offer their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too.
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鈥楢n Arm And A Leg鈥: Can They Freaking Do That?!?
Introducing a new segment on 鈥淎n Arm and a Leg鈥 podcast: 鈥淐an They Freaking Do That?!?鈥 We take your most vexing medical bill questions and hunt down information and experts who can help.
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat The Health?鈥: We Spend HOW MUCH On Health Care?
The annual accounting of national health spending is out. And the 2018 health bill for the U.S. was $3.6 trillion, consuming nearly a fifth of the nation鈥檚 economy. Meanwhile, Congress is nearing the end of the year without having finished either its annual spending bills or several other high-priority health items. Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN鈥檚 Markian Hawryluk about the latest KHN-NPR 鈥淏ill of the Month.鈥
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California Surprise-Billing Law Protects Patients But Aggravates Many Doctors
A California law, which took effect in July 2017, protects consumers who use an in-network hospital or other facility from surprise bills when cared for by an out-of-network doctor. But physicians say the law has allowed insurers to shrink networks, limiting access to those doctors who have contracted with the patients鈥 insurance plans.
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat The Health?鈥: How鈥檚 That Open Enrollment Going?
Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act鈥檚 marketplace plans is halfway over and, so far, the number of people signing up is down, but not dramatically. Meanwhile, Congress and President Donald Trump can鈥檛 seem to agree on what to do about teen vaping, drug prices or 鈥渟urprise鈥 medical bills. And Democrats lurch to the left on abortion. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss this and more health news.
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Last-Minute Loophole Could Undermine Texas Law Against Surprise Medical Bills
Texas passed a bipartisan law against surprise medical billing, but advocates warn that a proposed rule could severely weaken it, continuing to allow surprise bills outside of emergencies.
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The Air Ambulance Billed More Than His Surgeon Did For A Lung Transplant
After Tom Saputo underwent double lung transplant surgery in 2018, he was stunned by a surprise bill of more than $11,000 for the 27-mile air ambulance ride to the hospital. State and federal proposals would crack down on extreme air ambulance charges, including a new California law that will limit how much some patients pay for air ambulance rides.
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As Congress Works To Curb Surprise Medical Bills, N.Y.鈥檚 Fix Gets Examined
A USC-Brookings analysis finds that the New York plan to resolve disputes between providers and insurers without leaving patients on the hook might actually be driving up costs in the system.
By Rachel Bluth -
Think 鈥楳edicare For All鈥 Is The Only Democratic Health Plan? Think Again
The Democratic presidential candidates have hit hard on health care, but generally the debates have centered on what kind of system candidates propose. The candidates鈥 ideas on many other issues, such as mental health and gun safety, have attracted much less attention.
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Trump鈥檚 New Order For Medicare Packs Potential Rise In Patients鈥 Costs
The president鈥檚 directive, which he said is designed to give beneficiaries more choices in their health care, could lead to higher costs for seniors. Final rules are to be written by the Department of Health and Human Services.
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Her Biopsy Report Was Benign. But The Bill Is A Spot Of Contention.
After a test to rule out cancer, Brianna Snitchler faced a $2,170 facility fee for the hospital鈥檚 radiology room used that day.
By Cara Anthony -
Sickened By Billing Abuses, Readers And Tweeters Stand Up For Patients’ Rights
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat The Health?鈥: Tennessee Seeks Medicaid Changes
Tennessee wants to convert its Medicaid program to a block grant. But is its plan legal? Meanwhile, Congress continues to struggle with legislation to rein in prescription drug prices and surprise medical bills. This week, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Jennifer Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times and Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Rovner also interviews Dr. Marty Makary, author of the new book 鈥淭he Price We Pay鈥 about why health care costs so much.