The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
The most populous county in the U.S. is buying up and retiring millions of dollars in residents鈥 medical debt as part of its plan to tackle a $2.9 billion burden. But some health experts worry the initiative could incentivize hospitals to pursue debtors rather than boost financial assistance to patients.
Why are patients facing bigger bills than they expect for out-of-network care? In this episode of 鈥淎n Arm and a Leg,鈥 the show explains the hidden mechanics of MultiPlan, a data firm that helps health insurers set these rates and make bigger returns.
Many farmers have traditionally handled their own problems, whether it鈥檚 a busted tractor or debilitating anxiety. 鈥淲ith the older generation, it鈥檚 still, 鈥楽uck it up and get over it,鈥欌 says an Iowa mental health advocate and farmer.
Gun violence is the No. 1 cause of death for children and teens in America. Vivek Murthy says the toll extends beyond deaths, as survivors deal with 鈥渁 lifetime of physical and mental health impacts鈥 and those who witness shootings become traumatized.
Since being diagnosed with HIV in 2022, Fernando Hermida has had to move three times to access treatment. A 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News-Associated Press analysis found gay and bisexual Latino men account for a fast-growing proportion of new diagnoses and infections, showing they are falling behind in the fight against HIV.
The technology has generated notices with errors, sent Medicaid paperwork to the wrong addresses, and been frozen for hours at a time, according to state audits, court documents, and interviews. While it can take months to fix problems, America鈥檚 poorest residents pay the price.
Suffering stomach pain, a Dallas man visited his local urgent care clinic 鈥 or so he thought, until he got a bill 10 times what he鈥檇 expected.
杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media in recent weeks to discuss topical stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
Health policy may not be the top issue in this year鈥檚 presidential and congressional elections, but it鈥檚 likely to play a key role. President Joe Biden and Democrats intend to hold Republicans responsible for the Supreme Court鈥檚 unpopular ruling overturning the right to abortion, and former President Donald Trump aims to take credit for government efforts to lower prescription drug prices 鈥 even in cases in which he played no role. Meanwhile, some critical health care issues, such as those involving Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, are unlikely to get discussed much, even though the party in power after the elections would control the future of those programs. This week, in an episode taped before a live audience at the Aspen Ideas: Health festival in Aspen, Colorado, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join 杨贵妃传媒視頻 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Families of the people hurt during the Feb. 14 mass shooting are carrying what one expert calls 鈥渧ictimization debt.鈥 In the third story of our series 鈥淭he Injured,鈥 we learn about the strain of paying small and large medical bills and other out-of-pocket costs.
Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to pull funds earmarked for new investment in Medi-Cal to help plug California鈥檚 $45 billion deficit. A state budget passed June 13 by the legislature largely endorsed Newsom鈥檚 plan. Voters could settle the matter in an industry-backed initiative that has qualified for the November ballot.
Both Florida and Arizona want to expand eligibility for the Children鈥檚 Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, but their approaches to charging low-income families premiums for the coverage showcase the nation鈥檚 ideological divide on helping the disadvantaged.
Clinicians working for Ascension hospitals in multiple states described harrowing lapses, including delayed or lost lab results, medication errors, and an absence of routine safety checks to prevent potentially fatal mistakes.
Three months into the U.S. bird flu outbreak, only 45 people have been tested. Laboratories that are the foundation of diagnostic testing have yet to get approval to detect the bird flu virus. They say their path forward has been slowed by miscommunication and uncertainty from the CDC and FDA.
The White House has launched an initiative on women鈥檚 health. Studying the health of older women, a largely neglected group in medical research, should be a priority.
State officials want to use artificial intelligence to translate public health care and social services documents and websites, which they say will speed up translations, save money, and improve Californians鈥 access to critical information. But some IT and language experts worry AI may introduce errors in wording and understanding.
Advances in medicine mean more people are living longer with HIV. But aging with HIV comes with an increased risk of health complications, and many worry the U.S. health care system isn鈥檛 prepared to treat this growing population.
