Analysis: Choosing A Plan From The Impossible Health Care Maze
In 21st-century US health care, everything is revenue, and so everything is billed.
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In 21st-century US health care, everything is revenue, and so everything is billed.
Members of Congress and others complain Medicare鈥檚 revamped Plan Finder had problems. Federal officials say they can help consumers who got bad information change their plans next year. But details about how switching will work are yet to come.
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
Consumers are admonished to be 鈥渟mart shoppers,鈥 but that鈥檚 difficult if health care prices are clear as mud. When Sarah Macsalka鈥檚 son needed stitches, she did her best to avoid the ER and still ended up with a $3,000 bill.
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.
Anthem Blue Cross has received a disproportionate share of violations and fines from California鈥檚 largest health insurance regulator, mostly related to its mishandling of patient grievances.
Polls show that health care is at the top of voters鈥 issues, but the polls also say Democrats, let alone other Americans, are not ready for 鈥淢edicare for All.鈥
Kvetching about the cost of health care is kind of what we do on the podcast 鈥淎n Arm and a Leg.鈥 This week鈥檚 episode features like-minded storytellers 鈥 from the musical troupe Heck No Techo 鈥 who have turned their frustrations into art and laughter.
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.
The term 鈥渧ast鈥 sets a high bar.聽
A 3-year-old girl put matching doll shoes up her nose. One came out easily. The second required an emergency department visit 鈥 and generated a bill that is not child鈥檚 play.
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.
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don't have to.
Despite repeated repeal efforts, the ACA is still intact 鈥 and with this year鈥檚 open enrollment, consumers can get some meaningful savings on coverage.
On Season 3, Episode 2 of the podcast 鈥淎n Arm and a Leg,鈥 an Illinois woman harnesses a lifetime of experience 鈥 and frustration 鈥 with health care finances to help other people solve their medical bill problems.
More than a decade after Congress passed a law mandating equal access for mental and physical health care, Americans struggle to find affordable, in-network mental health providers.
Although many consumers pay nothing out of pocket for flu shots, insurers foot the bill. And those prices vary dramatically.
The final directive drew swift responses from the hospital and insurance industries. The Trump administration also released a proposed rule that would require health insurers to spell out for all services beforehand just how much patients may owe for their out-of-pocket costs.
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don鈥檛 have to.
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