What Seniors Should Know Before Going Ahead With Elective Procedures
By Judith Graham
July 6, 2020
KFF Health News Original
People who put off care as COVID-19 surged are easing back into the medical system. Here’s how to know if it’s safe.
Year One Of KHN’s ‘Bill Of The Month’: A Kaleidoscope Of Financial Challenges
December 21, 2018
KFF Health News Original
A crowdsourced investigation in which we dissect, investigate and explain medical bills you send us.
How A Company Misappropriated Native American Culture To Sell Health Insurance
By Fred Schulte
May 20, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Maine investigators find one patient’s saga with O’NA HealthCare offers a cautionary tale for anyone looking for cut-rate coverage online.
GOP Senate Ad Misrepresents Montana Governor’s Stance
By Victoria Knight
August 18, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The race between Steve Bullock and Steve Daines reflects a trend in campaigns nationwide. Republicans often paint Democrats as left of the general public and health care has often been one of the issues the GOP highlights in that effort. In this case, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is leaping to conclusions with its claims.
Trump Zeroes In On Surprise Medical Bills In White House Chat With Patients, Experts
By Emmarie Huetteman
January 23, 2019
KFF Health News Original
Patients and doctors got a chance to share their nightmarish experiences with medical bills with President Donald Trump and other top White House officials.
Injured And Uninsured, Protesters Get Medical Aid From LA Doctor
By Jackie Fortiér, LAist
June 19, 2020
KFF Health News Original
A Los Angeles ophthalmologist’s offer on Instagram has ballooned into a loose network of physicians providing medical care to protesters who were injured while rallying against police brutality and racism. While clashes with the police have died down in some parts of the country, some protesters are seeking care for festering wounds from days-old injuries.
Pandemic Hampers Reopening of Joint Replacement Gold Mine
By Bernard J. Wolfson
August 10, 2020
KFF Health News Original
The COVID-19 pandemic brought knee and hip replacements to a virtual halt because they aren’t usually considered emergency procedures. But they are profitable, and hospital systems are now counting on the surgeries to help restore their financial health.
‘More Than Physical Health’: Gym Helps 91-Year-Old Battle Isolation
By Heidi de Marco
June 30, 2020
KFF Health News Original
For Art Ballard, the local gym was like his second home. The 91-year-old former jeweler relied on his near-daily workouts to stay healthy and for social interaction. But when California instituted its stay-at-home order, Ballard’s physical health suffered. So did his mental health.
Post-COVID Clinics Get Jump-Start From Patients With Lingering Illness
By Julie Appleby
September 30, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Pop-up care facilities bring together a range of specialists to address the needs of patients who survive but continue to wrestle with COVID-19’s physical or mental effects, including lung damage, heart or neurological concerns, anxiety and depression.
Pandemic-Stricken Cities Have Empty Hospitals, But Reopening Them Is Difficult
By Nina Feldman, WHYY
April 2, 2020
KFF Health News Original
In Philadelphia, New Orleans and Los Angeles, former safety-net hospitals sit empty in the middle of the city. But reopening a closed hospital, even in the midst of a pandemic when health resources are scarce, is not easy or cheap.
More Patients Are Getting Hit With Surprise Medical Bills, And The Price Tags Are Going Up, Too
August 13, 2019
Morning Briefing
A study finds that over 42% of patients hospitalized or treated in an emergency room received surprise bills in 2016. “Out-of-network billing appears to have become common for privately insured patients even when they seek treatment at in-network hospitals,” the researchers concluded. As the costs of health care continue to grow for many Americans, two former collection agency executives are trying to make a dent by forgiving medical debt.
Could Labs That Test Livestock Ease COVID Testing Backlog for People? Well … Maybe.
By Julie Appleby
August 5, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Experts say aid from certain veterinary labs could relieve some of the pressure on commercial and hospital-based labs to lessen the current delays in COVID-19 testing and results, but it is unlikely to be a game changer.
Better Than Other Plans Or Better Than Nothing? Trump’s Claim About ‘Affordable’ Options
By Julie Appleby
February 11, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Caveat emptor. Some of these health insurance plans might prove helpful for some people, but making that determination is not easy.
A Jolt To The Jugular! You’re Insured But Still Owe $109K For Your Heart Attack
By Chad Terhune
August 27, 2018
KFF Health News Original
A Texas teacher, 44, faces a “balance bill” of almost twice his annual salary for a heart attack he never expected to have.
For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation
By Julie Appleby
July 20, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Additional guidance issued late last month by the Trump administration added to the confusion. Some consumers may find themselves unexpectedly on the hook for the cost of a test.
‘Is This When I Drop Dead?’ Two Doctors Report From the COVID Front Lines
By Danielle Renwick, The Guardian
August 14, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Two emergency room doctors, one in New York and the other in Houston, discuss their cities’ coronavirus outbreaks — and responses.
When A Doctor No Longer Accepts Medicare, Patients Left Holding The Bag
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez
June 9, 2020
KFF Health News Original
As doctors look for alternative ways to charge patients for care, some Medicare enrollees may lose access to their physicians.
The Challenges Of Keeping Young Adults Safe During The Pandemic
By Bernard J. Wolfson
April 29, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Even while playing the role of quarantine enforcer for your teens and 20-somethings, recognize that they are as anxious and worried as you are — and with good reason.
Tampons, Pads And Politics Mesh In New Push For Access To Menstrual Supplies
By Kate Ruder
March 12, 2020
KFF Health News Original
As a national movement for better access to menstrual products gains steam, “period equity” activists in Colorado are finding the path to change isn’t straight. Although Denver last summer repealed sales taxes on menstrual products and the state now requires supplies to be provided in prisons, an effort to repeal the statewide sales tax on the products failed. So, activists assemble supply kits to donate to those who need them.
California AG Seeks More Power To Battle Merger-Hungry Health Care Chains
By Rachel Bluth
June 2, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Xavier Becerra has made battling health care consolidation a priority since he became attorney general. Now that COVID-19 threatens vulnerable health care practices, he’s pushing to expand his authority to slow health care mergers.