By Stephanie Armour – In the run-up to the 2020 election, all 20 Democratic presidential candidates promised voters they’d pursue bold changes to health care, such as a government-run insurance plan or expanding Medicare to cover every American. Fast-forward to the congressional stalemate that has closed the federal government for more than a month.
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By Phil Galewitz – With the federal shutdown continuing, spurred by a stalemate over the cost of health insurance for 22 million Americans on Affordable Care Act plans, a new report shows that over 154 million people with coverage through an employer also face steep price hikes — and that the situation is likely to get worse.
By Elisabeth Rosenthal – The No Surprises Act, which took effect in 2022, was rightly heralded as a landmark piece of legislation, which “protects people covered under group and individual health plans from receiving surprise medical bills,” according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. And yet bills that take patients like Chen by surprise just keep coming.
By Phil Galewitz & Stephanie Armour – Doctors, hospitals, and health insurers for weeks issued dire warnings to Republican lawmakers that millions of people would lose health coverage and hospitals would close if they cut Medicaid funding to help pay for President Donald Trump’s big tax and spending bill.
By Stephanie Armour – But even as he extols MAHA, Trump has unleashed a slew of policies likely to make Americans less healthy. He’s slashing 20,000 full time positions from HHS and cutting more than $4 billion in indirect costs related to health research grants, including studies into treatment for Alzheimer’s and cancer.
By Halima Ahmadi-Montecalvo PhD MPH – Improving health outcomes requires more than medical care alone—it demands a holistic approach that addresses Social Drivers of Health (SDOH), such as housing, food security, transportation and interpersonal safety. The evidence is clear: addressing these factors not only improves health but also…
By Arielle Zionts – Rural hospital leaders are questioning whether they can continue to afford to do business with Medicare Advantage companies, and some say the only way to maintain services and protect patients is to end their contracts with the private insurers.
By Zac Amos – Artificial intelligence has grown ubiquitous, infiltrating various industries including healthcare. With rising prices and increasing demands for service, professionals are keenly interested in how AI can supercharge workflows and reduce expenses.
By Arthur Allen – In recent years, the opaque business practices of PBMs have drawn fire. The Federal Trade Commission is conducting a lengthy investigation of the three biggest companies and sued them in September, accusing the firms of driving up insulin prices.