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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Prevention, Preventive care, Preventive health
The Next Attack on the Affordable Care Act May Cost You Free Preventive Health Care
Read More: The Next Attack on the Affordable Care Act May Cost You Free Preventive Health CareBy Paul Shafer, Boston University and Alex Hoagland, Boston University Many Americans breathed a sigh of relief when the Supreme Court left the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in place following its third major legal challenge in June 2021. This decision left widely supported policies in place, like ensuring coverage regardless of preexisting conditions, coverage for…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health insurance, Prevention, Preventive health, Vaccinations, Vaccines
Can Health Insurance Companies Charge the Unvaccinated Higher Premiums? What About Life Insurers? 5 Questions Answered
Read More: Can Health Insurance Companies Charge the Unvaccinated Higher Premiums? What About Life Insurers? 5 Questions AnsweredBy Kosali Simon, Indiana University and Sharon Tennyson, Cornell University The current COVID-19 wave in the U.S. is mostly affecting unvaccinated Americans, who represent more than 95% of current cases of hospitalization and death. Given the average cost of a COVID-19 hospitalization in 2020 ran about US$42,200 per patient, will the unvaccinated be asked to…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Depression, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, mental health, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Reproductive rights, Women’s rights
Women Say California Insurer Makes It Too Hard to Get Drug for Postpartum Depression
Read More: Women Say California Insurer Makes It Too Hard to Get Drug for Postpartum DepressionBy April Dembosky, KQED, Kaiser Health News When Miriam McDonald decided she wanted to have another baby at age 44, her doctor told her she had a better chance of winning the lottery. So when she got pregnant right away, she and her husband were thrilled. But within three days of giving birth to their…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordable care act, Birth control, Health insurance, Keep the care, Reproductive health, Reproductive rights, Women’s rights
Contraception Is Free to Women, Except When It’s Not
Read More: Contraception Is Free to Women, Except When It’s NotBy Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News For Stephanie Force, finding a birth control method that she likes and can get without paying out-of-pocket has been a struggle, despite the Affordable Care Act’s promise of free contraceptives for women and adolescent girls in most health plans. The 27-year-old physician recruiter in Roanoke, Virginia, was perfectly happy…
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Hospital Prices Must Now Be Transparent. For Many Consumers, They’re Still Anyone’s Guess.
Read More: Hospital Prices Must Now Be Transparent. For Many Consumers, They’re Still Anyone’s Guess.Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News A colonoscopy might cost you or your insurer a few hundred dollars — or several thousand, depending on which hospital or insurer you use. Long hidden, such price variations are supposed to be available in stark black and white under a Trump administration price transparency rule that took effect at…
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Access, Access to health care, Adolescent, Affordability, Anxiety, Depression, Health care, Health insurance, Hormone health, Keep the care, Lgbtq, mental health, Parenting, Parenting teens, Research, Stress, Transgender
Transgender Medicine – What Care Looks Like, Who Seeks It out and What’s Still Unknown: 3 Essential Reads
Read More: Transgender Medicine – What Care Looks Like, Who Seeks It out and What’s Still Unknown: 3 Essential ReadsBy Daniel Merino, The Conversation Transgender people continue to be the focus of political culture wars in the U.S. In the spring of 2021, lawmakers in many states sought to limit or ban transgender youth from accessing gender-affirming care. The laws proposed – and in some cases passed – were written to have a direct…
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Access, Access to health care, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health disparities, Health insurance, Keep the care, Policy, Prevention, Preventive health, Research
Black and Hispanic Americans Suffer Most in Biggest US Decline in Life Expectancy Since WWII
Read More: Black and Hispanic Americans Suffer Most in Biggest US Decline in Life Expectancy Since WWIILiz Szabo, Kaiser Health News Although James Toussaint has never had covid, the pandemic is taking a profound toll on his health. First, the 57-year-old lost his job delivering parts for a New Orleans auto dealership in spring 2020, when the local economy shut down. Then, he fell behind on his rent. Last month, Toussaint…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Health care, Health disparities, Health insurance, Keep the care, Medicare, Policy, Research
Some Hospitals Kept Suing Patients Over Medical Debt Through the Pandemic
Read More: Some Hospitals Kept Suing Patients Over Medical Debt Through the Pandemicby Jenny Deam, ProPublica This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Last year as COVID-19 laid siege to the nation, many U.S. hospitals dramatically reduced their aggressive tactics to collect medical debt.…
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15 minutes with, Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Medicare, Medication safety, Opioid use disorder, Opioids, Otc medication safety, Preventive health, Reproductive rights, Women’s rights
15 Minutes With Congresswoman Debbie Dingell
Read More: 15 Minutes With Congresswoman Debbie DingellCongresswoman Debbie Dingell has long been an advocate for women and children. She is a founder and past chair of the National Women’s Health Resource Center and the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health (NIH); successfully fought to have women included in federally funded health research; and advocated for greater awareness of issues…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Financial health, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Prevention, Preventive health, Telehealth
Health Is Infrastructure, Too
Read More: Health Is Infrastructure, TooDuring opening remarks at HealthyWomen’s recent webinar, “Health is Infrastructure, Too: The Impact on Women’s Health Care,” HealthyWomen’s CEO Beth Battaglino said, “As we slowly emerge from the grips of a very long and difficult pandemic, we are at a pivotal moment for women’s health in this country.” Women, she said, continue to face mental…
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Access, Access to health care, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Preventive health, Telehealth
Covid Was a Tipping Point for Telehealth. If Some Have Their Way, Virtual Visits Are Here to Stay.
Read More: Covid Was a Tipping Point for Telehealth. If Some Have Their Way, Virtual Visits Are Here to Stay.By Noam N. Levey, Kaiser Health News As the covid crisis wanes and life approaches normal across the U.S., health industry leaders and many patient advocates are pushing Congress and the Biden administration to preserve the pandemic-fueled expansion of telehealth that has transformed how millions of Americans see the doctor. This story also ran on…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Financial health, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Preventive health
Roads and Bridges and Tunnels … and Health?
Read More: Roads and Bridges and Tunnels … and Health?Join us on June 10 for our webinar, “Health Is Infrastructure, Too: The Impact on Women’s Health Care,” where we discuss how the Biden administration’s American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan affect women’s health care, including what was addressed by the legislation — and what isn’t included in the plans. When politicians talk about…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Health care, Health insurance, Preventive health, sleep
Enough to Wreck Their Rest: $10,322 for a Sleep Study
Read More: Enough to Wreck Their Rest: $10,322 for a Sleep StudyBy Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News José Mendoza’s snoring was bad — but the silence when he stopped breathing was even worse for his wife, Nancy. The sudden quiet would wake her and she waited anxiously for him to take another breath. If too many seconds ticked by, she pushed him hard so that he…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Policy, Preventive health
Time to Say Goodbye to Some Insurers’ Waivers for Covid Treatment Fees
Read More: Time to Say Goodbye to Some Insurers’ Waivers for Covid Treatment FeesBy Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News Just as other industries are rolling back some consumer-friendly changes made early in the pandemic — think empty middle seats on airplanes — so, too, are health insurers. This story also ran on NBC News. It can be republished for free. Many voluntarily waived all deductibles, copayments and other…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Health care, Health disparities, Health insurance, Keep the care, Policy, Preventive health, Racial disparities
Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis Brings More Attention to Solving Long-Ignored Racial Gaps in Health
Read More: Declaring Racism a Public Health Crisis Brings More Attention to Solving Long-Ignored Racial Gaps in HealthBy Paul K. Halverson, IUPUI The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has joined hundreds of cities and counties across the country in declaring racism a public health threat. On April 8, 2021, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky called racism an epidemic that affects “the entire health of our nation.” Declaring racism a public…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Birth control, Contraception, COVID-19, Family planning, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Pandemic, Preventive health
Biden Moves to Overturn Trump Birth Control Rules
Read More: Biden Moves to Overturn Trump Birth Control RulesJulie Rovner, Kaiser Health News The Biden administration Wednesday formally proposed the repeal of Trump-era regulations barring abortion referrals and making other changes intended to evict Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers from the federal family planning program, Title X. The 2019 rules dramatically limited access to these family planning services for many low-income people.…
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Access, Affordability, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health disparities, Health insurance, Prevention, Preventive health, Vaccinations, Vaccines
How Inequity Gets Built Into America’s Vaccination System
Read More: How Inequity Gets Built Into America’s Vaccination SystemBy Maryam Jameel and Caroline Chen, ProPublica. This story was originally published by ProPublica. Series: Coronavirus The U.S. Response to COVID-19 It’s a fact that simply being eligible for a vaccine in America doesn’t mean that you can instantly get one. Yet the ability to get to the front of the line isn’t the same…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Endometriosis, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Medicare, Multiple sclerosis, Opioid use disorder, Policy, Preventive health
Prior Authorization Doesn’t Have to Be a Barrier to Care
Read More: Prior Authorization Doesn’t Have to Be a Barrier to CareEven after menopause, Gail Weiss had severe endometriosis that caused her excruciating pain. Weiss researched her options and found a surgeon out of state who performed specialized excision surgery. Her insurance company would only pay for a more standard surgery performed by an in-network doctor. The company claimed her local doctor could perform a comparable…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Chronic conditions, chronic pain, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Medication safety, Pain, Pain management, Policy, Preventive health
Learn More About Chronic Pain
Read More: Learn More About Chronic PainReference: Chronic Pain Graphic
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Budget, Financial health, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Policy, Preventive health
What the American Rescue Plan Says About President Biden’s Health Care Priorities – and What They Mean for You
Read More: What the American Rescue Plan Says About President Biden’s Health Care Priorities – and What They Mean for YouBy Zack Buck, University of Tennessee As millions of Americans receive COVID-19 vaccines, the Affordable Care Act just got a booster shot of its own. After 11 years of existential threat and months after an argument before the Supreme Court, the ACA has been strengthened under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, the US$1.9 trillion…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Chronic conditions, Financial health, Health disparities, Health insurance
Living With a Disability Is Very Expensive – Even With Government Assistance
Read More: Living With a Disability Is Very Expensive – Even With Government AssistanceBy Zachary Morris, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York); Nanette Goodman, Syracuse University, and Stephen McGarity, University of Tennessee Edward Mitchell is 34 years old and lives in Jackson, Tennessee, with a spinal cord injury caused by a hit-and-run accident that happened when he was 17. He has plenty of expenses that…
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Access, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health insurance, Health policy, mental health, Parenting, Parenting teens
Kids Already Coping With Mental Disorders Spiral as Pandemic Topples Vital Support Systems
Read More: Kids Already Coping With Mental Disorders Spiral as Pandemic Topples Vital Support SystemsChristine Herman, Side Effects Public Media and Cory Turner, NPR and Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR This story is part of a reporting partnership that includes NPR, Illinois Public Media and KHN. It can be republished for free. A bag of Doritos, that’s all Princess wanted. Her mom calls her Princess, but her real name is Lindsey.…
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Access, Affordability, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health insurance, Health policy, mental health, Policy
4 Vital Health Issues — Not Tied to Covid — That Congress Addressed in Massive Spending Bill
Read More: 4 Vital Health Issues — Not Tied to Covid — That Congress Addressed in Massive Spending BillBy Emmarie Huetteman, Kaiser Health News This story also ran on NPR. It can be republished for free. Late last month, before President Joe Biden took office and proposed his pandemic relief plan, Congress passed a nearly 5,600-page legislative package that provided some pandemic relief along with its more general allocations to fund the government…
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Access, Affordability, Health care, Health disparities, Health insurance, Health policy, Keep the care, Policy, Research
Why Women’s Health Should Be a Priority for the New Congress
Read More: Why Women’s Health Should Be a Priority for the New CongressSoon after the new year, a new presidential administration will take office. We’ll also have a new Congress, the 117th, with a Senate currently composed of 50 Republicans and 48 Democrats — with two Georgia Senate seats to be determined in runoffs in early January — and the House of Representatives composed of 222 Democrats…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Preventive health
7 things President-Elect Biden Can Achieve on Health Care
Read More: 7 things President-Elect Biden Can Achieve on Health CareBy Simon F. Haeder, Penn State President-elect Joe Biden has plenty of work ahead of him; reining in the out-of-control pandemic tops the list, and beyond that, there are significant challenges on health care in general. Unquestionably, the incoming administration also faces limitations. Twelve years ago, Barack Obama had a filibuster-proof majority in the U.S.…
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Choosing Health Insurance is So Complicated, 23% of Workers With Only Two Choices Picked the Worse One
Read More: Choosing Health Insurance is So Complicated, 23% of Workers With Only Two Choices Picked the Worse OneBy Trevor Collier, University of Dayton and Marlon L. Williams, University of Dayton The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Almost a quarter of employees faced with the choice of two employer-sponsored health care plans picked the one that left them worse off financially, even though they offered…
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Access, Affordability, Affordable care act, Health disparities, Health insurance, Health policy, Telehealth
Ending Pandemic-Era Telehealth Coverage Fails American Women
Read More: Ending Pandemic-Era Telehealth Coverage Fails American WomenTelehealth, which is health care (clinical and nonclinical) that is delivered remotely through computers and mobile devices, is helping millions of Americans — especially those who do not have access to medical facilities — stay healthy and receive quality health care during the coronavirus pandemic.. In March, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)…
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Access, Access to health care, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health disparities, Health insurance, Policy, Prevention, Preventive health
Black Doctors Work to Make Coronavirus Testing More Equitable
Read More: Black Doctors Work to Make Coronavirus Testing More EquitableBy Nina Feldman, WHYY, Kaiser Health News When the coronavirus arrived in Philadelphia in March, Dr. Ala Stanford hunkered down at home with her husband and kids. A pediatric surgeon with a private practice, she has staff privileges at a few suburban Philadelphia hospitals. For weeks, most of her usual procedures and patient visits were…
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If Obamacare Goes Away, Here Are Eight Ways Your Life Will be Affected
Read More: If Obamacare Goes Away, Here Are Eight Ways Your Life Will be AffectedBy Simon F. Haeder, Pennsylvania State University More than 10 years after its passage, the Affordable Care Act once more hangs in the balance. There have been plenty of near misses before, including previous Supreme Court appearances and Congressional votes. Yet in the wake of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, this time around Republicans may…
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COVID Exodus Fills Vacation Towns With New Medical Pressures
Read More: COVID Exodus Fills Vacation Towns With New Medical PressuresBy Markian Hawryluk and Katheryn Houghton and Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News The staff at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is accustomed to the number of patients tripling or even quadrupling each summer when wealthy Manhattanites flee the city for the Hamptons. But this year, the COVID pandemic has upended everything. The 125-bed hospital on the…
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With No Legal Guardrails for Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical Billing
Read More: With No Legal Guardrails for Patients, Ambulances Drive Surprise Medical BillingBy Laura Ungar, Kaiser Health News School librarian Amanda Brasfield bent over to grab her lunch from a small refrigerator and felt her heart begin to race. Even after lying on her office floor and closing her eyes, her heart kept pounding and fluttering in her chest. The school nurse checked Brasfield’s pulse, found it…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health insurance, Policy
For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation
Read More: For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to InterpretationBy Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News In advance of an upcoming road trip with her elderly parents, Wendy Epstein’s physician agreed it would be “prudent” for her and her kids to get tested for COVID-19. Seeing the tests as a “medical need,” the doctor said insurance would likely pay for them, with no out-of-pocket cost…
