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News Articles: health care costs

Luke Seaborn appeared in a 2024 promotional video for Georgia Pathways to Coverage, the state’s insurance program. “I used to think of Pathways as a blessing,” Seaborn recently told The Current and ProPublica. “Now, I’m done with it.” Credit: Photo Illustration and YouTube screenshots by ProPublica

Tagged as: 

  • Health

He became the face of Georgia’s Medicaid work requirement. Now he’s fed up with it

Last summer, as political debate swirled over the future of Georgia’s experiment with Medicaid work requirements, Gov. Brian Kemp held a press conference to unveil a three-minute testimonial video featuring a mechanic who works on classic cars.

May 14, 2025
|
By:
  • Margaret Coker ,
  • The Current ,
  • and 1 more
Doctors in New York will have to discuss treatment costs upfront with patients under a new law.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

A law in New York pushes doctors to be upfront about patients' costs

The law originally banned health care providers from forcing patients to agree to pay medical bills, no matter the cost. Consumer groups say an amended version doesn't go far enough.

March 17, 2025
|
By:
  • Michelle Andrews
People hold up signs before Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally Nov. 4, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Some Trump voters want him to rein in health care costs. It's unclear if he will

In polls and focus groups, Trump voters say they want the government to do something about big medical bills. It's a big change from 5 years ago, pollsters say, and may not be on Trump's agenda.

February 26, 2025
|
By:
  • Noam Levey
Cook County board president Toni Preckwinkle (center) announces the county's debt relief program, along with executives from several local hospitals and Allison Sesso, President & CEO of RIP Medical Debt (far left).

Tagged as: 

  • Health

A growing wave of local governments are erasing billions in medical debts

New York City joined other localities this week in pledging to buy up and forgive residents' unpaid medical bills. The trend started in Cook County, Ill., and is spreading around the country.

January 24, 2024
|
By:
  • Yuki Noguchi
Drug price hikes appear to be moderate this year, with some drug prices falling.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

What to know about January's annual drug price hikes

Spoiler: There are some decreases this year, too. Here's an overview of the changing prices and what to make of them.

January 18, 2024
|
By:
  • Sydney Lupkin
Health advocates and community members gathered in Washington D.C. in mid September to push the Biden administration to take additional action on medical debt in an event hosted by nonprofit Community Catalyst.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Medical debt could soon be barred from ruining your credit score

The Biden administration unveiled regulations that potentially would help tens of millions of people who have medical debt on their credit reports.

September 22, 2023
|
By:
  • Noam Levey
An analysis of court records by the state treasurer and Duke researchers finds Atrium Health in Charlotte, N.C., accounted for almost a third of the legal actions against North Carolina patients over roughly five years.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Hospitals sued thousands of patients in North Carolina for unpaid bills, report finds

The suits pursued patients and their families, sometimes putting liens on homes. "I know my house will never be mine. It is going to be the hospital's," said Donna Lindabury, 70, who lost her case.

August 17, 2023
|
By:
  • Noam Levey
Dr. Alex Shteynshlyuger spends hours on the phone with payment processors like Zelis, fighting their attempts to impose fees on electronic payments.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Why doctors pay millions in fees that could be spent on care

The shift to electronic medical payments gave rise to a new kind of health care middlemen, who now charge 1-5% every time insurers pay doctors. Here's how lobbyists convinced regulators this was OK.

August 15, 2023
|
By:
  • Cezary Podkul
Doctors are starting to face a flood of message from patients and some health care companies are billing for clinical advice delivered this way.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

'Hi, Doc!' DM'ing the doctor could cost you (or your insurance plan)

Virtual access to doctors is a huge plus for patients. But it's a lot of new work for physicians. And the health care business model hasn't caught up with this new reality.

July 21, 2023
|
By:
  • Yuki Noguchi
Marcus and Allyson Ward were paying off a debt dating back to the birth of their twins, Theo and Milo. They are among 100 million Americans with medical debt, according to a KHN/NPR investigation.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Medical debt affects millions, and advocates push IRS, consumer agency for relief

More than 50 consumer and patient groups want the Biden Administration to aggressively protect Americans from medical bills and debt collectors. The effort follows a KHN/NPR investigation.

March 07, 2023
|
By:
  • Noam Levey
Diagnosing and treating patients was once an ER doctor's domain, but they are increasingly being replaced by health practitioners who can perform many of the same duties and generate much the same revenue for less than half the pay.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

ERs staffed by private equity firms aim to cut costs by hiring fewer doctors

Increasingly, private equity firms shape staffing decisions at hospital emergency rooms, research shows. One apparent effect: Hiring fewer doctors and more health care practitioners who earn far less.

February 13, 2023
|
By:
  • Brett Kelman and
  • Blake Farmer
President Joe Biden spoke about his administration's plans to protect Medicare and lower health care costs, Thursday, the same day his administration released draft guidance of Medicare's new plan to regulate drug prices.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Medicare announces plan to recoup billions from drug companies

Drugmakers will be required to pay Medicare back for price increases that outpace inflation. The industry is expected to put up a fight over implementation.

February 09, 2023
|
By:
  • Leslie Walker and
  • Dan Gorenstein
The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square hotel hosted this year's JPMorgan Healthcare Conference — the first since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. (Darius Tahir/KHN)

Tagged as: 

  • Health

At buzzy health care business conference, investors fear the bubble will burst

JPMorgan's cheery confab returned to San Francisco, but the health care capitalists had economic anxiety, too.

January 20, 2023
|
By:
  • Darius Tahir
Dani Yuengling of Conway, South Carolina, knew she had to follow up after a mammogram found a lump. Her mom had died of breast cancer. But she had no idea how expensive the biopsy would be.

Tagged as: 

  • Health

An $18,000 biopsy? Paying cash might have been cheaper than using her insurance

A hospital's cost calculator said her procedure would be $1,400 for patients without insurance. Instead, the bill was almost $18,000 and, her part was more than $5,000 — the balance of her deductible.

August 23, 2022
|
By:
  • Lauren Sausser

Tagged as: 

  • Health

Sick and struggling to pay, 100 million people in the U.S. live with medical debt

The U.S. health system now produces debt on a mass scale, a new investigation shows. Patients face gut-wrenching sacrifices.

June 16, 2022
|
By:
  • Noam Levey
  • Load More

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