Heidi de Marco

Heidi de Marco was a reporter and producer for KFF Health News until March 2023.

@HeidideMarco

Medicare Takes Aim At Boomerang Hospitalizations Of Nursing Home Patients

Nationally, one in five Medicare patients who leave the hospital for a nursing home end up back in the hospital. In California, one-fifth of the more than 1,200 nursing homes send at least 24 percent of their Medicare patients back to the hospital. To discourage this trend, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will soon give bonuses and penalties to facilities based on their rehospitalization rates.

Outsiders Swoop In Vowing To Rescue Rural Hospitals Short On Hope — And Money

The community of Surprise Valley, Calif., wrestled with the idea of selling its tiny, long-cherished hospital to a Denver entrepreneur who sees a big future in lab tests for faraway patients. Last summer, another exec had a similar idea but left town.

When Is Insurance Not Really Insurance? When You Need Pricey Dental Care.

Even under a decent plan, you’ll have to dig deep in your pocket for crowns, bridges and implants. The mouth isn’t covered by insurance the same way as the rest of the body, and this division has deep roots in history and tradition.

Of ‘Miracles’ And Money: Why Hemophilia Drugs Are So Expensive

The market is flooded with 28 different medications for just 20,000 patients with the hereditary bleeding disorder. Yet intense competition hasn’t worked to bring costs down. Sales amount to $4.6 billion annually in the U.S.