Latest California Healthline Stories
California Hospitals Must Cough Up Millions To Meet Charity Care Rules
The decision by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra signals his agreement with health consumer advocates, who argue that patients are still struggling to pay their medical bills, even when they have insurance.
‘Bill Of The Month’: A College Student’s $17,850 Drug Test
Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with NPR, kicks off a series that will examine and decode your perplexing medical bills.
Pain Hits After Surgery When A Doctor’s Daughter Is Stunned By $17,850 Urine Test
Elizabeth Moreno got hit with a $17,850 bill from a Texas lab after leaving a urine sample at her doctor’s office.
Hospitals Want To Cut Back On Free Care. Critics Say No Way.
Four California hospitals have asked the state attorney general to reduce the amount of free and discounted care they’re required to provide, arguing there’s less need for it under the Affordable Care Act. Critics say millions of people still can’t afford their hospital bills.
Trump’s Budget Proposal Swings At Drug Prices With A Glancing Blow
The Trump administration rolled out a list of actions to attack drug prices, but most dance around the edges.
Parents Are Not Liable For Medical Debts Of Adult Children On Shared Insurance
Even though the federal health law allows young adults to stay on their parents’ plan, those children are generally responsible for their own debts.
Study Gives Mixed Reviews To Laws To Equalize Cancer Patients’ Out-Of-Pocket Costs
Most states have laws that require that cancer patients who get their treatment orally rather than by infusion in a doctor’s office not pay more out-of-pocket. A new study finds that the impact of those laws is mixed.
Beyond The Shattered Lives And Bodies, Money Worries Weigh On Las Vegas Victims
Many of the gunshot survivors who suffered serious injuries face not only high deductibles and out-of-network charges but also lost wages.
Social Security Giveth, Medical Costs Taketh Away
Out-of-pocket health costs eat up about 18 percent of retirees’ incomes.
5 Outside-The-Box Ideas For Fixing The Individual Insurance Market
As lawmakers look for ways to stabilize the health law marketplaces, a number of ideas — such as expanding who can “buy in” to Medicare and Medicaid or pushing young adults off their parents’ plans into the marketplaces — might come into play.
