Readers and Tweeters Chime In on Disability Rights and Drug Discounts
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
The Ambulance Chased One Patient Into Collections
By Bram Sable-Smith
After a car wreck, three siblings were transported to the same hospital by ambulances from three separate districts. The sibling with the most minor injuries got the biggest bill.
Eli Lilly Slashed Insulin Prices. This Starts a Race to the Bottom.
By Bram Sable-Smith and Samantha Young
Eli Lilly’s news that it plans to cut insulin costs for patients will help, not hinder, the recent efforts in California and by entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban to offer lower-cost alternatives, drug pricing experts said.
Journalists Explore Shadow Pandemics of Hospital Violence and Grieving Children
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
They Thought They Were Buying Obamacare Plans. What They Got Wasn’t Insurance.
By Bram Sable-Smith
Some consumers who think they are signing up for Obamacare insurance find out later they actually purchased a membership to a health care sharing ministry. But regulators and online advertising sites don’t do much about it.
Epidemic: The Scars of Smallpox
The series finale of “Epidemic: Eradicating Smallpox” is a visit to the home of Rahima Banu, the last person with a documented case of naturally occurring variola major smallpox. When the virus was declared eradicated, she became a symbol of one of the greatest victories in global public health. What happened to Rahima Banu afterward?
“Peor de lo que la gente cree”, cambios en Medicaid crean caos en los estados
By Phil Galewitz and Katheryn Houghton and Brett Kelman and Samantha Liss
Tanto beneficiarios como defensores de pacientes dicen que los funcionarios de Medicaid enviaron formularios de renovación obligatoria a direcciones viejas, calcularon mal los niveles de ingresos e hicieron malas traducciones de los documentos.
Epidemic: What Good Is a Vaccine When There Is No Rice?
What good is a vaccine when there is no rice? Episode 7 of “Eradicating Smallpox” explores the barriers public health workers face in communities where people’s basic needs aren’t being met.
When Malpractice Occurs at Community Health Centers, Taxpayers Pay
By Phil Galewitz and Bram Sable-Smith
Federally funded clinics and their doctors are protected against lawsuits by federal law, with taxpayers footing the bill. The health centers say that allows them to better serve their low-income patients, but lawyers say the system handcuffs consumers with a cumbersome legal process and makes it harder for the public to see problems.
Cuando hay mala praxis en centros de salud comunitarios, pagan los contribuyentes
By Phil Galewitz and Bram Sable-Smith
Los 1,375 centros de salud financiados con dinero federal, que atienden a 30 millones de estadounidenses de bajos ingresos, son en su mayoría organizaciones privadas. Sin embargo, reciben $6,000 millones anuales en subvenciones federales y, según la ley federal, sus responsabilidades legales están cubiertas por el gobierno
