Temp Nurses Cost Hospitals Big During Pandemic. Lawmakers Are Now Mulling Limits.
By Bram Sable-Smith
Missouri is considering making it a felony to jack up temporary health care staffing prices during a statewide or national emergency. It’s one of at least 14 states looking to reel in travel nurse costs, after many hospitals struggled to pay for needed staffers earlier in the covid pandemic.
‘Worse Than People Can Imagine’: Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Breeds Chaos in States
By Phil Galewitz and Katheryn Houghton and Samantha Liss and Bernard J. Wolfson
As Medicaid programs across the nation review enrollees’ status in the wake of the pandemic, patients struggle to navigate the upheaval.
Armed With Hashtags, These Activists Made Insulin Prices a Presidential Talking Point
By Bram Sable-Smith
Twitter has been a hotbed for the burgeoning insulin access movement and activism surrounding other medical conditions. For people with diabetes, the platform has helped propel concern about insulin prices into policy. Can it continue to win with hashtags?
Abortion Debate Ramps Up in States as Congress Deadlocks
By Julie Rovner
Abortion is a top issue for state lawmakers meeting for their first full sessions since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
A Billing Expert Saved Big After Finding an Incorrect Charge in Her Husband’s ER Bill
By Bram Sable-Smith
A medical billing specialist investigated her husband’s ER bill. Her sleuthing took over a year but knocked thousands of dollars off the hospital’s charges — and provides a playbook for other consumers.
Journalists Discuss Insulin Costs and Ethical Questions Surrounding a North Carolina Rehab Program
KHN staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Journalists Cover the Gamut, From Rising Insulin Costs to Delays in Autism Care for Kids
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.
$2,700 Ambulance Bill Pulled Back From Collections
By Bram Sable-Smith
After reporting from KHN, NPR, and CBS News, a patient’s $2,700 ambulance bill was pulled back from collections.
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.
