Judge’s Decision Would Make Some No-Cost Cancer Screenings a Thing of the Past
By Julie Appleby and Michelle Andrews
A U.S. District Court ruling overturned the section of the Affordable Care Act that makes preventive health services — from colonoscopies to diabetes screenings and more — available at no cost to consumers.
Decisión de un juez haría que algunas pruebas de detección de cáncer sin costo fueran cosa del pasado
By Julie Appleby and Michelle Andrews
La decisión podría afectar los exámenes de detección sin copago y servicios preventivos similares que la mayoría de los estadounidenses con seguro tienen como parte de sus planes de salud.
The Case of the $489,000 Air Ambulance Ride
By Julie Appleby
Diagnosed with aggressive leukemia on a Western trip, a young man thought his insurance would cover an air ambulance ride home to North Carolina. Instead, questions about medical necessity left him with an astronomical bill.
Mental Health Therapists Seek Exemption From Part of Law to Ban Surprise Billing
By Julie Appleby
Some practitioners object to the way upfront cost estimates are designed, saying they could affect access to care and are burdensome. Other experts disagree.
HHS Proposal for Marketplace Plans Carries a Hefty Dose of Consumer Caution
By Julie Appleby
The Department of Health and Human Services issued preliminary rules regarding health insurance marketplaces that aim to deter fraudulent sign-ups for coverage. Experts say the agency’s action indicates a problem exists.
Listen: How the New ‘No Surprises’ Law Tackles Unexpected Medical Bills
Years in the making, a new federal law against surprise medical bills took effect Jan. 1.
Suit by Doctors, Hospitals Seeks Change in How Arbitrators Settle Surprise Billing Cases
By Julie Appleby
The American Medical Association and American Hospital Association are not arguing to halt the law that protects patients from unexpected bills from providers they didn’t know were outside their insurance network. Instead, they want to change the rules for the mediators who will settle the dispute between insurers and providers.
Oncology Doctors Say the Build Back Better Act Will Slash Cancer Care Funding — A Skewed Argument
By Julie Appleby
The Community Oncology Alliance is targeting the prescription drug provisions of the Build Back Better Act, saying they will trigger deep cuts in oncologists’ pay, causing clinics to close and health care costs to rise. But it leaves out some important details.
Post-Pandemic, What’s a Phone Call From Your Physician Worth?
By Julie Appleby
Medicare billing codes for audio-only follow-up check-ins lead to new reimbursement battles.
New Health Plans Offer Twists on Existing Options, With a Dose of ‘Buyer Beware’
By Julie Appleby
Fueled by consumer frustration with high premiums and deductibles, two new offerings promise a means for consumers to take control of their health care costs. But experts say they pose risks.