Health Care Costs

Latest California Healthline Stories

‘Physicians Of The Mouth’? Dentists Absorb The Medical Billing Drill

Health insurance generally pays more than dental insurance, and newly minted experts say it’s legitimate to bill medical plans for services extending beyond tooth care. Medical insurers caution against inappropriate billing and fraud.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health On The Hill

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico talk about a spate of health-related legislative action on Capitol Hill, including Senate passage of a bill to address the opioid epidemic. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week.

Confusion Leaves Low-Income Children In Health Care Limbo

Some low-income children in California are not getting medical, dental and mental health treatments to which they are entitled under federal law. Legal aid advocates blame a confusing disconnect between state and federal law, and a bill to address the problem is awaiting Gov. Jerry Brown’s approval — or veto.

The High Cost Of Hope: When The Parallel Interests Of Pharma And Families Collide

Desperate for help in finding a lifesaving drug for a fatal genetic disease, families banded together to fund early research and then worked with drug companies on clinical trials and marketing. Yet, this small patient advocacy group is stunned by pharma’s pricing.