Latest California Healthline Stories
Insurers Can Bend Out-Of-Network Rules For Patients Who Need Specific Doctors
Individuals who require very specialized care for their health are advised to make their case when a plan doesn’t cover their doctor.
Number Of Dialysis Patients In California Surges
The increase — 46 percent over the past eight years — isn’t because the number of new kidney failure cases is rising. It’s because dialysis patients are living longer.
Podcast: ‘What The Health?’ No Vacation For Insurers
In this episode of “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Sarah Kliff of Vox.com and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times discuss the state of the individual health insurance markets and the challenging decisions facing many insurers in the wake of the failure (for now) of Congress’ efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
Senate Democrats Delay HHS Nominee Over Women’s Health Funding
Sen. Patty Murray questions Dr. Brett Giroir’s willingness to stand up for women’s health programs such as family planning services and teenage pregnancy prevention.
Under Trump, Hospitals Face Same Penalties Embraced By Obama
Federal records show that 2,573 hospitals around the country will have their Medicare payments reduced because they have too many patients readmitted.
Despite Insurers’ Tactical Win On ACA’s Cost-Sharing Payments, Uncertainty Lingers
Court allows state attorneys general to join a pending legal challenge to keep billions in subsidies flowing to consumers and insurers, despite the Trump administration’s resistance.
Covered California Expects 12.5% Average Rate Rise In 2018
The figure could be higher if President Trump ends an important consumer subsidy, which he has threatened to do. Anthem Blue Cross will pull out of the exchange and the overall individual market in 16 of 19 regions in the state.
Denial, Appeal, Approval … An Adult’s Thorny Path To Spinraza Coverage
The FDA granted approval for Spinraza in late December for use on children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy. Insurance coverage is mostly focused on infants and children.
Little-Known Middlemen Save Money On Medicines — But Maybe Not For You
Kaiser Health News examines the role of PBMs in the prescription drug-pricing pipeline.
Drug Puts A $750,000 ‘Price Tag On Life’
The high cost of Spinraza, a new and promising treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, highlights how the cost-benefit analysis insurers use to make drug coverage decisions plays out in human terms.