Latest California Healthline Stories
New Hospital Leader Fights Price Controls Despite Reputation As A Reformer
Carmela Coyle was known as an innovator when she led Maryland’s hospital association and supported a groundbreaking program that capped hospital revenue. But less than a year into her new job representing California’s hospitals in Sacramento, Coyle has already helped kill a proposal to regulate pricing.
Medicare Takes Aim At Boomerang Hospitalizations Of Nursing Home Patients
Nationally, one in five Medicare patients who leave the hospital for a nursing home end up back in the hospital. In California, one-fifth of the more than 1,200 nursing homes send at least 24 percent of their Medicare patients back to the hospital. To discourage this trend, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will soon give bonuses and penalties to facilities based on their rehospitalization rates.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health Care Politics, Midterm Edition
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call discuss how Medicare, Medicaid and the fate of the Affordable Care Act are playing out in the politics of the coming midterm elections. Plus, Rovner interviews Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans.
Medicare Financial Outlook Worsens
The Medicare board of trustees said the program’s hospital insurance trust fund could run out of money by 2026, three years earlier than previously forecast.
A Hospital ER Charges An ‘After-Hours’ Fee. Who Has To Pay It?
Tacking on an after-hours surcharge to an emergency department bill strikes some consumers as unfair, since the facilities are open 24 hours a day.
Looking For Lower Medicare Drug Costs? Ask Your Pharmacist For The Cash Price.
Sometimes a drug plan’s copayment is higher than the cash price, and under a little-known federal rule, pharmacists have to tell Medicare beneficiaries that — but only if they ask.
Pfizer Settles Kickback Case Related To Copay Assistance For $24M
The drugmaker agreed to a settlement with the Justice Department over allegations that it funneled copay assistance money through a foundation to Medicare patients.
Drugmakers Blamed For Blocking Generics Have Jacked Up Prices And Cost U.S. Billions
The Trump administration is shaming brand-name drugmakers who refuse to sell samples so generics can be made from their products.
When Is Insurance Not Really Insurance? When You Need Pricey Dental Care.
Even under a decent plan, you’ll have to dig deep in your pocket for crowns, bridges and implants. The mouth isn’t covered by insurance the same way as the rest of the body, and this division has deep roots in history and tradition.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Much Ado About Drug Prices
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call discuss President Donald Trump’s proposals to control prescription drug prices and the efforts to sell the plan to lawmakers and the public. Also, Rovner interviews emeritus law professor Timothy Jost about the state of the Affordable Care Act.
