Latest California Healthline Stories
Costly Confusion: Medicare’s Wellness Visit Isn’t The Same As An Annual Physical
Medicare doesn’t pay for an annual physical, but it does cover an annual wellness visit focused on preventing disease and disability by coming up with a “personalized prevention plan” for future medical issues. It is important to use the correct term when scheduling a doctor’s visit.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
New Health Plans Expose The Insured To More Risk
Well-known insurers are offering plans with lower premiums. But they could leave patients on the hook for unexpected costs.
‘Medicare-For-All’ Gets Buzzy In Unexpected Locales
At recent “barnstorming” meetings in South Carolina and West Virginia, activists felt momentum behind their “Medicare-for-all” cause even as they ready for a major political fight.
As Hospitals Post Price Lists, Consumers Are Asked To Check Up On Them
Most hospitals appear to be complying with the federal rule to post their prices online. Yet there is little follow-up by the government or industry and debate continues about whether the price lists are creating more confusion than clarity among consumers.
Lawmakers United Against High Drug Prices Bare Partisan Teeth
Clear differences of opinion emerged between Democrats and Republicans during a House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing about how to make prescription drugs more affordable in the Medicare program.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Medicare Trims Payments To 800 Hospitals, Citing Patient Safety Incidents
The penalties are part of a program set up by the Affordable Care Act to prompt hospitals to pay more attention to safety issues that can lead to injuries, such as falls or hospital-acquired infections In California, 99 hospitals out of 339 face penalties.
There’s A New ‘Medicare-For-All’ Bill In The House. Why Does It Matter?
The progressive proposal adds details to the discussion of this controversial approach to overhauling the nation’s health system, and Democratic primary candidates will have to be prepared to get more specific.
Is New App From Feds Your Answer To Navigating Medicare Coverage? Yes And No
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched this month the “What’s Covered” app, designed to provide yes-or-no answers about what services are covered under traditional Medicare. KHN took it for a test drive with real consumers.