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Health News Results - 43
Out-of-Pocket Costs for Cancer Care Keep Climbing
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 14, 2022
- Full Page
Cancer patients already have a lot to deal with emotionally and physically. But research shows that insured patients under 65 are also paying more for their treatments out-of-pocket ...
Texas Court Case Could Threaten Americans' Health Care Nationwide
- By Robin Foster and Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporters
- July 27, 2022
- Full Page
A federal lawsuit out of Texas could end access to free lifesaving preventive health care services for nearly 168 million people in the United States with private insurance, a new report suggests.
Health Care Plans Keep Allergy Rescue Injectors Pricey for Some
- By Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling HealthDay Reporter
- July 15, 2022
- Full Page
Despite now having more choices for lifesaving emergency allergy injectors like EpiPens, the cost is still proving prohibitive...
Crowdfunding for Medical Costs Almost Always Fails
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- February 4, 2022
- Full Page
You have almost certainly seen the pleas while scrolling through social media: Called crowdfunding, folks try to raise money to pay for their sick loved one's mounting medical bills.
But new research sh...
Calif. Universal Health Care System Bill Faces Monday Deadline
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- January 31, 2022
- Full Page
California lawmakers must vote by Monday on whether to keep a bill to create a universal health care system moving forward.
Monday, Jan. 31, is the last chance for Califor...
Colonoscopy Surprise Bills Should Be Thing of the Past, Experts Say
- Robert Preidt
- January 19, 2022
- Full Page
Big surprise bills for any colonoscopy done after a positive result from a stool-based screening test will be prevented under new federal rules, a group of U.S. medical organizations say.
On Jan. 10, the Biden administration issued guidance requiring private insurers to ...
Here's How to Get Your Free Home COVID Test Kits
- Dennis Thompson
- January 18, 2022
- Full Page
Home COVID tests are now available at no cost to most Americans, as part of the Biden administration's effort to increase testing around the United States.
Insurance Often Covers Ivermectin for COVID, Even Though Drug Doesn't Work
- Robert Preidt
- January 17, 2022
- Full Page
U.S. insurers are paying millions of dollars a year to cover the cost of ivermectin for COVID-19 patients despite a lack of proof the anti-parasitic drug is effective against the virus, a new study finds.
Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Or...
1 in 3 U.S. Children Lack Adequate Health Insurance
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- December 7, 2021
- Full Page
Though they live in one of the world's richest nations, a growing number of young Americans are without ample health insurance.
Almost 13 Million Americans Per Year Skip Meds Due to Cost
- Robert Preidt
- December 3, 2021
- Full Page
Nearly 13 million U.S. adults a year skip or delay filling needed prescriptions due to high price tags, new research shows.
This figure includes more than 2.3 million Medicare beneficiaries and 3.8 million privately insured working-age adults who didn't get needed medica...
Workers' Share of Annual Premium for Employer Health Plans Nears $6,000
- Robert Preidt
- November 11, 2021
- Full Page
Health insurance has gotten slightly more expensive during the pandemic: A new survey shows that annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose 4%, to an average of $22,221 this year.
Of that amount, employees paid an average of nearly $6,000 toward ...
Out-of-Pocket Medical Bills for COVID-19 May Average $3,800 in 2021: Study
- Robert Preidt
- October 18, 2021
- Full Page
Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 could now face thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket medical costs, according to a new report.
In 2020, most health insurance companies waived co-pays, deductibles and other cost-sharing for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but many st...
Health Savings Accounts Used Least by People Who Need Them Most: Poll
- Cara Murez
- September 10, 2021
- Full Page
Tax-free health savings accounts can make it easier for Americans to pay for future health expenses, but most older adults aren't using them.
A new poll by Michigan Medicine-University of Michigan found that while nearly 1 in 5 people weren't confident that they could af...
When Deductibles Rise, More Diabetes Patients Skip Their Meds
- Cara Murez
- July 30, 2021
- Full Page
As many Americans know, today's health insurance plans often come with high deductibles. Those out-of-pocket costs could cause harm: New research shows that 20% of people who have diabetes and high-deductible health plans regularly skip their medications.
Not keeping up ...
Many Patients Billed for Preventive Care That Should Be Free: Study
- Robert Preidt
- July 22, 2021
- Full Page
Many Americans are being charged for preventive -- and supposedly free -- health care, new research shows, and those bills may keep them from booking appointments in the future.
Out-of-pocket charges for preventive care that should be free under the Affordable Care Act c...
Many Hit Hard by Pandemic Now Swamped by Medical Debt
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- July 19, 2021
- Full Page
The coronavirus pandemic has left plenty of Americans saddled with medical bills they can't pay, a new survey reveals.
More than 50% of those who were infected with COVID-19 or who lost income due to the pandemic are now struggling with medical debt, according to resear...
Biden Administration Pushes Forward With Trump-Era Law on Surprise Medical Bills
- Ernie Mundell
- July 2, 2021
- Full Page
In a rare show of bipartisanship on health care, the Biden Administration is advancing Trump-era consumer protections aimed at curbing sometimes devastating surprise medical bills.
It's an issue that seems to unite Americans of all political stripes: Bills that seemingl...
High Deductibles Keep Folks With Chest Pain From Calling 911
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- June 28, 2021
- Full Page
The public health message has always been loud and clear: If you are experiencing a medical emergency such as chest pain, dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
But a new study shows that a $1,000 or higher deductible on your health insurance plan may serve as a d...
$10,000: What New Parents Might Pay for Childbirth, Even With Insurance
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 17, 2021
- Full Page
Having a baby is expensive. The cost of diapers, a crib, a car seat and all the other infant necessities can really add up, and now a new study shows that having a child comes with its own hefty hospital price tag for many U.S. families.
About one in six families in the ...
Why a COVID Diagnosis Could Cost You Way More Money in 2021
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 9, 2021
- Full Page
COVID-19 could be a much more expensive experience for folks who fall ill this year, thanks to the return of deductibles and copays, new research suggests.
Most folks who became gravely ill with COVID last year didn't face crushing medical bills because nearly all insura...
It's Still Tough to Find Prices on Most U.S. Hospital Websites
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- May 18, 2021
- Full Page
U.S. hospitals have been required to make their prices public since 2019, but 18 months into the rule more than half weren't doing it, a new study finds.
In 2018, the Trump administration issued a rule requiring hospitals to publish their "chargemasters" on their website...
When Drug Companies Raise Prices, Patients' Out-of-Pocket Costs Rise
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- May 6, 2021
- Full Page
When prescription drug "list" prices go up, patients often take a hit in the wallet, a new study shows.
Researchers found that while some people are buffered against drug price hikes by their health insurance plan, many are not.
Those in plans that require co-insur...
Buying Your Own Health Insurance Just Got Way Less Expensive
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- April 6, 2021
- Full Page
Tens of millions of Americans will find it substantially more affordable to buy their own health insurance starting this month, thanks to generous financial help included in the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) signed by President Joe Biden in March.
That includes many pe...
Pandemic Has Affected Kids' Dental Health: Poll
- Cara Murez
- February 17, 2021
- Full Page
Could the COVID-19 pandemic be taking a toll on kids' teeth?
A new, nationwide poll found the pandemic has made it harder for parents to get their kids regular dental care. But on the other hand, many say their youngsters are now taking better care of their teeth.
...
Support for Obamacare Grows as Biden Takes Control: Poll
- Dennis Thompson
- December 17, 2020
- Full Page
The popularity of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, continues to grow, with nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they want the law to remain as is or be improved, a new Harris/HealthDay poll shows.
About 34% of U.S. adults think the Affordable Care Act sho...
Obamacare Means 2 Million Fewer Americans Face Catastrophic Medical Bills Each Year
- Amy Norton
- September 30, 2020
- Full Page
Since the passage of "Obamacare," fewer Americans are facing insurmountable medical bills -- but the benefit does not seem to be reaching people with private insurance, a new study shows.
Researchers found that after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented, the...
Many Americans Struggling to Afford Health Care in Pandemic
- Robert Preidt
- August 25, 2020
- Full Page
More than two in five working-age U.S. adults didn't have stable health insurance in the first half of 2020, while more than one-third struggled with medical bills, according to a new survey.
"The survey shows a persistent vulnerability among U.S. working-age adults...
How Insurance Plans Keep Black Patients From Cancer Care
- Amy Norton
- June 29, 2020
- Full Page
Health insurance plans with high deductibles may be taking a financial toll on Black patients, according to a new study of cancer survivors.
The researchers said the findings point to yet another reason for racial health disparities in the United States: High deducti...
Another COVID Plague: Big Surprise Medical Bills for Survivors
- Dennis Thompson
- June 22, 2020
- Full Page
Seattle resident Michael Flor's heart nearly stopped when he received a $1.1 million dollar hospital bill for months of COVID-19 treatment.
The 181-page bill listed nearly 3,000 itemized charges -- and didn't include other items likely to make Flor's bill even higher...
1 in 5 Insured Hit With Surprise Bills for Surgery
- Serena Gordon
- February 11, 2020
- Full Page
You scheduled your surgery and made sure both your doctor and hospital are in your insurer's approved network of providers. Everything went without a hitch -- until a whopper of a bill showed up in the mail for "out-of-network" care during your operation.
The averag...
Despite Obamacare, Number in U.S. Who Can't Afford to See Doctor Keeps Rising
- Amy Norton
- January 28, 2020
- Full Page
Even though the Affordable Care Act expanded access to health insurance, the number of Americans who can't afford to see a doctor keeps increasing, a new study shows.
The researchers found that compared with two decades ago, more Americans today say they have skipped...
Young Cancer Patients Fare Better on Private Insurance
- Robert Preidt
- December 30, 2019
- Full Page
The odds of surviving childhood cancer may be influenced by the type of health insurance a young patient has, researchers say.
In a new study, children and young adults covered by Medicaid or other government agencies were less likely to be alive five and 10 years af...
Heart Medicines Priced Out of Reach for Many Americans
- Dennis Thompson
- November 25, 2019
- Full Page
Many working-age Americans struggle to pay for the heart medications that protect them from heart attack, stroke and heart disease, a new study reports.
About one in eight adults suffering from a high-risk heart problem say financial strain has caused them to skip ta...
Confusing Medical Bills Tied to Money Woes in Cancer Survivors
- Robert Preidt
- October 18, 2019
- Full Page
Difficulty understanding health insurance and medical bills may cause financial hardship for cancer survivors, a new study finds.
There is growing evidence that many American adults lack health insurance literacy, which is the knowledge, ability and confidence to obt...
Health Insurance Premiums Are Soaring for Many
- Alan Mozes
- September 26, 2019
- Full Page
Over the last decade, Americans who get their health insurance through their employer have seen both their premiums and their deductibles rise faster than either their wages or inflation, a new survey shows.
"The single biggest issue in health care for most Americans...
High-Deductible Health Plans Can Harm COPD Patients: Study
- Alan Mozes
- May 23, 2019
- Full Page
As a rule, high-deductible health plans carry lower premiums than low-deductible plans. But that might not be such a great deal for patients struggling with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), new research suggests.
Such plans may be impacting the quality o...
Most Americans Hit Hard by Medical Bills
- Robert Preidt
- May 2, 2019
- Full Page
Nearly 6 in 10 Americans say they have suffered financial hardship due to health care costs, a new study finds.
Researchers from the American Cancer Society looked at three different types of problems: difficulty paying medical bills, worrying about bills, and delayi...
MS Patients Now Pay 20 Times More for Drugs Than a Decade Ago
- Serena Gordon
- May 1, 2019
- Full Page
Multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson's can be physically taxing conditions, but new research shows they exact a huge financial toll as well.
Over a 12-year period, out-of-pocket costs for Americans with these illnesses jumped, with the biggest increase seen am...
Uninsured Get Short Shrift on Hospital Stays
- Dennis Thompson
- April 1, 2019
- Full Page
Folks who aren't covered by private insurance are much more likely to get booted out of the hospital early, a new study finds.
Uninsured patients were also more than twice as likely to be transferred to another hospital and 66% more likely to be discharged outrig...
Single Dose of Keytruda May Help Put Melanoma Into Remission
- Steven Reinberg
- February 26, 2019
- Full Page
For people with the deadly skin cancer melanoma, one dose of the drug Keytruda before surgery might stop the cancer in its tracks, according to a groundbreaking new study.
Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is a PD-1 inhibitor, an immunotherapy drug that triggers the body's im...
Insurers Making It Harder to Treat Opioid Addiction: Study
- Robert Preidt
- February 15, 2019
- Full Page
Insurance rules that limit access to the addiction treatment medication buprenorphine may be worsening the U.S. opioid epidemic, a new study suggests.
"Buprenorphine is a safe and effective treatment that decreases deaths due to opioids and stops heroin and other opi...
Food or Heart Meds? Many Americans Must Make a Choice
- Amy Norton
- February 12, 2019
- Full Page
Millions of Americans with heart disease say they face financial strain because of their medical care, with some skipping meds or cutting back on basics like groceries.
That's the finding of a new national study of heart disease and stroke patients younger than 65 --...
Surge in Long-Term Birth Control After Trump's 2016 Win
- Alan Mozes
- February 4, 2019
- Full Page
Interpret the data whatever way you will, but a new study shows a jump in women getting long-term contraception in the month following the election of President Donald Trump.
The researchers' theory?
Study author Dr. Lydia Pace acknowledged that "there is l...