She Left After Waiting Hours in the Emergency Room. The ER Billed Her Anyway.
Autumn Daniels went to the hospital with a severe migraine. After four hours in the waiting room, she left to try a different facility — but the ER still charged her.
Michelle Andrews
Michelle Andrews is a contributing writer and former columnist for 51ĘÓƵ Health News. She has been writing about health care for more than 15 years. Her work has appeared frequently in The New York Times, where she wrote the Money and Medicine column and contributed regular news and features. Her work has also been published in Money, Fortune Small Business, National Geographic and Women’s Health magazines, among others. Michelle previously worked as a senior writer at U.S. News & World Report and at SmartMoney magazines. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.
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You Want To Join a Clinical Trial. Here’s What To Know About the Hurdles.
The Department of Health and Human Services has launched an effort to streamline clinical research, and legislation is pending in Congress. But patients and providers face participation challenges.
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Upcoming Billing Change Could Make Pregnancy Pricier
Come January, pregnancy care physician billing codes will change from a bundled system to an Ă la carte one. Many obstetricians say this approach will better reflect the amount and type of care they provide. But it could incentivize providers to pile on visits and services.
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Farm Bureau Health Plans Beat the ACA on Prices With an Age-Old Tactic: Rejecting Sick People
Fourteen states now allow health coverage through state farm bureaus. Though they generally share many features of Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, they aren’t insurance. Neither are they typically subject to federal or state health insurance requirements, and the benefits may be less generous or predictable than those of Obamacare plans.
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In Switching to Original Medicare, Beware of Medigap Plan Refusals
Open enrollment season lasts until March 31 for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage who want to switch to original Medicare, but there’s a potential hitch.
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Doctors Increasingly See AI Scribes in a Positive Light. But Hiccups Persist.
Patients say they find AI summaries of doctor visits user-friendly, but it’s not clear if their appointments are improving. In any case, doctors appear to be embracing the high-tech innovation.
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Congressional Stalemate Creates Chaos for Obamacare Shoppers
This year, Affordable Care Act marketplace consumers will need to be more informed than ever to navigate their health coverage choices.
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Despite the Hoopla, Vaccines Should Be in Reach This Cough-and-Cold Season
Recommendations surrounding covid vaccinations and other such shots have been confusing. Ultimately, though, little has changed. Here’s what you need to know.
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Big Loopholes in Hospital Charity Care Programs Mean Patients Still Get Stuck With the Tab
Even if people qualify for financial help with their hospital bills, the care they receive may not be covered.
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Sorting Out Covid Vaccine Confusion: New and Conflicting Federal Policies Raise Questions
Should you get vaccinated? Will your insurer pay for it? And will you still be able to find a vaccine? 51ĘÓƵ Health News tries to sort out where things stand.
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Have Job-Based Health Coverage at 65? You May Still Want To Sign Up for Medicare
Patient advocates say they frequently hear from people who thought they didn’t need to sign up for Medicare when they turned 65 because they had group health coverage. That delay sometimes forces people to cover medical expenses themselves.
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In Bustling NYC Federal Building, HHS Offices Are Eerily Quiet
Public health experts and advocates say that Health and Human Services regional offices, like the one in New York City, form the connective tissue between the federal government and locally based services.
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Fast Action From Bystanders Can Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival. Many Don’t Know What To Do.
In 9 of 10 cases, a person in cardiac arrest will die because help doesn’t arrive quickly enough. With CPR and, possibly, a shock from an automated external defibrillator, survival odds double. But Americans lack confidence and know-how to handle these interventions.
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Watch: Why Insurance Companies Are Denying Coverage for Prosthetic Limbs
Although knee replacements are usually covered by health insurance, amputees face roadblocks to coverage and often must prove their prosthetics are medically necessary.
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In New York, Providers Must Put Patient Costs on the Table
The governor’s fiscal year 2026 budget revises a law designed to limit unexpected bills that can put people at risk for unfair medical billing practices and reduce medical debt. Consumer groups say it doesn’t go far enough.
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Blood Transfusions at the Scene Save Lives. But Ambulances Are Rarely Equipped To Do Them.
More than 60,000 people bleed to death every year in the United States. Many of those deaths occur before the patient reaches a trauma center where blood transfusions can be given.
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Health Insurers Limit Coverage of Prosthetic Limbs, Questioning Their Medical Necessity
Advocates say it is discrimination and are arguing for “insurance fairness” on the grounds that people who have joints surgically replaced typically don’t face the same kinds of coverage challenges.
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Can You Rely on Your Mammogram To Identify Heart Disease Risk?
Clinicians and researchers are searching for answers to whether an incidental finding on breast X-rays could improve the detection of cardiovascular disease risk among women.
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Some Employers Test Arrangement To Give Workers Allowance for Coverage
Employers are showing interest in a type of health reimbursement account that gives workers a contribution to choose and buy their own plans, rather than participating in group plans.
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