Medicaid Expansion Takes A Bite Out Of Medical Debt
Medical debt is down across the country. In states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, the reduction is sharper.
Public Radio Partnership
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Maine Voters Greenlight Medicaid Expansion, But Governor Says Whoa
A battle brews as Republican Gov. Paul LePage says聽he won't implement the Medicaid expansion unless the Legislature funds Maine's share. Other states, such as Idaho and Utah, are keenly watching.
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Sickle Cell Patients Suffer Discrimination, Poor Care 鈥 And Shorter Lives
People with the genetic blood disorder that mainly afflicts African-Americans can live into their 60s with competent care. So why is life expectancy slipping down to around age 40?
By Jenny Gold -
Enrollment 2018
Insurer Tries A Soft Touch 鈥 Puppies! 鈥 For This Year’s Hard Sell Of Obamacare Plans
Open enrollment for health insurance on the Affordable Care Act exchanges started last week. Across the country, municipalities, insurers and grass-roots groups are working hard to help folks navigate the hoops.
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Enrollment 2018
Funding For ACA Sign-Up Campaigns Varies Widely From State To State
States aren't getting nearly as much federal money this year to explain and campaign for Affordable Care Act policies. Some are trying to make up the shortfall; others lack the cash or political will.
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Money For Health Law Navigators Slashed 鈥 Except Where It’s Not
Two states, North and South Carolina, have very different outlooks since the Trump administration cut funding for the people who help others sign up for health insurance.
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The Painful Side Of Positive Health Care Marketing
Advertising for hospitals, unlike pharmaceutical companies, doesn't have to be backed up by data or facts. Cheerful messages of hope can feel like a slap in the face to a dying patient.
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Tending To Patients As Her New Home Burns
ICU nurse Julayne Smithson had only a few minutes to grab some things from her recently purchased home a block from the Santa Rosa hospital. Then she rushed back to help evacuate patients and has scarcely stopped working since.
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Giving Birth Is Hard Enough. Try It In The Middle Of A Wildfire.
Moms-to-be in labor had to be evacuated from Santa Rosa hospitals in the midst of the California wildfires.
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New Law Challenges ‘Evils’ Of Pharma Profits, California Governor Claims
Gov. Jerry Brown signed the measure, which takes effect next year and will require drug companies to publicly justify big price increases.
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Patients, Health Insurers Challenge Iowa’s Privatized Medicaid
Complaints are rising against for-profit insurance companies that manage Medicaid for about 600,000 Iowans. The privatization of Medicaid is a national trend affecting more than half of the 74 million Americans who get their health care through the state-federal program.
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Eyes Fixed On California As Governor Ponders Inking Drug Price Transparency Bill
"If it gets signed by this governor, it's going to send shock waves throughout the country,鈥 one legislator says. Pharma has spent $16.8 million lobbying against this bill and other drug laws in California.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
A Tale Of Two States: California, Texas And The Latest ACA Repeal Bid
In the GOP's attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act, California would lose a lot of federal funding. Texas would gain a lot in the short term, but experts worry Texas would not use the money well.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
Uncertainty Over Health Care’s Future Hobbles Entrepreneurs
The Affordable Care Act gave some Americans the chance to strike out on their own in new business ventures because they didn't have to worry about keeping a job just for health insurance. But the repeal-and-replace efforts reignited this week create uncertainty about whether they can count on that insurance option in the future.
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South Texas Fights Tuberculosis One Blood Test At A Time
A Medicaid-funded effort in San Antonio seeks to test vulnerable populations for latent TB infections.
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‘Bureaucratic Ninjas’ Slice Red-Tape To Battle Health Disparities
A person's ZIP code can be as important to her health as her genetic code. One large health system has begun to tackle the social challenges that influence a person's health by asking questions and giving extra help to people in need.
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To Grow Market Share, A Drugmaker Pitches Its Product To Judges
Some drug courts offer participants a full range of evidence-based treatment, including medication-assisted treatment. Others don't allow addiction medications at all. And some permit just one: Vivitrol.
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Repeal & Replace Watch
Rural Californians Want Price Relief From GOP Health Bill, But Unlikely To Get It
In far northern Lassen and Modoc counties, residents say Obamacare premiums are unaffordable. But under the proposed Senate bill, insurance premiums would increase even more.
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Opioid Treatment Funds In Senate Bill Would Fall Far Short Of Needs
The $45 billion for opioid treatment in the Senate bill sounds like a lot of money, but an advocate estimates it would provide $1,000 to $2,000 per year for each person in Pennsylvania who might need treatment. Meanwhile, one year of methadone treatment for opioid addiction costs about $4,700 per year,
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Health Insurers Try Paying More Upfront To Pay Less Later
Some health plans are beginning to offer free maintenance care for people with chronic health problems, hoping that spending a little more early on will save a lot of money in the long run.