Medical Cost Alerts
Hospital Prices for Inpatients Climbed 19% Over 5 Years.
By Kelly Gooch, Beckers Hospital Report. The cost of hospital inpatient services for privately insured individuals is on the rise, according to a new data brief by UnitedHealth Group. An analysis conducted in 2019 of… Read More
Transplant Patients Need Anti-Rejection Drugs. Why Won’t Insurers Pay for Some of Them?
By Gina Kolata, The New York Times. The question might seem indelicate. But transplant centers find it is necessary these days to know the answer even before they place a patient on the list for… Read More
Even When HIV Prevention Drug Is Covered, Other Costs Block Treatment
By Michelle Andrews, KHN News. Three years ago, Corey Walsh, who was in a relationship with a man who was HIV-positive, got a prescription for Truvada, a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration… Read More
Patients’ Drug Costs Surge for Some Neurologic Conditions
By Lisa Rapaport, Reuters Health. Many patients with neurologic disorders like multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease have seen steep increases in their out-of-pocket costs for drugs in recent years, a U.S. study suggests…. Read More
Company Raised Drug Price 97,000% Then Bribed Doctors to Boost Sales
By Wayne Drash, CNN. Two whistleblowers at a pharmaceutical company responsible for one of the largest drug price increases in US history said the company bribed doctors and their staffs to increase sales, according to… Read More
Drug Companies Tricks Putting Lives at Risk
Secretive ‘Rebate Trap’ Keeps Generic Drugs For Diabetes And Other Ills Out Of Reach. By Jay Hancock and Sydney Lupkin, Kaiser Health News.. Lisa Crook was lucky. She saved $800 last year after her insurance… Read More
Drug Makers Accused of Fixing Prices on Insulin
By Katie Thomas, The New York Times. A lawsuit filed Monday accused three makers of insulin of conspiring to drive up the prices of their lifesaving drugs, harming patients who were being asked to pay for… Read More
Medical Debt Can Impact Your Credit Score
by Gerri Detweiler, Credit.com. Medical costs are on the rise, and insurance companies are refusing to foot the bills. Millions of people have chronic conditions or medical emergencies that lead to multiple office visits with… Read More
Your Insurance May Not Cover ER Doctors or Anesthesiologists
By Jodie Tillman, the Tampa Bay Times. Even with an in-network hospital, insurance may not cover ER physicians When her husband, Charles, showed signs of heart trouble in January, Donna Baker didn’t hesitate to drive him… Read More