MONDAY, Oct. 18, 2021 (HealthDay News) — 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 stopped doing that early this year,Continue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Private insurers paid out about $156.2 billion in 2018 for U.S. patients with the 15 most common cancers. Medication was the largest expense and drugs for breast, lung, lymphoma and colon cancers accounted for the largest chunk of those costs, according to aContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Oct. 12, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Just over a decade ago, the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) made many common cancer screenings free. But a pair of new studies caution that when those free tests turn up signs of trouble, important follow-up tests may beContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Oct. 12, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Equal access to the most effective drugs helps eliminate the survival disparity between Black and white lung cancer patients in the United States, a new study shows. In general, Black lung cancer patients are more likely to die than white patients, but theseContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Black kids and Hispanic kids with cancer fare worse than their white counterparts, a large, nationwide study finds. “This study suggests that improving health insurance coverage and access to care for children, especially those with low [socioeconomic status], may reduce racial/ethnic survival disparities,”Continue Reading
FRIDAY, Oct. 1, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up the U.S. opioid crisis in ways bad and good, increasing the risk of use and overdose but also spurring innovative approaches to treatment. The pandemic has definitely been linked to an increase in opioid use and overdoseContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — As many as 18 million Americans can’t afford their prescribed medications, a new nationwide poll finds. That’s 7% of the adult population in the United States. But when it comes to households making less than $24,000 per year, the percentage jumps to 19%,Continue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Having a child in the hospital is distressing for families, and not knowing what that stay might cost can add to that stress, researchers say. A new study has found that three-quarters of U.S. families want to have conversations about the costs ofContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When the COVID-19 public health emergency ends, a new crisis in insurance coverage in the United States may begin. Fifteen million Americans who enrolled in Medicaid during the pandemic could lose their coverage when the emergency declaration ends, according to an analysis byContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Sept. 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The cost of providing hospital care for unvaccinated Americans has reached $5.7 billion in just three months, CBS News reported. Between June and August, about 287,000 people who were not vaccinated were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the United States, according to data fromContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Getting prior authorizations to see a specialist, dealing with errors on medical bills and even scheduling appointments can be a big hassle. That’s clear to anyone who has spent time on the phone handling issues with insurance companies or doctors’ offices. For someContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When Americans are eligible for Medicare at age 65, they see a significant drop in their out-of-pocket medical costs. Lowering the eligibility age would save even more, especially for people with the highest out-of-pocket costs, according to a new study. “Medicare really improvesContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Sept. 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) — U.S. approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm is already mired in controversy. Now a new study finds that most Alzheimer’s patients could not have taken part in clinical trials that led to the green light. In June, the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationContinue Reading
MONDAY, Sept. 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) — With the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare, fewer Americans are uninsured and more are getting their blood pressure and blood sugar under control, a new study finds. The gains are especially strong among Black and Hispanic patients, according to Boston University researchers. “OurContinue Reading