Health Insurance and Medicare News
- Will Telehealth Save Patients Money or Drive Up Costs?
April 5, 2023 — The real out-of-pocket costs are becoming clear, and it’s one mixed bag.
- UnitedHealthcare to Cut Prior Authorizations for Some Procedures
April 2, 2023 — The largest health insurer in the United States says it will no longer require lengthy paperwork, known as prior authorization, for many types of health care starting later this year.
- What’s Next After Judge Strikes Down Preventive Care Mandate?
March 31, 2023 — Health experts were researching exactly how many preventive services might be affected and said no changes would likely occur immediately.
- Hospitals Continue to Defy Federal Requirement to Publish Prices
January 20, 2023 — Most hospitals are not fully complying with a 2021 requirement to publish prices, a new analysis shows. The requirement was intended to increase transparency of health care costs and make it possible to shop around for the best prices of medical care.
- Even With Insurance, ERs Can Cost a Bundle
January 4, 2023 — Average out-of-pocket costs for emergency care surpass the savings of many patients. And the bills can be far higher than that, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation report.
- Minority Groups Increasingly Signing Up for Obamacare Health Insurance
October 26, 2022 — This past year, enrollment in marketplace insurance soared to record levels on HealthCare.gov. New government data now show the boost was driven by sign-ups among Black and Latino enrollees.
- Cost of Medicare Prescriptions Varies Widely From State to State
October 11, 2022 — A Medicare startup company says Medicare prescription costs vary widely from state to state – and sometimes even from one ZIP Code to another. That means that geographic location could cost some seniors with a chronic medical condition thousands of dollars a year.
- Doctor Bias May Prevent Care for Patients With Disabilities
October 10, 2022 — Many doctors report being ill-equipped to treat people with physical and cognitive disabilities, and some said they try to avoid doing so, a new study found.
- Medicare Part B Premium Dips on Alzheimer’s Drug Setback
September 28, 2022 — Medicare’s experience with the drug Aduhelm should serve as a wake-up call about both the rising drug costs and FDA’s standards for speeding clearance of medicines, an advocate and a researcher said.
- Americans Give Low Marks to U.S. Health Care System
September 13, 2022 — A majority of U.S. adults say the country’s health care system is not handled well, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
- Walmart, UnitedHealth to Provide Seniors Preventive Care
September 8, 2022 — Walmart and UnitedHealth Group will launch a joint program to provide preventive healthcare for millions of people over 65
- Health Care, Prescription Drugs Included in Major Funding Bill
August 8, 2022 — The latest major legislation being supported by Democrats in Congress includes provisions for health care, prescription drug costs, climate change, and ways to cut the deficit.
- U.S. Uninsured Rate Drops to Record Low
August 3, 2022 — The number of Americans without health insurance coverage dropped to a record low of 8% this year, beating the prior low of 9% in 2016, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Amazon Taking Another Leap Into American Health Care
July 22, 2022 — Membership-based One Medical offers its patients 24/7 access via virtual care as well as in-person services in 12 U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
- Crowdfunding a Poor Safety Net for Medical Expenses
February 7, 2022 — Researchers have called for greater transparency around platforms such as GoFundMe.
- How We Reported This Story
November 29, 2018 — WebMD and Georiga Health News used documents and data obtained through Open Records requests along with interview for its investigation on hospital EMTALA violations.
- Investigation: Lives Lost Amid ER Violations
November 29, 2018 — An investigation by WebMD and Georgia Health News finds that hospitals are breaking a law that requires them to provide emergency care to patients who need it, sometimes with deadly results.
- Your Rights in the Emergency Room
November 29, 2018 — A federal law guarantees a certain level of medical care to anyone who comes to an emergency department, including a proper screening exam to determine if a patient has a medical emergency.
- Pregnant Women Face Risk Despite Federal ER Law
November 29, 2018 — Pregnant women are among the groups of patients that may not get adequate care when they go to a hospital emergency room, in violation of a federal law created to protect them.
- Obamacare Creates 'Upheaval' At Free Clinics
August 4, 2014 — Obamacare Creates 'Upheaval' At Free Clinics
- Q&A: Canceled Insurance Policies May Be Restored
November 15, 2013 — Under a policy shift announced by President Obama this week, insurance companies will be allowed to renew several million health insurance policies they had canceled or were planning to cancel by the end of 2013. Here, WebMD answers questions about what this policy shift means to you.