Health Care Costs

In early 2019, Jennifer Hepworth and her husband were stunned by a large bill they unexpectedly received for their daughter’s prescription cystic fibrosis medication. Their payment had risen to $3,500 from the usual $30 for a month’s supply. That must be a mistake, she told the pharmacy. But it wasn’t. It turned out that the […]

Sarah Feldman, 35, received the first ominous letters from Mount Sinai Medical last November. The New York hospital system warned it was having trouble negotiating a pricing agreement with UnitedHealthcare, which includes Oxford Health Plans, Feldman’s insurer. “We are working in good faith with Oxford to reach a new fair agreement,” the letter said, continuing […]

En diciembre se lanzó al mercado zuranolona, un tratamiento muy esperado para la depresión postparto, con la promesa de que iba a ser un medicamento accesible y de acción rápida para una enfermedad debilitante. Pero la mayoría de los seguros de salud privados aún no han determinado cómo, y si, la cubrirán, según un nuevo […]

Rob Bonta, fiscal general de California, anunció que está apoyando una legislación para impedir que la deuda médica aparezca en los informes de crédito del consumidor, un esfuerzo liderado por demócratas para ofrecer protección a los pacientes presionados por las facturas de atención médica. Bonta es uno de los patrocinadores del proyecto de ley de […]

A much-awaited treatment for postpartum depression, zuranolone, hit the market in December, promising an accessible and fast-acting medication for a debilitating illness. But most private health insurers have yet to publish criteria for when they will cover it, according to a new analysis of insurance policies. The lack of guidance could limit use of the […]

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that he is throwing his weight behind legislation to bar medical debt from showing up on consumer credit reports, a Democratic-led effort to offer protection to patients squeezed by health care bills. Bonta is a sponsor of Sen. Monique Limón’s bill, which seeks to block health care providers, […]

If you went “anywhere in the world,” you could get a prescription filled for 40% to 60% less than it costs in the U.S. Joe Biden on Feb. 22, 2024, at a campaign reception It’s well documented that Americans pay high prices for health care. But do they pay double or more for prescriptions compared […]

When President Barack Obama signed legislation in 2010 to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, he said the new agency had one priority: “looking out for people, not big banks, not lenders, not investment houses.” Since then, the CFPB has done its share of policing mortgage brokers, student loan companies, and banks. But as the […]

Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. We welcome all comments and will publish a selection. We edit for length and clarity and require full names. Occupational Therapists Change Lives. CMS Must Better Support Them. Occupational therapists are critical in helping patients adjust to new circumstances, empowering them with the tools they need to overcome barriers and […]

El primer embarazo de Mary Delgado se desarrolló según lo previsto, pero cuando lo intentó de nuevo siete años más tarde, no pudo concebir. Después de 10 meses, Delgado, que ahora tiene 34 años, y su pareja, Joaquín Rodríguez, fueron a ver a una ginecóloga obstetra. Las pruebas mostraron que tenía endometriosis, una afección que […]