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Paxlovid has been free so far. Next year, sticker shock awaits.

Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people infected with covid-19 from being hospitalized or dying, and it may even reduce the risk of developing long covid.

7 Dec 2022

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Medicaid machinations

The lame-duck Congress is back in Washington with a long list of bills it would like to pass and a short time to do it before Republicans take over the House majority in January.

1 Dec 2022

Medicare plan finder likely won’t note new $35 cap on out-of-pocket insulin costs

A big cut in prescription drug prices for some Medicare beneficiaries kicks in next year, but finding those savings isn't easy.

15 Nov 2022

Post-‘Roe,’ contraceptive failures carry bigger stakes

Birth control options have improved over the decades. Oral contraceptives are now safer, with fewer side effects. Intrauterine devices can prevent pregnancy 99.6% of the time. But no prescription drug or medical device works flawlessly, and people's use of contraception is inexact.

7 Nov 2022

Centene showers politicians with millions as it courts contracts and settles overbilling allegations

On Nov. 2, 2021, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak's reelection campaign received 10 separate $10,000 contributions from what appeared to be unrelated health insurance plans from across the country.

4 Nov 2022

This open enrollment season, look out for health insurance that seems too good to be true

It took nearly a year for Kelly Macauley to realize the health plan she bought while shopping for insurance coverage last October was not, in fact, insurance.

1 Nov 2022

UH PREMIER Center receives funding to fight the rising tide of opioid addiction and death

Fighting the rising tide of opioid addiction and death, the Prescription Drug Misuse Education and Research (PREMIER) Center at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy has been funded for the next two years by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for an additional $3.34 million.

31 Oct 2022

Survey shows healthcare affordability remains on the ballot and could have a big influence on elections

Nearly nine in 10 Americans say a candidate's plan for reducing healthcare costs will be an important consideration in determining their vote, and almost 40% of them, or an estimated 100 million Americans, say it could even make them cross party lines in the upcoming midterm elections, according to a new poll from West Health and Gallup.

20 Oct 2022

Centene gave thousands to Georgia leaders’ campaigns while facing Medicaid overbilling questions

A health insurance giant that has paid out more than $485 million in legal settlements with states over pharmacy billing allegations has also been a major donor to Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr, according to campaign finance records.

18 Oct 2022

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Finally fixing the ‘family glitch’

The Biden administration this week issued regulations aimed at fixing the Affordable Care Act's "family glitch," which has prevented families that can't afford their employer insurance from getting subsidized coverage from the insurance marketplaces.

13 Oct 2022

Climate change magnifies health impacts of wildfire smoke in care deserts

Smoke began billowing into the skies of northwestern Nevada in September, clouding the mountains, dimming the sun — and quashing residents' hopes that they would be spared from wildfires and the awful air quality the blazes produce.

12 Oct 2022

Are men or women impacted more by adverse reactions to prescription drug treatments?

Recently, researchers presented an overview of sex-based differences in adverse drug reactions (ADRs) based on epidemiology, technique, and underlying mechanism data.

11 Oct 2022

Optimal birth weight may help reduce the risk of mental health problems in children

New research from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has found that babies with larger birth weights tend to have fewer mental health and behavioural issues in childhood and adolescence.

29 Sep 2022

Health plan shake-up could disrupt coverage for low-income Californians

Almost 2 million of California's poorest and most medically fragile residents may have to switch health insurers as a result of a new strategy by the state to improve care in its Medicaid program.

27 Sep 2022

While inflation takes a toll on seniors, billions of dollars in benefits go unused

Millions of older adults are having trouble making ends meet, especially during these inflationary times. Yet many don't realize help is available, and some notable programs that offer financial assistance are underused.

12 Sep 2022

Higher-cost Medicare Advantage plan not linked to better quality health care for seniors

Enrolling in a higher-cost Medicare Advantage plan may not always get seniors better quality health care, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

29 Aug 2022

Short-term NSAID use linked with first-time heart failure hospitalization in patients with type 2 diabetes

Short-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a first-time hospitalization for heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2022.

23 Aug 2022

Democrats didn’t achieve all their goals, but inflation reduction act makes historic Medicare changes

The giant health care, climate, and tax bill expected to pass the House on Friday and be sent to the president for his signature won’t be as sweeping as the Democrats who wrote it had hoped, but it would help millions of Americans better afford their prescription drugs and health insurance.

12 Aug 2022

No, the Senate-passed reconciliation bill won’t strip $300 billion from Medicare

As Senate Democrats raced to pass what could be their final piece of major legislation before the midterm elections, critics went to the airwaves to blast the proposal as hurting older Americans who rely on Medicare.

11 Aug 2022

Formulary restrictions may increase the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for stroke, and for decades the anticoagulant warfarin was the standard treatment for lowering that hazard. However, numerous drug and food interactions make warfarin burdensome for patients.

10 Aug 2022