This column explores how health reform is changing the ways in which we pay for and deliver health care in the U.S. It also highlights the ways in which our current system is falling short on measures of coverage, access and affordability. On any given week, that could mean a look at how Republican plans to repeal Obamacare could reshape the individual insurance market, how the safety net system is adapting to new financial pressures, or how the trend of doctors and hospitals merging into ever-larger entities is driving up costs. We also explore health care costs and whether the Affordable Care Act or its successor plans can live up to the promise to rein them in. Throughout, we keep watch on how the goals of health reform intersect with the shaping power of markets and human behavior. Contributors include veteran health journalist Trudy Lieberman and independent health journalist Kellie Schmitt, with occasional contributions from independent journalists such as Susan Abram and Sara Stewart.
Comparing Medicare plans proves tough sledding — even for a veteran journalist tracking such plans for decades.
Why Medicare advocates worry deeply about any moves that erode the program’s universal reach among seniors.
If drug price negotiation fails, Democrats lose funding for much of their current health care plans.
New research has some surprising findings that challenge old assumptions about Medicaid.
While hospitals often deflect blame to other sectors of health care, there’s no question they play an outsized role in rising costs.
As the Delta variant rages, caregivers face dual battles against the virus and burnout.
As the COVID-19 crisis continues, insurers begin to restrict coverage for remote care. Never mind that patients love it.
The media has largely taken a pass on covering the dark side of Medicare Advantage plans, so people don't understand how the plans’ cost-sharing and provider networks really work.
The backlash goes in the face of decades of research that has found syringe exchanges reduce the transmission of disease and help get people off drugs.
The media, the medical community, and academic drug experts all quickly questioned the FDA’s approval process — a rare occurrence.
