Health insurers will often limit the size of provider networks to control costs, frustrating patients who suddenly find their doctor is now out-of-network. But do such "narrow networks" mean poorer quality care and access? Not necessarily, says a recent study of California plans.
Atul Gawande's latest New Yorker piece on unnecessary care has generated much conversation in health care circles. Two leading practitioners of 'Slow Medicine' outline some key takeaways from Gawande's latest must-read take on American medicine.
Reporter Lisa Bernard-Kuhn tackled an ambitious project looking at how doctor offices and hospitals in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana are working through the growing pains and gains ushered in by the ACA. Along the way, she learned a number of useful reporting lessons, shared here.
The Affordable Care Act has expanded health care access to millions of Americans, but also placed new demands on the health care delivery system. Here are five key trends that are helping bring more effective care to more patients in a post-reform world.
Recent data and survey results suggest that health reform's promise of getting people out of the ER and into less costly care settings hasn't come to pass yet. There's a growing realization that it's going to take more than health insurance to change patients' longterm habits.
California leads the nation when it comes to fostering the health of undocumented immigrants, according to a recent report. Meanwhile, state legislators are considering legislation that would expand coverage to undocumented residents.
Reporter Kathleen O'Brien of the New Jersey Star-Ledger stayed flexible in her reporting and ultimately uncovered system-wide computer problems that were only affecting New Jersey's poor. Here she shares the lessons she learned while working on the project.
Even as the ACA transforms the nation’s health care system, its future remains uncertain. But no matter what happens, the law and its impact will remain a central subject for health care journalists for years to come, as AHCJ 2015 panelists Sarah Kliff and Julie Appleby explained.
The high-deductible health plans sold under the "bronze" banner may look lousy at first glance. But while they may not be ideal coverage, they're far better than the high deductible plans sold before Obamacare. And they can supply a critical lifeline when misfortune strikes.
Without Medicaid expansion, South Florida’s low-income residents have found out the hard way that the healthcare safety net designed to catch people before they hit bottom is no substitute for insurance.
