Oregon passed a law to require hospitals to proactively screen patients to see if they qualify for financial aid. Patients got immediate relief. Hospitals pushed to roll back the law following federal cuts to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Melanie Evans
Melanie is a reporter and producer for Tradeoffs. She spent eight years at The Wall Street Journal, where she reported on hospital costs, health care quality and the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the Journal, Melanie covered health policy and business for Modern Healthcare and began her career at the Duluth News Tribune in Minnesota, her home state. Her coverage has won awards from the New York Press Club, Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing and Association of Health Care Journalists. She lives in New York.
Posted inHidden Help
What Texas Reveals About the Obstacles to Getting Hospital Financial Aid
A Tradeoffs investigation found that nearly half of nonprofit facilities in Texas say they will bill patients before screening them for aid. And most will not offer refunds to patients who pay and are later found to qualify for free care.
Posted inHidden Help
Hidden Help: What Happened When Oregon Forced Hospitals to Boost Financial Aid?
In the second episode of our special series on medical debt, we explore lessons from Oregon’s aggressive legislation to push hospitals to prevent patients from falling into medical debt.
Posted inHidden Help
Hidden Help: A New Push for Hospitals to Prevent Medical Debt
Hospitals can automatically wipe out the cost of care for low-income patients. A Tradeoffs analysis finds that hospitals in Texas could be doing more to protect people from unaffordable bills.
Posted inHidden Help
7 Takeaways From an Investigation Into Financial Aid at Texas Hospitals
Hospitals can prevent medical debt by preemptively wiping out a patient’s bill. But a Tradeoffs analysis finds that few nonprofit facilities in Texas use this tool to the maximum benefit of patients.
Posted inHidden Help
Hospitals Have a Little-Known Tool to Prevent Medical Debt. Here’s How It Works.
Getting financial assistance from hospitals often involves filling out cumbersome applications. Some states now require hospitals to identify and automatically enroll patients eligible for charity care.
Posted inCost of Care
With Millions Expected to Lose Coverage, States Look for New Ways to Prevent Medical Debt
Economist Neale Mahoney explains the latest research on solutions to medical debt and evaluates policy fixes designed to protect consumers.
Posted inCost of Care
The U.S. Saved $1 Trillion on Health Care. Why Doesn’t It Feel Like It?
New research from leading health economist David Cutler explores what’s behind a historic slowdown in health spending, even as millions of Americans struggle to afford their care.
Posted inCost of Care
Doctors Hated the No Surprises Act. Now Some Are Getting Rich Off of It.
Doctors are winning big paydays from insurers under a law intended to protect patients and rein in high prices.
Posted inCost of Care
High Health Care Costs Are Fueling a New Fight Over Old Laws
The White House wants states to drop certificate of need laws in hopes of lowering health care costs. Researchers and state leaders are split.