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.
Articles
Posted inHidden Help
Medical Debt Is Crushing Hospital Patients in Los Angeles. Public Health Officials May Have a Fix.
In Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous, a new system could screen hospital patients for financial aid, preventing hundreds of thousands from getting bills they can’t pay.
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 inHealth Equity
States Want to Bring Medicaid Behind Bars. Federal Changes Are Making That Harder.
Funding cuts and program changes required by H.R. 1 are forcing states to rethink bipartisan efforts to bring Medicaid into jails and prisons.
Posted inCost of Care
How the No Surprises Act Solved One Problem and Created Another
A conversation co-hosted by Tradeoffs and Penn LDI examines how arbitration rules are inflating payments and overwhelming the system.
Posted inCost of Care
GLP-1s Are Busting Employer Budgets. Some Are Getting Creative to Lower Costs.
From obesity management programs to rebates and apps, employers are experimenting with new approaches to make GLP-1 costs more sustainable.
Posted inCost of Care
Should People Who Want GLP-1s Have to Work for Them?
As demand for new weight loss drugs soars, some employers are making workers track their diet and exercise in hopes of limiting use and keeping costs down.
Posted inHealth Law
How a Supreme Court Fight Over Fish Oil Could Raise Your Prescription Drug Costs
The justices are set to hear Hikma v. Amarin, a battle over drug patents that could raise costs for patients and change the way generic companies do business.
Posted inMental Health
A Better Way to Care for Older Adults with Opioid Addiction
How one addiction clinic in Baltimore has found success combining addiction care with support for the many other health problems older Americans often face.