Some of the most powerful new medicines pose a host of challenges for drug companies trying to copy and sell similar versions on the cheap. Can those companies find a sustainable path forward, or will patients get left stuck paying exorbitant prices?
Health Care Costs
Posted inCost of Care
3 Big Threats to the Cheap, Effective Medicines That Underpin U.S. Health Care
The U.S. has relied on cheap, effective generic drugs for 40 years. Now that promise is under threat.
Posted inCost of Care
Race to the Bottom: Boom Times
In this first part of our three-part series “Race to the Bottom,” we trace the origins of America’s generic drug industry — groundbreaking, bipartisan legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan that saved us trillions and also got us into trouble.
Posted inCost of Care
The Hunt for Lasting Fixes to America’s Medical Debt Crisis
A major new study throws cold water on a popular approach to relieving medical debt, but the research also reveals a promising path forward.
Posted inCost of Care
How Do You Help Patients Who Show Up in the ER 100 Times a Year?
Health care leaders share what they’ve learned from two decades of trying to keep this group of costly, complicated patients out of the hospital.
Posted inPublic Health
An Insurance Company Bought This Doctor’s Practice. She’s Worried About Her Patients
One doctor debates whether to work for the nation’s largest insurance company after it purchased the independent practice she worked for in Oregon.
Posted inCost of Care
Surprise! Plans To Resolve High Medical Bills Are Still a Mess
Patients are now mostly protected from surprise bills, but doctors and insurers are still fighting over prices.
Posted inCost of Care
Sen. Bill Cassidy Wrestles with a $500 Billion Health Care Problem
Tradeoffs talks with Sen. Bill Cassidy about a new bipartisan effort to improve care for some of the country’s poorest, sickest patients.
Posted inHealth Law
How Pushing Hospitals to Give Away More Free Care Could Backfire
Some lawmakers want nonprofit hospitals to give away more free care. But experts warn that could wind up being worse for patients.
Posted inPublic Health
The Stories That Made an Impact in 2023
In this special episode we reflect on a few of our favorite stories of 2023 and hear how they’re making a difference for patients and policymakers.