Some doctors stockpile trial coronavirus drugs for themselves, states say: The New York Times

Jeanne Pinder March 24, 2020

Some doctors stockpile trial coronavirus drugs for themselves, states say: The New York Times

“Doctors are hoarding medications touted as possible coronavirus treatments by writing prescriptions for themselves and family members, according to pharmacy boards in states across the country,” Ellen Gabler writes for The New York Times. “The stockpiling has become so worrisome in Idaho, Kentucky, Ohio, Nevada, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Texas that the boards in those […]

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) tests: Should I get one? How to know? Where to go?

Tina Kelley March 17, 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tests: Should I get one? How to know? Where to go?

By TINA KELLEY and PHOEBE PINDER (Note: Coronavirus news is changing quickly. We’re trying to update as warranted.) As the coronavirus spreads, many Americans with symptoms wonder if they should get tested, and where. (We discuss how much it can cost to do so here.) Do you have something we need to know about this? […]

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PSA testing: What does it cost? And what’s covered?

Jeanne Pinder March 11, 2020

PSA testing: What does it cost? And what’s covered?

We have heard a lot lately about mammogram screenings that cost a ton of money — especially when the plain-vanilla screening mammogram doesn’t deliver a definitive result, so the woman has to go for a second level of screening (ultrasound or MRI), for which she is charged what can be large amounts of money. See […]

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How to negotiate for lower medical bills if you are uninsured or underinsured: Reddit

Jeanne Pinder March 6, 2020

How to negotiate for lower medical bills if you are uninsured or underinsured: Reddit

I noticed this piece on Reddit, and found it intriguing. I wrote to the author, who gave us permission to reproduce it here. Hey everyone, I used to work in medical billing/finance and have a pretty good understanding of how the billing system works. I have successfully used this knowledge to negotiate my medical bills, […]

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Coronavirus (COVID-9) test cost: Do you have to pay? And how do you get the test? The picture unfolds.

Jeanne Pinder

Coronavirus (COVID-9) test cost: Do you have to pay? And how do you get the test? The picture unfolds.

By TINA KELLEY and PHOEBE PINDER (Note: Coronavirus news is changing quickly. We’re trying to update as warranted.) Coronavirus (COVID 19) testing is making headlines nationwide. Amid a flood of reports of people being charged high prices for testing, or for related costs, some states have worked to make these tests free for anyone who […]

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Chronic illness and health insurance after age 26 (no guarantees): Teen Vogue

Jeanne Pinder February 29, 2020

Chronic illness and health insurance after age 26 (no guarantees): Teen Vogue

“Gracie Van Brunt hasn’t left her house in seven months and won’t for five more,” Fortesa Latifi writes over at Teen Vogue. “In those five months, she will recover from a bone marrow transplant, turn 26, and be kicked off her parents’ health insurance plan. Ever since the passage of the Affordable Care Act in […]

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Coronavirus test for Miami man leads to $3,275 bill: The Miami Herald

Jeanne Pinder February 26, 2020

Coronavirus test for Miami man leads to $3,275 bill: The Miami Herald

“After returning to Miami last month from a work trip in China, Osmel Martinez Azcue found himself in a frightening position: he was developing flu-like symptoms, just as coronavirus was ravaging the country he had visited,” Ben Conarck writes for The Miami Herald. “Under normal circumstances, Azcue said he would have gone to CVS for […]

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Employer spending up, due to growth in service prices: HCCI

Jeanne Pinder February 18, 2020

Employer spending up, due to growth in service prices: HCCI

HCCI’s annual reports examine year-over-year and 5-year cumulative trends in health care spending for individuals with employer-sponsored insurance, segmented by health care service category. Downloadable tables and interactive tools allow for further exploration of the data that power these reports. This year’s report found that average annual health care spending for people with employer-sponsored insurance […]

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Who’s profiting from your outrageous medical bills? — The New York Times

Jeanne Pinder February 15, 2020

Who’s profiting from your outrageous medical bills? — The New York Times

“Every politician condemns the phenomenon of ‘surprise’ medical bills. This week, two committees in the House are marking up new surprise billing legislation,” Elisabeth Rosenthal writes in The New York Times. “One of the few policy proposals President Trump brought up in this year’s State of the Union address was his 2019 executive order targeting […]

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Patients stuck with bills after insurers don’t pay as promised: Kaiser Health News

Jeanne Pinder February 12, 2020

Patients stuck with bills after insurers don’t pay as promised: Kaiser Health News

“The more than $34,000 in medical bills that contributed to Darla and Andy Markley’s bankruptcy and loss of their home in Beloit, Wisconsin, grew out of what felt like a broken promise,” Lauren Weber writes at Kaiser Health News. “Darla Markley, 53, said her insurer had sent her a letter preapproving her to have a […]

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Category: Patients