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Health Inc. : Shots - Health News As spending on care rises, the business of health keeps getting more important. We feature news on and analysis of drugmakers, health insurers, hospitals, doctors and others in the business of providing health care.
Shots - Health News

Shots

Health News From NPR

Health Inc.

Friday

Steep Hikes In Insurance Rates Force Alaskans To Make Tough Choices

Anchorage dental hygienist Victoria Cronquist pays $1,600 a month for a health insurance policy that covers four people in her family. Next year, she says, the rate is set to jump to $2,600 a month. Annie Feidt/APRN hide caption

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Annie Feidt/APRN

Health Inc.

Steep Hikes In Insurance Rates Force Alaskans To Make Tough Choices

KSKA

Alaskans have the highest rates for health insurance in the country. Many get a subsidy to help defray the cost, but those who don't wonder, increasingly, whether it's time to go without insurance.

Steep Hikes In Insurance Rates Force Alaskans To Make Tough Choices

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Obamacare Deploys New Apps, Allies To Persuade The Uninsured

Aymara Marchante (from left) and Wiktor Garcia talked with Maria Elena Santa Coloma, an insurance adviser with UniVista Insurance, during February 2015 sign-ups for health plans in Miami, Fla. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Health Inc.

Obamacare Deploys New Apps, Allies To Persuade The Uninsured

Open enrollment for Obamacare opens Sunday. Millions of people still lack health insurance, including some who signed up last year but later dropped their health coverage, calling it "unaffordable."

Obamacare Deploys New Apps, Allies To Persuade The Uninsured

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Tuesday

Thursday

How Generic Drugs Can Cost Small Pharmacies Big Bucks

Maryland pharmacist Narender Dhallan often has to decide whether to fill a prescription and lose money or send a customer to another store. Cindy Carpien for NPR hide caption

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Cindy Carpien for NPR

Health Inc.

How Generic Drugs Can Cost Small Pharmacies Big Bucks

Independent pharmacies are getting pinched by reimbursements for generic drugs that aren't keeping up with rising prices. Drugstores blame the middlemen who manage companies' drug benefits.

How Generic Drugs Can Cost Small Pharmacies Big Bucks

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Monday

Suing A Nursing Home Could Get Easier Under Proposed Federal Rules

Proponents of arbitration say the system is more efficient than going to court for both sides, but arbitration can be costly, too. And a 2009 study showed the typical awards in nursing home cases are about 35 percent lower than the plaintiff would get if the case went to court. Heinz Linke/Westend61/Corbis hide caption

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Heinz Linke/Westend61/Corbis

Health Inc.

Suing A Nursing Home Could Get Easier Under Proposed Federal Rules

Many families must sign a binding arbitration agreement when a loved one is admitted to a nursing home, pledging not to sue if something goes wrong. Proposed rules would ban that requirement.

Suing A Nursing Home Could Get Easier Under Proposed Federal Rules

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Friday

N.Y. Takes Action Against Surprise Medical Bills From Urgent Care Clinics

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman asked 20 urgent care clinics for information about how they represent insurance coverage to customers. Now four companies have agreed to change their practices. Andrew Burton/Getty Images hide caption

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Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Health Inc.

N.Y. Takes Action Against Surprise Medical Bills From Urgent Care Clinics

KFF Health News

An agreement between New York's attorney general and four companies that operate urgent care centers in the state aims to curb confusing billing practices that left unwitting consumers on the hook.

Tuesday

Sunday

Who's Responsible for Your Uber Driver's Health Coverage?

Deco Carter, who drives mostly for Lyft, a ride-hailing service, has been involved in two auto accidents that left him unable to work while his car was being repaired. Alan Toth/KQED hide caption

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Alan Toth/KQED

Health Inc.

Who's Responsible for Your Uber Driver's Health Coverage?

KQED

The temps, contractors and freelancers who work in the gig economy don't typically receive health insurance through the companies that make use of their services. But some firms are looking to help.

Thursday

Bill Would Add Nurses, Physician Assistants To Pharma Disclosure Database

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and a Democratic colleague have introduced a bill that would require drugmakers and medical device companies to disclose payments made to physician assistants and nurses who can prescribe their products. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Health Inc.

Bill Would Add Nurses, Physician Assistants To Pharma Disclosure Database

ProPublica

Drugmakers disclose their payments to doctors, dentists, even chiropractors. But spending on nurse practitioners and physician assistants is excluded. Legislation in the Senate would change that.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Telemedicine Expands, Though Financial Prospects Still Uncertain

Nurses Patricia Wegener (left) and Susan Davis at Mercy Hospital can monitor the condition of a patient who is miles away via the hospital's technology. But some health insurers and analysts remain skeptical that telemedicine saves money. Alex Smith/KCUR hide caption

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Alex Smith/KCUR

Health Inc.

Telemedicine Expands, Though Financial Prospects Still Uncertain

KCUR

With apps and video chats now a part of many people's days, some firms and hospitals see big potential for health care delivered remotely. But a lot of insurers still aren't willing to pay for it.

Telemedicine Expands, Though Financial Prospects Still Uncertain

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Wednesday

To Sell Medical Students On Joys Of Geriatrics, Send In 90-Year-Olds

Belle Likover, a 95-year-old retired social worker, told Case Western Reserve medical students that growing old gracefully is all about being able to adapt to one's changing life situation, including health challenges. Lynn Ischay/Kaiser Health News hide caption

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Lynn Ischay/Kaiser Health News

Health Inc.

To Sell Medical Students On Joys Of Geriatrics, Send In 90-Year-Olds

KFF Health News

As the number of older Americans grows, so does the need for geriatricians to care for them. But few medical students are interested in the specialty, which isn't particularly glamorous or lucrative.

Tuesday

Rising Health Deductibles Take Bigger Bite Out Of Family Budgets

Note: Bars represent the average family premium for employer-based insurance. They are the total paid and reflect contributions by employers and workers. Source: Kaiser Family Foundation survey hide caption

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Source: Kaiser Family Foundation survey

Health Inc.

Rising Health Deductibles Take Bigger Bite Out Of Family Budgets

More companies are adding deductibles to the insurance plans they offer their employees. And for people who already had to pay deductibles, the out-of-pocket outlays are growing.

Friday

Monday