Bich Nguyen"The CEO of the Philadelphia-based nonprofit hospital system Jefferson said his organization now spends more on prescription drug coverage — fueled by the soaring use of weight loss medications like Wegovy and Zepbound — than it does on inpatient care."
"But because states have passed laws exempting farm bureau health plans from health insurance requirements, they don’t offer many of the coverage protections provided by insurance. That means their benefits and coverage rules may be less generous or predictable than Obamacare plans."
Farm Bureau Plans Are a Less Pricey Alternative to ACA Coverage — With Trade-Offs - KFF Health News
Fourteen states now allow health coverage through state farm bureaus. Though they generally share many features of Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, they aren’t insurance. Neither are they typically subject to federal or state health insurance requirements, and the benefits may be less generous or predictable than those of Obamacare plans.
"But the state Department of Public Health and Human Services postponed adding doula services to its Medicaid program in late March, citing a budget shortfall driven in part by higher-than-expected Medicaid costs."
https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/doula-care-indigenous-health-medicaid-cuts-montana-tribe/
#healthcare #medicaid #ReproHealth #ReproJustice #pregnancy #doulas #RuralHealth #NativeAmerican #Indigenous #Cheyenne #CostsOfCare
This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid — Then Medicaid Cuts Hit - KFF Health News
Montana was on track to start reimbursing doulas, who support new and expectant parents, through Medicaid this year. But state officials halted that plan amid a budget shortfall. Other such services deemed optional under Medicaid are at risk nationwide as states brace for federal cuts.
"She’s contributed tens of thousands of dollars into Medicare and Social Security over 24 years, according to her Social Security Administration earnings record, reviewed by El Tímpano and KFF Health News. But Carranza and an estimated 100,000 other lawfully present immigrants will soon be cut out of Medicare."
#healthcare #medicare #SocialSecurity #HHS #aging #immigration #CostsOfCare #taxes #USpol
Immigrant Seniors Lose Medicare Coverage Despite Paying for It - KFF Health News
Rosa María Carranza has worked and paid taxes for more than two decades, but a provision in the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act will make her and an estimated 100,000 other lawfully present immigrant seniors ineligible for Medicare. Now Carranza’s once secure retirement is in question.
"Burge is one of thousands of patients served by RAM, a volunteer-run charity providing free medical, dental, and vision care to underserved communities across the United States. About half of the patients have no insurance. The rest have insurance they can't afford to use because of co-pays and deductibles."
#healthcare #clinics #insurance #medicine #dental #CostsOfCare #poverty #licensure
RAM's free clinics full of needy patients, but slowed by red tape
A patchwork of state licensing rules prevents medical volunteers from reaching more patients in need through RAM.
Brian Pierce MDNew case study from the center left think tank #thirdway about #maine #hospital consolidation and how it's "ripping off patients"
As a Maine doc, the only omission I see is that they fail to discuss Maine's #certificateofneed law which allows hospitals here to block lower cost competitors. That's part of why we send some patients out of state for lower cost tests and surgeries.
https://www.thirdway.org/report/fixing-maines-broken-hospitals-a-case-study
#Capitation involves a lot more than paying #primarycare a monthly fee. It creates perverse incentives for #familymedicine docs and other PCPs to ration care.
#directprimarycare #costsofcare #healthreform
https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/compensation-pay-primary-care-shortage-solution/
@petersuber
Much of this is due to #feeforservice billing paradigm and prepaying for routine care via #healthinsurance
For #primarycare, it's simpler to dump both. That makes primary care efficient enough that we can provide it (and free phone calls and messages) for $44 to $99/month when the hospital clinic down the street is charging $173 to $351 per visit.
Save the insurance for big , expensive problems.