Bich Nguyen3h ago

"Tax time can come with big surprises for some people who have Affordable Care Act coverage, including owing money back to the government for premium subsidies received during the previous year.

More changes lie ahead that make it important for those getting subsidies in 2026 to track their income and take steps to protect against that kind of financial hit."

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/tax-tips-aca-affordable-care-act-obamacare-subsidies-income-owing/

#healthcare #ACA #obamacare #insurance #CostsOfCare #taxes #PersonalFinance

Tax Time Brings Surprises for Some Who Receive ACA Subsidies - KFF Health News

Some people find they owe money back for subsidies if their income changed from what they estimated. In 2026, more people may find themselves in this situation — and face higher repayment amounts — if they don’t carefully track their income.

KFF Health News
Bich Nguyen5d ago

"When TrumpRx launched in February, it joined a chorus of websites claiming to have deals on prescription drugs.

Despite the hype, many of the medicines on TrumpRx include brand-name drugs that patients can find cheaper elsewhere — as generics."

https://www.npr.org/2026/03/29/nx-s1-5724143/prescription-drug-shopping-deals

#healthcare #medications #PrescriptionDrugs #GenericDrugs #DrugPrices #CostsOfCare #insurance

Bich NguyenMar 22

"The Trump administration has signaled a willingness to halt billions of dollars in federal health payments to multiple states, mirroring moves they made against Minnesota.

The specific target is Medicaid, the public health insurance program that pairs state and federal money."

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-fraud-dr-oz-minnesota-california-maine-new-york-florida/

#healthcare #medicaid #disabilities #immigrants #immigration #fraud #CMS #insurance #CostsOfCare

Oz Escalates Medicaid Fraud Claims Against States After Focus on Minnesota - KFF Health News

The Trump administration’s unprecedented actions targeting Medicaid funding in Minnesota are part of what could become a playbook as officials turn pressure toward California, Florida, Maine, and New York.

KFF Health News
Brian Pierce MDJan 4, 2024

New 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

#costsofcare #healthreform

Third Way

Show threadBrian Pierce MDNov 22, 2023
@FrankPasquale
#costsofcare #healthreform #healthinsurance
Brian Pierce MDNov 19, 2023

#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/

Compensation Is Key to Fixing Primary Care Shortage - KFF Health News

Many proposals have been floated about how to address the nation’s primary care problem. They range from training slots to medical school debt forgiveness but often sidestep comprehensive payment reform.

KFF Health News
Show threadBrian Pierce MDOct 19, 2023
@pluralistic Pertinent to #healthreform #costsofcare #MedMastodon
Show threadBrian Pierce MDSep 15, 2023

@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.

#costsofcare #directprimarycare #dpc #healthreform

Show threadBrian Pierce MDSep 10, 2023

@jeffjarvis

All those false positives ("indidentalomas") from full body #MRI will get expensive workups and then follow up studies that will be paid by the rest of us via higher insurance premiums and taxes.

Get some data first please. Failing that, add a special tax on these to cover the extra workups upfront instead of socializing their false positive costs to everyone.

#medmastodon #costsofcare #radiology #evidencebasedmedicine #ebm #sbm #sciencebasedmedicine

Show threadBrian Pierce MDAug 22, 2023

@brittanytrang @STAT

4. #maine is one of many states that still have Certificate of Need laws that had the goal of reducing oversupply/use of services but now protect hospital networks (mostly regional monopolies) from lower priced competitors.
It's not rare for me to send patients out of state for cheaper studies, procedures, etc. The price savings are often big enough to make the trips worthwhile for them. The shorter wait for consults are a bonus.

#costsofcare

https://www.pressherald.com/2021/04/07/board-wont-recommend-central-maine-healthcares-proposed-topsham-surgical-center/

Board won’t recommend Central Maine Healthcare’s proposed Topsham surgical center

The Lewiston-based organization has suspended its application for a certificate of need.

Press Herald