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Health News Results - 69
Pandemic Has Affected Kids' Dental Health: Poll
- Cara Murez
- February 17, 2021
- Full Page
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Could the COVID-19 pandemic be taking a toll on kids' teeth?
A new, nationwide poll found the pandemic has made it harder for parents to get their kids regular dental care. But on the other hand, many say their youngsters are...
Too Many Kids With Special Needs Are Going Without Adequate Support
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- January 28, 2021
- Full Page
As many as one in five U.S. children has special health care needs, and some of their caregivers are struggling to get them the support, care and services they need, new research shows.
Kids with special health care needs may have physical conditions (such as asthma or d...
Are Pricey Air Ambulance Rides Really Saving More Lives?
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- January 20, 2021
- Full Page
Air ambulance service is pricey, but promises lifesaving speed by providing rapid straight-line helicopter transport for critically ill patients.
But a new study out of Denmark questions whether that expensive haste winds up saving more lives.
Researchers found no ...
Even Rich Americans Don't Get World-Class Health Care: Study
- Dennis Thompson
- December 31, 2020
- Full Page
THURSDAY, Dec. 31, 2020 -- Even the most privileged people in the United States with the best access to health care are sicker and more likely to die than average folks in other developed nations, a new study finds.
People living in the highest-income counties in the Uni...
Support for Obamacare Grows as Biden Takes Control: Poll
- Dennis Thompson
- December 17, 2020
- Full Page
The popularity of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, continues to grow, with nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they want the law to remain as is or be improved, a new Harris/HealthDay poll shows.
About 34% of U.S. adults think the Affordable Care Act sh...
Almost Half of Americans Worry About Surprise Medical Bills: Poll
- Steven Reinberg
- December 1, 2020
- Full Page
Nearly half of Americans fear unexpected medical bills and 44% say they couldn't pay a $1,000 surprise bill, a new poll shows.
Those fears aren't unfounded. Among those with private health insurance, 68% have received unexpected medical bills and 33% couldn't pay them on...
Obamacare Boosts Colon Cancer Diagnosis, Care: Study
- Robert Preidt
- November 25, 2020
- Full Page
Colon cancer treatment for low-income Americans has improved with Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, a new study says.
That includes earlier diagnosis, increased access to treatment and better surgical care, according to the researchers.
They compare...
Obamacare's Birth Control Coverage May Have Reduced Unplanned Pregnancies
- Cara Murez
- November 10, 2020
- Full Page
When Obamacare made contraception affordable, the rate of unplanned pregnancies among poor Americans declined, a new study reports.
The Affordable Care Act's (ACA) elimination of out-of-pocket costs for birth control was tied to fewer births in all income groups, but esp...
COVID-19 More Common in Pregnant Hispanics Than Other Moms-to-Be: Study
- Steven Reinberg
- October 22, 2020
- Full Page
Hispanic mothers-to-be in the southern United States are almost twice as likely to have COVID-19 as non-Hispanic women, a new study finds.
The researchers also found that those with government health insurance were more likely to test positive for the coronavirus th...
Insured Patients Are Getting Surprise Bills After Colonoscopies
- Amy Norton
- October 16, 2020
- Full Page
Many Americans who get recommended colon cancer screening may end up with "surprise" medical bills, a new study suggests.
Looking at insurance claims for more than 1.1 million elective colonoscopies, researchers found that 12% involved out-of-network charges.
Health Coverage Takes Big Hit With Pandemic-Related Job Cuts
- Robert Preidt
- October 13, 2020
- Full Page
Up to 7.7 million U.S. workers lost jobs with employer-sponsored health insurance during the coronavirus pandemic, and 6.9 million of their dependents also lost coverage, a new study finds.
Workers in manufacturing, retail, accommodation and food services were especi...
Obamacare Means 2 Million Fewer Americans Face Catastrophic Medical Bills Each Year
- Amy Norton
- September 30, 2020
- Full Page
Since the passage of "Obamacare," fewer Americans are facing insurmountable medical bills -- but the benefit does not seem to be reaching people with private insurance, a new study shows.
Researchers found that after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented, the...
Obamacare Cut Out-of-Pocket Costs, But Many Families Still Struggle: Study
- Robert Preidt
- September 28, 2020
- Full Page
High out-of-pocket health care costs for low- and middle-income Americans with kids have fallen due to "Obamacare," but more needs to be done to reduce their medical-related financial struggles, a new study claims.
The researchers examined data from 2000 to 2017 on m...
Many Americans Struggling to Afford Health Care in Pandemic
- Robert Preidt
- August 25, 2020
- Full Page
More than two in five working-age U.S. adults didn't have stable health insurance in the first half of 2020, while more than one-third struggled with medical bills, according to a new survey.
"The survey shows a persistent vulnerability among U.S. working-age adults...
Americans Lag Behind Brits When It Comes to Health
- Steven Reinberg
- July 13, 2020
- Full Page
Health care in the United States is often touted as the best in the world, but Americans seem to be in worse health than their British peers, a new study shows.
Even the richest Americans in their 50s and early 60s had higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, a...
Breast Cancer Caught Earlier in U.S. States With Expanded Medicaid: Study
- Robert Preidt
- July 6, 2020
- Full Page
Early-stage breast cancer is more likely to be diagnosed in U.S. states that have expanded Medicaid coverage under Obamacare than in those that haven't, researchers say.
Their new study looked at a database of more than 71,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer in 31...
How Insurance Plans Keep Black Patients From Cancer Care
- Amy Norton
- June 29, 2020
- Full Page
Health insurance plans with high deductibles may be taking a financial toll on Black patients, according to a new study of cancer survivors.
The researchers said the findings point to yet another reason for racial health disparities in the United States: High deducti...
High Costs Lead Millions of Americans to Shop Abroad for Rx Drugs
- Robert Preidt
- June 26, 2020
- Full Page
More than 2 million Americans buy prescription drugs from other countries as a way around rising prices in the United States, a new study finds.
The analysis of nationwide survey data showed that 1.5% of adults got their prescription meds from outside the United ...
Pandemic Job Losses Leaving Many Americans Uninsured: Survey
- Robert Preidt
- June 23, 2020
- Full Page
Furloughs and layoffs stemming from the coronavirus pandemic have left many Americans without health insurance, a new survey reveals.
"Here in the fourth month of COVID-19-related job losses, a growing number of people won't be able to afford health care in the midst...
Another COVID Plague: Big Surprise Medical Bills for Survivors
- Dennis Thompson
- June 22, 2020
- Full Page
Seattle resident Michael Flor's heart nearly stopped when he received a $1.1 million dollar hospital bill for months of COVID-19 treatment.
The 181-page bill listed nearly 3,000 itemized charges -- and didn't include other items likely to make Flor's bill even higher...
White House Announces Plan for Medicare Recipients to Get Insulin at $35 Per Month
- Serena Gordon
- May 27, 2020
- Full Page
Beginning next year, people on some Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage Plans who need insulin will be able to access the lifesaving medication for just $35 a month, according to a new plan announced by the White House.
In some cases, the cost may be even lower, P...
Breaks in Health Insurance Hurt Cancer Care, Survival
- Steven Reinberg
- May 11, 2020
- Full Page
Health insurance disruptions are never a good thing, but for people with cancer it can lead to poor care and lower odds of survival, a new study finds.
This could prove ominous for the many Americans who have lost health insurance due to coronavirus-related layoffs....
Obamacare May Help Many Laid-Off Workers Get Health Insurance
- Steven Reinberg
- April 29, 2020
- Full Page
Millions of Americans in industries hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic could be eligible for financial help with health insurance, a new study says.
Many of the newly unemployed might not know they can get public insurance or subsidies for coverage through the Aff...
As Unemployment and COVID-19 Cases Rise, Who Will Pay for Care?
- Dennis Thompson
- April 1, 2020
- Full Page
The coronavirus pandemic is spreading across the United States at the same time that millions have been laid off from their jobs.
That raises the obvious question -- how will those newly unemployed folks pay for medical care if they become infected with the coronavir...
Racial, Ethnic Gaps in Insurance Put Moms, Babies at Risk: Study
- Kayla McKiski
- March 20, 2020
- Full Page
Though they are at a higher risk of childbirth complications and pregnancy-related death, women who are black, Hispanic or indigenous are less likely than white women to be insured, new research shows.
The study revealed that almost half of black, Hispanic and indige...
Young Breast Cancer Patients Struggle Financially, Even When Insured
- Robert Preidt
- March 5, 2020
- Full Page
Financial struggles are common among young breast cancer patients in the United States, even if they have steady jobs that provide health insurance, new research shows.
The study included 830 women, aged 18 to 39, in California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina wh...
After 10 Years of Obamacare, Racial Gaps in Coverage Persist: Study
- Robert Preidt
- March 4, 2020
- Full Page
Obamacare narrowed racial and ethnic gaps in access to health insurance and care, but it didn't eliminate them, a new study reports.
University of Michigan researchers analyzed data gathered from 19- to 64-year-olds nationwide between 2008 and 2017. They found that b...
Fewer American Families Weighed Down by Medical Bills
- Dennis Thompson
- February 12, 2020
- Full Page
The number of people struggling to pay their medical bills declined dramatically during the last decade, as the Affordable Care Act expanded health insurance coverage and financial protection for the sick.
The percentage of families who had problems paying medical ex...
1 in 5 Insured Hit With Surprise Bills for Surgery
- Serena Gordon
- February 11, 2020
- Full Page
You scheduled your surgery and made sure both your doctor and hospital are in your insurer's approved network of providers. Everything went without a hitch -- until a whopper of a bill showed up in the mail for "out-of-network" care during your operation.
The averag...
2 Million Lost Health Coverage or Access in Trump's First Year
- Robert Preidt
- February 6, 2020
- Full Page
Two million more Americans didn't seek health care from late 2016 through 2017 because they couldn't afford it and/or lacked insurance, new research shows.
The analysis of data from 2011 through 2017 also found that health care coverage and access improved with imple...
HIV Drug Costs Soaring, Jeopardizing Effort to End Epidemic
- Steven Reinberg
- February 3, 2020
- Full Page
The U.S. government aims to end the HIV epidemic by 2030, but skyrocketing medication costs may make that a pipe dream, a new study suggests.
Since 2012, the cost of antiviral treatment for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has jumped 34%. That's nearly four time...
U.S. Spends Trillions on Health Care, But Health Stats Remain Low: Study
- Robert Preidt
- January 31, 2020
- Full Page
Despite spending far more on health care than other wealthy nations, the United States has the lowest life expectancy and the highest suicide rate, new research shows.
For the study, researchers at The Commonwealth Fund compared the United States with 10 other high-i...
Massachusetts' Health Reforms Helped Catch More Cancers Early
- Robert Preidt
- January 29, 2020
- Full Page
Advanced-stage colon cancer diagnoses declined after Massachusetts expanded health insurance coverage, a new study finds.
In 2006, state legislators passed a health insurance reform law with the aim of providing health care access to nearly all residents.
"...
For Cancer Survivors, Financial Hardship Is Common: Survey
- Robert Preidt
- January 21, 2020
- Full Page
Many American cancer survivors struggle to pay for their medical care and have to cut back on spending, dip into their savings, or change their living situation.
These problems are more common among those under 65 than among older survivors, a new survey reveals.
...
Why Are Fewer U.S. Kids Going to Pediatricians?
- Serena Gordon
- January 21, 2020
- Full Page
Little Johnny's cough has lasted for days, leaving Mom and Dad wondering if the symptoms warrant a trip to the doctor. A new study suggests that such parents may choose to skip that standard pediatric sick visit.
Overall visits to the pediatrician in the United Stat...
How Lack of Insurance Affects Breast Cancer Survival
- Robert Preidt
- January 17, 2020
- Full Page
Minority women with breast cancer are less likely to have insurance, which could lower their odds of survival, researchers say.
"Having adequate health insurance for all could reduce the persistent racial outcome disparities in breast cancer," said study lead author ...
Obamacare May Have Prevented Many Opioid-Related Deaths
- Amy Norton
- January 10, 2020
- Full Page
The Medicaid expansion brought in by Obamacare may have prevented thousands of deaths from opioid overdoses, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that in U.S. states that expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, fatal opioid overdoses dipped...
Medical Paperwork Costs U.S. $812 Billion a Year
- Robert Preidt
- January 6, 2020
- Full Page
Medical paperwork cost the United States $812 billion in 2017 and accounted for more than one-third of total spending for doctor visits, hospitals, long-term care and health insurance, according to a new study.
However, reducing medical paperwork expenses to the same...
Young Cancer Patients Fare Better on Private Insurance
- Robert Preidt
- December 30, 2019
- Full Page
The odds of surviving childhood cancer may be influenced by the type of health insurance a young patient has, researchers say.
In a new study, children and young adults covered by Medicaid or other government agencies were less likely to be alive five and 10 years af...
Out-of-Pocket Costs for Medicare Recipients Will Rise in New Year
- Dennis Thompson
- December 17, 2019
- Full Page
Seniors on Medicare are going to take a hit to the pocketbook in 2020, with premiums and deductibles set to increase on coverage for medical services and prescription drugs.
The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B will rise $9.10, to $144 a month, the U.S. C...
'Prehab' Before Surgery Helps Speed Seniors' Recovery
- Robert Preidt
- December 13, 2019
- Full Page
"Training" for surgery can improve seniors' outcomes and reduce insurance costs, a new study says.
It included 523 Medicare patients in Michigan, average age 70, who exercised, ate a healthy diet and practiced stress reduction techniques for at least one week before ...
As Diabetes Costs Soar, Many Turn to Black Market for Help
- Serena Gordon
- December 9, 2019
- Full Page
Skyrocketing prices and insurance limits are driving many people with diabetes to seek medications and supplies from an underground supply chain, a new study found.
"The cost of insulin, which is required in type 1 diabetes and a subset of type 2 diabetes, has incre...
Survey Shows Americans Feel Stressed
- Robert Preidt
- November 8, 2019
- Full Page
Mass shootings, health care and the 2020 presidential election are significant causes of stress for American adults, a new survey finds.
The poll of more than 3,600 U.S. adults found that 71% of them said mass shootings are a major source of stress, an increase f...
Screening Truckers for Sleep Apnea Cuts Health Insurance Costs
- Robert Preidt
- November 6, 2019
- Full Page
Requiring drivers to get treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) saved a trucking company a large amount in insurance costs for other health conditions, a new study shows.
People with apnea repeatedly stop breathing and wake partially during the night, resulting ...
Many on Medicare Still Face Crippling Medical Bills
- Amy Norton
- November 4, 2019
- Full Page
Even with Medicare coverage, older Americans with serious health conditions are often burdened by medical bills, a new study finds.
In a survey, researchers found that more than half of seriously ill Medicare beneficiaries said they'd had major trouble paying medical...
Married Women Gained Most From Obamacare's Medicaid Expansion: Study
- Robert Preidt
- October 23, 2019
- Full Page
Married people, especially women, benefited more than singles after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded Medicaid insurance coverage in the United States, a new study finds.
The ACA allowed states to expand Medicaid coverage for adults, and 25 did so by 2014. Since...
Confusing Medical Bills Tied to Money Woes in Cancer Survivors
- Robert Preidt
- October 18, 2019
- Full Page
Difficulty understanding health insurance and medical bills may cause financial hardship for cancer survivors, a new study finds.
There is growing evidence that many American adults lack health insurance literacy, which is the knowledge, ability and confidence to obt...
Affordable Care Act Insured Millions of Uninsured Diabetics
- Steven Reinberg
- September 27, 2019
- Full Page
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), nearly 2 million diabetics, many of them poor, got health insurance, a new study shows.
"Insurance coverage can change the health trajectory of people with diabetes by providing access to diagnosis and treatment," said lead resear...
Health Insurance Premiums Are Soaring for Many
- Alan Mozes
- September 26, 2019
- Full Page
Over the last decade, Americans who get their health insurance through their employer have seen both their premiums and their deductibles rise faster than either their wages or inflation, a new survey shows.
"The single biggest issue in health care for most Americans...
Cancer Patients Turning to Crowdfunding to Help Pay Medical Costs
- Robert Preidt
- September 10, 2019
- Full Page
Cancer takes a huge emotional toll on patients, but a new study finds the financial costs are also so high that many are resorting to crowdfunding to help pay their medical bills and related costs.
"The financial consequences of cancer care for patients and their fam...