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Health News Results - 80
Primary Care Visits Shorter, More Prone to Error for Non-White Patients: Study
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- March 13, 2023
- Full Page
Do all patients get the same amount of face-to-face time when visiting their primary care doctor?
Apparently not, claims a new study that found Black and Hispanic patients -- as well as patients with public health insurance like Medicaid or Medicare -- tend to get the s...
Seniors' Dental Care Declines After Medicare Kicks In
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 9, 2023
- Full Page
Without dental coverage, many American seniors on Medicare stop getting the fillings and crowns they may need, a new study finds.
The result isn't pretty.
“Without dental coverage for adults who are eligible [for] Medicare, we are seeing a rise in loss of teeth a...
Fighting Liver Cancer Takes Big Financial Toll: Study
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- February 2, 2023
- Full Page
Out-of-pocket costs can leave Medicare patients with the most common type of liver cancer in financial distress.
While Medicare payments in the first year after diagnosis with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeded $65,000, out-of-pocket costs were more than $10,000,
Medicare Will Save U.S. Billions Negotiating Drug Prices
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- January 30, 2023
- Full Page
The U.S. government could save billions every year once Medicare begins negotiating drug prices in 2026, new research suggests.
The Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress ...
Pandemic Funding Saved More Americans From Medical Debt
- Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
- January 18, 2023
- Full Page
The number of Americans who had trouble paying their medical bills dropped precipitously between 2019 and 2021, and funds from the American Rescue Plan and other federal pandemic relief programs may have been a reason why.
Overall, 10.8% of Americans responding to a fede...
Biden Administration Calls for Crackdown on Misleading Medicare Ads
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 15, 2022
- Full Page
Medicare Advantage ads that are confusing or misleading could be banned under a new rule that was proposed Wednesday by the Biden administration to protect seniors.
Nearly half of all seniors or people with disabilities who are enrolled in the Medicare program through th...
Cost of Epilepsy Meds Continues to Soar
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- December 2, 2022
- Full Page
Costs for epilepsy medications in the United States are skyrocketing, outpacing inflation and straining federal insurers Medicare and Medicaid, according to new research.
Spending on antiseizure medications more than doubled in eight years for the government insurers, la...
Type of Medicare Could Influence Cancer Patients' Outcomes
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- November 28, 2022
- Full Page
Your chances of surviving cancer could depend on the type of Medicare plan you have, a new study reports.
Americans enrolled in a privatized, cost-saving Medicare Advantage plan are more likely to die within a month of undergoing complex cancer surgery, compared to those...
Tougher Federal Penalties to Come for Failing Nursing Homes
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- October 24, 2022
- Full Page
About 88 nursing homes in the United States are on a watch list for worrisome care that puts residents in danger, but now they will face tougher penalties for any ...
There's a Push to Expand Medicare's Coverage of Dental Issues
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- October 18, 2022
- Full Page
Dental coverage under Medicare could soon start expanding for seniors under a new proposal from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Still, the propos...
Medicare Monthly Premiums to Drop for Seniors
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 28, 2022
- Full Page
Millions of seniors who had to pay high increases in Medicare premiums this year will get a break in 2023 when they see a rare drop in monthly premiums for Medicare Part B.
Th...
Here's How the Inflation Reduction Act Will Lower the Cost of Health Care
- By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 17, 2022
- Full Page
President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, making it the most significant health care legislation enacted in more than a decade.
How will it affec...
Here's How New Federal Legislation Might Cut Your Drug Costs
- By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- August 12, 2022
- Full Page
The Inflation Reduction Act is expected to bring out-of-pocket drug costs down for many U.S. seniors, but most of its benefits aren't immediate.
Under the law, Medicare will now be allowed to negotiate the cost of some drugs. That should eventually bring down out-of-pock...
Medicare's Free Wellness Visit Can Prevent Diabetes Amputation
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- June 20, 2022
- Full Page
Annual wellness visits covered by Medicare reduce diabetes patients' risk of amputation by more than one-third, a new study finds.
"Our results confirmed our hypothesis that Annual Wellnes...
Medicare Advantage Plans Often Deny Coverage for Eligible, Necessary Care: Report
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- April 28, 2022
- Full Page
Coverage for eligible, necessary care is denied each year to tens of thousands of seniors with private Medicare Advantage plans, U.S. federal investigators say.
In a report released Thursda...
1 in 5 Medicare Patients Use Medical Marijuana: Survey
- By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
- April 14, 2022
- Full Page
One in five Medicare recipients use medical marijuana and two-thirds say it should be covered by Medicare, a new survey reveals.
Medical marijuana is legal in 37 states, four...
Medicare Will Only Cover Aduhelm for Alzheimer's Patients in Clinical Trials
- Cara Murez and Robin Foster HealthDay Reporters
- April 8, 2022
- Full Page
Medicare announced Thursday that it will limit its coverage of the pricey new drug Aduhelm to Alzheimer's patients enrolled in clinical trials of the drug.
Approved amid controvers...
Medicare Now Covers COVID Tests Bought at Drug Stores
- By Cara Murez and Robin Foster HealthDay Reporters
- April 5, 2022
- Full Page
Medicare announced Monday that seniors can now walk into most drug stores and get a free over-the-counter COVID test.
"For the first time in its history, Medicare is paying for an over-the-counter test," Deputy Administrator Dr. Meena Seshamani, director of the Center fo...
Medicare to Provide Free COVID-19 Rapid Tests
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- February 4, 2022
- Full Page
Medicare will soon provide up to eight free COVID rapid tests a month to seniors enrolled in the government health insurance program, the Biden administration announced Thursday.
Calif. Universal Health Care System Bill Faces Monday Deadline
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- January 31, 2022
- Full Page
California lawmakers must vote by Monday on whether to keep a bill to create a universal health care system moving forward.
Monday, Jan. 31, is the last chance for Califor...
After Heart Attack, Cardiac Rehab Begins Road to Recovery
- Dennis Thompson
- January 21, 2022
- Full Page
Your heart is in an incredibly vulnerable state if you've suffered a heart attack or are fighting heart failure, and cardiac rehabilitation could be an important part of your recovery.
Unfortunately, not enough older folks appear to be taking advantage of this life-savin...
Here's How to Get Your Free Home COVID Test Kits
- Dennis Thompson
- January 18, 2022
- Full Page
Home COVID tests are now available at no cost to most Americans, as part of the Biden administration's effort to increase testing around the United States.
Insurance Often Covers Ivermectin for COVID, Even Though Drug Doesn't Work
- Robert Preidt
- January 17, 2022
- Full Page
U.S. insurers are paying millions of dollars a year to cover the cost of ivermectin for COVID-19 patients despite a lack of proof the anti-parasitic drug is effective against the virus, a new study finds.
Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Or...
Medicare Proposes to Only Cover Alzheimer's Drug Aduhelm for Use in Clinical Trials
- Ernie Mundell and Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporters
- January 11, 2022
- Full Page
It's a move that could severely limit the number of people taking the controversial new Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm: Medicare on Tuesday proposed to only cover the cost of the pricey medication for people enrolled in approved clinical trials.
A final decision on coverage ...
Medicare May Rethink Premium Hike for Pricey Alzheimer's Drug
- Robin Foster and Robert Preidt
- January 10, 2022
- Full Page
Medicare has been told to reassess a significant premium increase it had announced that largely stemmed from the expensive new Alzheimer's drug
Aduhelm: Will Medicare Cover the Controversial Alzheimer's Drug?
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- January 7, 2022
- Full Page
Following a months-long and unprecedented review, Medicare officials expect to announce within the next couple of weeks whether the program will cover the controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm. The drug's benefits are in question and its annual price tag tops $28,000.
T...
Maker Cuts Price of Controversial New Alzheimer's Drug in Half
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- December 20, 2021
- Full Page
The maker of the pricey new Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm (aducanumab) said Monday it will slash the cost of its medication in half, effective Jan. 1, 2022.
The move follows widespread criticism of the drug's original $56,000-a-year price tag.
The reduction in the whole...
Many Seniors on Medicare Falling Into Medical Debt
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- December 15, 2021
- Full Page
"Medicare For All" gets tossed around a lot by advocates of universal health coverage, but a new study finds that today's Medicare is far from free for seniors and people with disabilities.
Instead, a large number of beneficiaries are sliding into medical debt and delayi...
Biden Pledges to Lower Prescription Drug Prices for Americans
- Robin Foster
- December 7, 2021
- Full Page
President Joe Biden promised cheaper prescription drugs for all Americans on Monday as his social agenda legislation winds its way through Congress.
Biden tried to shift Americans' focus to pocketbook provisions overlooked in his $2 trillion legislation, which deals with...
Almost 13 Million Americans Per Year Skip Meds Due to Cost
- Robert Preidt
- December 3, 2021
- Full Page
Nearly 13 million U.S. adults a year skip or delay filling needed prescriptions due to high price tags, new research shows.
This figure includes more than 2.3 million Medicare beneficiaries and 3.8 million privately insured working-age adults who didn't get needed medica...
Pricey Alzheimer's Drug Drives Spike in Medicare B Premium: Officials
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- November 15, 2021
- Full Page
A new and expensive Alzheimer's drug called Aduhelm is responsible for about half of the $21.60 increase in monthly premiums for Medicare's Part B outpatient program in 2022, Medicare officials report.
The new premium will be $170.10 a month, and the $21.60 boost is the ...
Medicare Could Negotiate Drug Prices Under Democrat Proposal
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- November 3, 2021
- Full Page
A measure designed to lower prescription drug costs for seniors has been added to President Joe Biden's social safety net and climate change bill that Democratic leaders hope to bring to a House vote this week.
For the first time, the measure would enable the federal gov...
Almost 1 in 3 U.S. Seniors Now Sees at Least 5 Doctors Per Year
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- November 2, 2021
- Full Page
Nearly one-third of older U.S. adults visit at least five different doctors each year -- reflecting the growing role of specialists in Americans' health care, a new study finds.
Over the past 20 years, Americans on Medicare have been increasingly seeing specialists, rese...
Cancer Costs U.S. Patients $21 Billion a Year
- October 26, 2021
- Full Page
American cancer patients spent more than $21 billion on their care in 2019, a new report shows.
That $21.09 billion included out-of-pocket costs of $16.22 billion and patient time costs of $4.87 billion. Patient time costs are the value of the time patients spend traveli...
Out-of-Pocket Medical Bills for COVID-19 May Average $3,800 in 2021: Study
- Robert Preidt
- October 18, 2021
- Full Page
Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 could now face thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket medical costs, according to a new report.
In 2020, most health insurance companies waived co-pays, deductibles and other cost-sharing for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but many st...
How the COVID Pandemic Made the Opioid Epidemic Worse, Even as Telehealth Helped
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- October 1, 2021
- Full Page
The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up the U.S. opioid crisis in ways bad and good, increasing the risk of use and overdose but also spurring innovative approaches to treatment.
The pandemic has definitely been linked to an increase in opioid use and overdose deaths, Tufts ...
18 Million Americans Can't Pay for Needed Meds
- Steven Reinberg
- September 22, 2021
- Full Page
As many as 18 million Americans can't afford their prescribed medications, a new nationwide poll finds.
That's 7% of the adult population in the United States. But when it comes to households making less than $24,000 per year, the percentage jumps to 19%, the West Health...
Hospitalizing the Unvaccinated Has Cost U.S. Nearly $6 Billion
- Cara Murez
- September 16, 2021
- Full Page
The cost of providing hospital care for unvaccinated Americans has reached $5.7 billion in just three months, CBS News reported.
Between June and August, about 287,000 people who were not vaccinated were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the United States, according ...
Turning 65 Brings Big Health Care Cost Savings, Study Finds
- Steven Reinberg
- September 15, 2021
- Full Page
When Americans are eligible for Medicare at age 65, they see a significant drop in their out-of-pocket medical costs.
Lowering the eligibility age would save even more, especially for people with the highest out-of-pocket costs, according to a
Most Alzheimer's Patients Wouldn't Have Qualified for Controversial Drug's Trial: Study
- Steven Reinberg
- September 14, 2021
- Full Page
U.S. approval of the Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm is already mired in controversy. Now a new study finds that most Alzheimer's patients could not have taken part in clinical trials that led to the green light.
In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave accelerated a...
Average COVID Hospitalization Is 150 Times More Expensive Than Vaccination
- Cara Murez
- September 10, 2021
- Full Page
While the cost of administering COVID-19 vaccines is nominal -- and free to consumers in the United States -- the cost of paying for hospitalizations for people who've contracted the virus is dramatically higher.
The average financial cost of hospitalization for a COVID-...
Little Change in Number of Uninsured in Pandemic's First Year
- Cara Murez
- August 23, 2021
- Full Page
While the COVID-19 pandemic has had a big impact on the economy and jobs, it didn't result in fewer Americans having health insurance.
The number of 18- to 64-year-olds in the United States without health insurance held steady at 11% between March 2019 and April 2021, ac...
Lowering Medicare Age Could Help Close Racial Gaps in Health Care: Study
- Robert Preidt
- July 29, 2021
- Full Page
Could reducing racial disparities in health care be as simple as lowering the age at which Americans qualify for Medicare?
Yes, claims a new study that suggests lowering eligibility from age 65 to age 60 could go a long way toward addressing inequities in health insuranc...
PrEP HIV Prevention Pills to Be Free for Insured Americans
- Robert Preidt and Robin Foster
- July 21, 2021
- Full Page
Nearly all health insurers must cover the entire cost of HIV prevention treatments, the U.S. government says.
That includes the two approved pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs Truvada and Descovy, all clinic visits and lab tests, NBC News reported.
Many Hit Hard by Pandemic Now Swamped by Medical Debt
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- July 19, 2021
- Full Page
The coronavirus pandemic has left plenty of Americans saddled with medical bills they can't pay, a new survey reveals.
More than 50% of those who were infected with COVID-19 or who lost income due to the pandemic are now struggling with medical debt, according to resear...
Medicare Mulls Coverage for Controversial Alzheimer's Drug
- Robin Foster
- July 13, 2021
- Full Page
TUESDAY, July 13, 2021 (Healthday News) -- Medicare launched a formal process on Monday that will determine whether the agency will cover Aduhelm, the newly approved Alzheimer's drug whose high price tag and unproven benefits have prompted widespread controversy.
Medicar...
Is Medicare Overspending? Costco Prices Much Less for Generic Drugs
- Robert Preidt
- July 7, 2021
- Full Page
Can Costco beat Medicare Part D when it comes to prescription drug prices?
Apparently so, claims a new study that found that roughly half of generic medications were cheaper when purchased from the discount retailer than from the government program.
The researchers...
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Challenge to Affordable Care Act
- Ernie Mundell
- June 17, 2021
- Full Page
The landmark Affordable Care Act, which has expanded health care coverage to tens of millions of Americans, has withstood a third challenge before the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a 7-2 decision, a majority of justices ruled on Thursday that plaintiffs involved in the case did...
Medicare's Penalties for Poor-Quality Dialysis Centers Aren't Helping: Study
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 9, 2021
- Full Page
Dialysis centers hit with financial penalties for poor performance don't tend to improve afterward, calling into question a set of U.S. federal programs intended to improve health care nationwide, a new report says.
Dialysis centers face up to a 2% reduction in their ann...
Why a COVID Diagnosis Could Cost You Way More Money in 2021
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- June 9, 2021
- Full Page
COVID-19 could be a much more expensive experience for folks who fall ill this year, thanks to the return of deductibles and copays, new research suggests.
Most folks who became gravely ill with COVID last year didn't face crushing medical bills because nearly all insura...