health care costs

Female doctor is treating a patient and dispensing medicine.

A law in New York pushes doctors to be upfront about patients' costs

11:13am March 17, 2025

The law originally banned health care providers from forcing patients to agree to pay medical bills, no matter the cost. Consumer groups say an amended version doesn't go far enough.

Donald Trump Campaigns For President In Raleigh, North Carolina

Some Trump voters want him to rein in health care costs. It's unclear if he will

5:00am February 26, 2025

In polls and focus groups, Trump voters say they want the government to do something about big medical bills. It's a big change from 5 years ago, pollsters say, and may not be on Trump's agenda.

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Cook County board president Toni Preckwinkle (center) announces the county's debt relief program, along with executives from several local hospitals and Allison Sesso, President & CEO of RIP Medical Debt (far left).

NYC joins a growing wave of local governments erasing residents' medical debt

5:04am January 23, 2024

by Yuki Noguchi

The city is partnering with the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt to buy up and forgive unpaid medical bills. The trend started in Cook County, Ill., and is spreading to cities across the country.

Drug price hikes appear to be moderate this year, with some drug prices falling.

Health & Safety

What to know about January's annual drug price hikes

7:05am January 17, 2024

by Sydney Lupkin

Spoiler: There are some decreases this year, too. Here's an overview of the changing prices and what to make of them.

Health advocates and community members gathered in Washington D.C. in mid September to push the Biden administration to take additional action on medical debt in an event hosted by nonprofit Community Catalyst.

Medical debt could soon be barred from ruining your credit score

6:20pm September 21, 2023

by Noam Levey

The Biden administration unveiled regulations that potentially would help tens of millions of people who have medical debt on their credit reports.

An analysis of court records by the state treasurer and Duke researchers finds Atrium Health in Charlotte, N.C., accounted for almost a third of the legal actions against North Carolina patients over roughly five years.

Hospitals sued thousands of patients in North Carolina for unpaid bills, report finds

5:00am August 16, 2023

by Noam Levey

The suits pursued patients and their families, sometimes putting liens on homes. "I know my house will never be mine. It is going to be the hospital's," said Donna Lindabury, 70, who lost her case.

Dr. Alex Shteynshlyuger spends hours on the phone with payment processors like Zelis, fighting their attempts to impose fees on electronic payments.

Health & Safety

Why doctors pay millions in fees that could be spent on care

5:01am August 15, 2023

by Cezary Podkul

The shift to electronic medical payments gave rise to a new kind of health care middlemen, who now charge 1-5% every time insurers pay doctors. Here's how lobbyists convinced regulators this was OK.

Doctors are starting to face a flood of message from patients and some health care companies are billing for clinical advice delivered this way.

Health & Safety

'Hi, Doc!' DM'ing the doctor could cost you (or your insurance plan)

10:39am July 21, 2023

by Yuki Noguchi

Virtual access to doctors is a huge plus for patients. But it's a lot of new work for physicians. And the health care business model hasn't caught up with this new reality.

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Marcus and Allyson Ward were paying off a debt dating back to the birth of their twins, Theo and Milo. They are among 100 million Americans with medical debt, according to a KHN/NPR investigation.

Medical debt affects millions, and advocates push IRS, consumer agency for relief

5:00am March 07, 2023

by Noam Levey

More than 50 consumer and patient groups want the Biden Administration to aggressively protect Americans from medical bills and debt collectors. The effort follows a KHN/NPR investigation.

Diagnosing and treating patients was once an ER doctor's domain, but they are increasingly being replaced by health practitioners who can perform many of the same duties and generate much the same revenue for less than half the pay.

ERs staffed by private equity firms aim to cut costs by hiring fewer doctors

7:00am February 11, 2023

Increasingly, private equity firms shape staffing decisions at hospital emergency rooms, research shows. One apparent effect: Hiring fewer doctors and more health care practitioners who earn far less.