Hospital prices … increased substantially in California during a period of low overall price inflation, low economic growth, and declining demand.— Melnick and Fonkych, USC
Tag Archives: Out of Pocket Expenses
As Hospital Chains Grow, So Do Their Prices For Care
As health care consolidation accelerates nationwide, a new study shows that hospital prices in two of California’s largest health systems were 25 percent higher than at other hospitals around the state.
Are Freestanding Emergency Rooms Driving Up Costs?
http://healthcare.dmagazine.com/2016/05/18/are-freestanding-emergency-rooms-driving-up-costs/
In most affluent corners of North Texas, these centers have become as ubiquitous as Starbucks. They’ve sprouted near households whose families are insured through private insurance plans and sold as a boon to a community in need of emergency services. (A Texas Tribune study found that these neighborhoods have incomes 49 percent higher than the state’s average). In 2010, there were about 20 freestanding ERs in Texas. Now, just six years later, there are north of 215, galvanized by a 2009 state law that allowed them to become licensed emergency rooms.
Health Care Costs for Average American Family Now Exceed $25,000 a Year
Payer Consolidation Expected to Roll on Over Next Decade
Senior-level healthcare industry stakeholders believe that consolidation in the payer space is likely to continue over the next ten years—and not to the benefit of consumers.
Here’s Why Your Health Insurance Premiums Are Going Up Again
A new report from the American Academy of Actuaries outlines the trends that will impact health insurance premiums next year. “There are both upward and downward pressures on premiums for 2017, but for the individual and small group markets as a whole, the factors driving premium increases up dominate,” senior academy health fellow Cori Uccello said in a statement.
Are High Out-Of-Pocket Costs Forcing Patients To Settle For Substandard Care?
Rosemary Myers and her husband came to the oncology clinic with no major treatment decisions to make. Her breast cancer had metastasized to her brain many months ago, but after the metastasis was removed surgically, it had not shown signs of recurrence in any follow-up tests. So today’s visit wasn’t going to involve talking about chemotherapy or radiation; it wasn’t going to center upon end-of-life decision-making. Myers (a pseudonym) was here to see if her doctor could improve her quality of life. Eventually, that quality-of-life discussion would focus on the cost of Myers’ care.
6 things to know about non-embedded deductibles
Non-embedded deductibles are not economical for some families. For some families, such as married couples without children, non-embedded deductible plans can cause families to spend thousands of dollars in extra out-of-pocket expenses that otherwise would have been covered had they purchased individual plans with lower deductibles or embedded family plans.
The Killer Disease on the Rise that Could Explode Health Costs
Hepatitis-C is a serious liver infection caused by an often lethal virus, and it spreads from one person to another through contact with blood, including blood transfusions and shared needles. Gilead Sciences boasts that its two leading biologic medications have a cure rate of as high as 95 percent, in comparison with 40 percent for older, less advanced treatments. But Sovaldi and Harvoni can cost between $83,000 and $95,000 retail for a full course of treatment.
HENRY KOTULA 