Nearly one-third of Americans skipped needed medical care in the past three months due to cost. Even about 20% of the nation’s highest-income households, those earning more than $120,000 per year, blame cost as the reason for not seeking care, up from 3% over the same timeframe. An estimated 150 million Americans say they are now more worried about the … Read More
Share your experiences with the Affordable Care Act
This year, many Americans have signed up for health insurance through the federal or state marketplaces created under the Affordable Care Act. The New York Times and its journalists covering the law would like to hear from people who have this new insurance and whether they are finding it affordable. Click here to participate in this survey.
Employer health plan deductibles see big 5-year jump
DIS shares a USA Today news story from September on a report that indicates health insurance deductibles taking a huge jump as we head into 2015. Premiums for employer-paid insurance are up 3% this year, but deductibles are up nearly 50% since 2009, the report by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows. The average deductible this year is $1,217, up from … Read More
Prices for over 70 medical procedures are now online
Buying health care in America is like shopping blindfolded at Macy’s and getting the bill months after you leave the store, Princeton economist Uwe Reinhardt likes to say. But an online tool that went live in February is supposed to help change that, giving patients in most parts of the country a small peek at the prices of medical tests and … Read More
Ways to save on health care costs
As health care consumers endure higher deductibles and reduced insurance benefits, it is becoming more important to understand and even negotiate prices before receiving medical treatment. Dr. Kathryn Stewart, medical director of care management at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, believes that patients can and should be more proactive about seeking the best prices for their services. “Hospital costs are … Read More