Accessing essential healthcare is a challenge many low-income individuals face, especially for those living in rural areas where hospital closures have become a distressing trend. Around 200 rural hospitals have closed or cut services since 2005, as per data from the Sheps Center. Even more concerning, this trend shows no signs of slowing down. Over 600 rural hospitals may close in the near future because they don’t make enough money to pay for the increasing cost of treating patients. The impact of these hospital closures on the communities they serve is nothing short of devastating. The repercussions of hospitals closing in […]
Category: Healthcare Reform
Science vs Politics Part II: The Preventive Care Mandate
Mifepristone: Science vs Politics discussed the ruling of a Federal District Judge in Texas on Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA that banned the use of mifepristone for abortions. After many challenges, including the current administration, this ruling was mitigated by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which provided a compromise ruling that allowed the use of mifepristone, but only until seven weeks after conception; down from the previous ten weeks limit. This ruling only affected a small number of people. A different conservative Federal District Judge in Texas has now made a ruling on Braidwood Management v. […]
Health Savings News – Episode 25: No Surprises Act
Note: This is a rough transcript of episode 25 of Health Savings News and has been lightly edited for clarity. It may not be in its final form. Evan (00:10): Hello and welcome to Health Savings News, the podcast about healthcare costs in America and how to save money on the often expensive care all kinds of people need. I’m your host, Evan O’Connor, joined by retired doctors Rich Sagall and Mike Woods. How are you guys doing today? Mike (00:24): Good. Rich: Doing well. Evan (00:25): Good to hear. Each episode we discuss healthcare costs in America, offer tips […]
State of Healthcare 2022
2022 is coming to a close, leaving behind many challenges to healthcare in the United States. The changes to reproductive freedom and attacks on gender affirming healthcare all while the COVID-19 pandemic rages in its third year while being systematically ignored/normalized have greatly affected how people access healthcare and how much it costs. People in the United States continue to count healthcare costs as a major concern. In the final days of 2021, we were beginning to see the effects of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Even with the new highly transmissible variant, the CDC cut isolation/quarantine […]
Open Enrollment for 2023 Coverage
The Affordable Care Act (ACA; aka Obamacare) Health Insurance Marketplace is set to begin its Open Enrollment period today. American healthcare consumers can sign up on the federal insurance exchange at healthcare.gov or through their state marketplaces. In recent years there has been increased confusion surrounding Open Enrollment due to changes (and proposed changes) made to the ACA under the past administrations. Open Enrollment lasts at least 75 days — running from November 1 to January 15, 2023. Some states have longer enrollment periods, and special enrollment periods are available for those with a qualifying life event. Premiums are […]