Phil Galewitz

Phil Galewitz appears in the following:

They billed Medicare late for his anesthesia. He went to collections for a $3,000 tab

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Medicare was supposed to cover the entire cost of his procedure. But the anesthesia provider failed to file its claims in a timely manner and billed the patient instead.

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Why hundreds of doctors are lobbying in Washington this week

Friday, February 17, 2023

They came to tell Congress about their "recovery plan" for physicians, which includes a Medicare pay boost and an end to some frustrating insurance company requirements.

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Even when IVF is covered by insurance, high bills, surprises and hassles abound

Wednesday, May 04, 2022

Only 15 states require insurance to cover in vitro fertilization, a pricey path to parenthood. But expensive procedures and drugs can lead to unexpected bills even for the fortunate who are insured.

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Who doesn't text in 2022? Most state Medicaid programs

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Though the majority of Medicaid recipients have smartphones, most states will rely on snail mail and email to tell people their coverage is at risk with the end of the COVID public health emergency.

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Biden administration will reverse Medicaid changes that Trump had OK'd in some states

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Federal officials now say states can no longer charge premiums to low-income residents enrolled in Medicaid and have ruled out work requirements.

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Democrats' spending bill includes plan to get free health care to uninsured Americans

Friday, October 01, 2021

There are more than 2 million uninsured adults in states that didn't expand Medicaid. Congressional Democrats have a plan to cover them — if they can find money for it in the massive spending bill.

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Same Hospital And Insurer, But The Bill For His 2nd Jaw Procedure Was $24,000 More

Friday, August 27, 2021

To realign the man's jaw and ease his chronic pain and high blood pressure, he would need two operations, the surgeon said. Both procedures went well, but the patient was shocked by the second bill.

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With Workers In Short Supply, Seniors Often Wait Months For Home Health Care

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Seniors, their families and states are eager to keep older Americans in their homes and out of nursing homes, but those efforts are often thwarted by worker shortages and low pay.

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Biden's Broader Vision For Medicaid Could Include Inmates, Immigrants, New Mothers

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

With record levels of people relying on Medicaid for health care, the Biden administration is making moves to expand it even farther.

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In Health Care, More Money Is Being Spent On Patients' Social Needs. Is It Working?

Monday, June 21, 2021

Eager to control costs and sickness, hospitals and insurers are trying to help patients access better food, housing and transportation. But so far there is little research showing these efforts work.

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Trump Officials Approve Tennessee's Controversial Request To Revamp Medicaid Funding

Saturday, January 09, 2021

The plan, long endorsed by conservatives, would give the state broad flexibility in running its health insurance program for the poor, while capping annual federal funding for the program.

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Trump HHS Proposal Criticized As Burden For Biden Administration

Wednesday, December 09, 2020

The rule would require health officials to review about 2,400 regulations on everything from Medicare benefits to prescription drugs approvals. Those not analyzed within two years would become void.

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ER Visit For COVID-19 Symptoms Stuck Man With A $3,278 Bill

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

A dad in Denver tried to do everything right when COVID-19 symptoms surfaced. But he got a surprising bill from his insurer, which had waived cost sharing for treatment of the coronavirus infection.

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Coronavirus Crisis Spurs Access To Online Treatment For Opioid Addiction

Monday, April 20, 2020

The federal government has waived a law that required an in-person doctor's visit before patients could be prescribed drugs that quell withdrawal symptoms. That's a boon for patients, counselors say.

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'To Stop Now Would Be Foolish': Doubling Down On Services For High-Cost Patients

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

A study this month showed giving extra social services to the neediest patients didn't reduce hospital readmissions. Now health advocates say that might not be the right measurement of success.

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ACA Insurers In The Supreme Court: Why Consumers Should Pay Attention

Monday, December 09, 2019

The case centers on $12 billion in payments the federal government pledged to insurers to defray their losses in the first years of the health law. Did rescinding those payments send premiums soaring?

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Trump Team Hits Brakes On Law That Would Curb Unneeded Medicare CT Scans, MRIs

Friday, August 09, 2019

Critics worry that the administration's delays come at a steep cost: Medicare continues to pay for millions of unnecessary exams and patients are being subjected to radiation for no medical benefit.

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Background On Trump's Plan To Allow Imports Of Some Prescription Drugs

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The Trump administration says it's trying to clear a path for Americans to import some prescription drugs from Canada. NPR's David Greene speaks with Phil Galewitz of Kaiser Health News.

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Doctors Slow To Adopt Tech Tools That Might Save Patients Money On Drugs

Friday, July 05, 2019

A pricing tool embedded in many prescribing and medical records systems lets doctors see how much each patient is likely to pay out of pocket for medicine. But the tools could be better, doctors say.

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To Improve Health, Cut Costs, Walmart Pushes For Better Medical Imaging For Workers

Friday, May 17, 2019

To cut down on unnecessary procedures — and health costs — Walmart is pushing its workers to get more accurate diagnoses by using diagnostic imaging centers known for high quality, not low price.

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