In the era before modern surgery and antibiotics, care for all but the very elite was provided by unschooled healers such as midwives, "bone-setters," and apothecaries. Their fees were low, and many would barter their services for crops or food.
Health Insurance and Costs
One year into the explosive, health law-induced growth of Medi-Cal, it appears one of the most alarming predictions of critics is coming true: The supply of doctors hasn't kept up with demand.
New Jerseyans covered by Medicaid report it's sometimes difficult to find doctors — particularly specialists — who will accept its insurance plans. Here are some tips, gathered from doctors, physician practice administrators and other patients.
They say money talks, but so does anger. That’s why it pays to spend some time in bankruptcy court when you are looking for gripping tales on the health care beat. These resources and tips will get you on your way.
As Medicare makes a big push towards paying providers based on value rather than volume over the next few years, Accountable Care Organizations will be expected to start making good on their promise to cut costs and improve quality of care. But so far, their track record has been rather mixed.
I was nervous about the final story in my series from the start, since I'd need to feature someone who fell into the large group of “other” uninsured. Finding such a source would take me down a lot of dead ends before I finally got a solid lead and, ultimately, an amazing source.
For La Clínica de la Raza, long a source of care for a diverse Oakland community, the ACA has increased the clinic's share of insured patients. But financial pressures are still a constant reality, and the problem will worsen dramatically if federal funding isn't renewed.
Do you use the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care in your reporting? If not, you're missing out on a great source of data on how the costs and quality of health care vary across regions. Contributor William Heisel explains how to best make use of this resource.
In some states, reimbursements are so low that doctors say they lose money when they see Medicaid patients. And that can make it harder for patients to see their doctor — a recent study found that higher rates improve access to care.
If you write about children’s health or health policy more generally, there’s one topic you won't be able to escape this year: the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The program’s funding will expire in September 2015 unless Congress renews it. Advocates say the program fills a vital need.