Agricultural employers who provide farmworkers with health insurance earn higher profits, even after accounting for the cost of that coverage. In addition, farmworkers who get health insurance through their employers…
Tag: Health insurance
Medicare Advantage is covering more and more Americans − some because they don’t get to choose
Since the mid-2000s, the Medicare system has dramatically transformed. Enrollment in Medicare Advantage – the private alternative to the traditional Medicare program administered by the government – has more than…
Massive cuts to Health and Human Services’ workforce signal a dramatic shift in US health policy
On March 27, 2025, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced plans to dramatically transform the department. HHS is the umbrella agency responsible for pandemic…
Health and Human Services secretary influences every aspect of America’s health
The secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS, plays a significant role in every American’s access to health care and in the nation’s overall well-being. Under…
What are pharmacy benefit managers? A health economist explains how lack of competition drives up drug prices for everyone
Wegovy and Ozempic are weight loss drugs that promise to transform the treatment of obesity, heart disease and other chronic conditions that afflict millions of Americans. But while everyone agrees…
5 of the most frustrating health insurer tactics and why they exist
The U.S. has made great progress in getting more people insured since the Affordable Care Act took effect in 2014. The share of uninsured Americans ages 18 to 64 fell…
Taxpayers spend 22% more per patient to support Medicare Advantage – the private alternative to Medicare that promised to cost less
Medicare Advantage – the commercial alternative to traditional Medicare – is drawing down federal health care funds, costing taxpayers an extra 22% per enrollee to the tune of US$83 billion…
sales pitches are often from biased sources, the choices can be overwhelming and impartial help is not equally available to all
The 67 million Americans eligible for Medicare make an important decision every October: Should they make changes in their Medicare health insurance plans for the next calendar year? The decision…
Preventive care is free by law, but many Americans get incorrectly billed − especially if you’re poor, a person of color or don’t have a college degree
Even though preventive care is supposed to be free by law for millions of Americans thanks to the Affordable Care Act, many don’t receive recommended preventive services, especially racial and…
Got an unaffordable or incorrect medical bill? Calling your hospital billing office will usually get you a discount
What do you do when you disagree with or can’t afford a medical bill? Many Americans struggle to pay medical bills, avoid care because of cost worries or forgo other…
