health care Archives | Northwest Public Broadcasting

U.S. Supreme Court To Decide Fate Of Affordable Care Act — Again

By NWPB News March 2, 2020

A view of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to decide a lawsuit that threatens the Obama-era health care law, but the decision is not likely until after the 2020 election. The court said it would hear an appeal by 20 mainly Democratic states of a lower-court ruling that declared part of the statute unconstitutional and cast a cloud over the rest. Read More

Big Insurers Rack Up Billions In Surpluses, Now Lawmakers May Take A Bite Of The Pie

By Austin Jenkins February 6, 2020

Two proposals in the Washington Legislature are taking aim at surpluses amassed from health insurers. Continue Reading Big Insurers Rack Up Billions In Surpluses, Now Lawmakers May Take A Bite Of The PieRead More

Seasonal Ranch Workers Worry About Montana’s Medicaid Work Requirement

By NPR News November 3, 2019

Kate Clyatt, 28, works seasonally as a ranch hand in southwest Montana, and relies on the state's Medicaid program for health coverage. "Ranching is just not a job with a lot of money in it," Clyatt says. "I don't know at what point I'm going to be able to get off of Medicaid." CREDIT: Corin Cates-Carney/Montana Public Radio

Montana recently passed a law that, if it gains federal approval and goes into effect as planned in January, would require many Medicaid recipients to prove they work a set number of hours each month. Continue Reading Seasonal Ranch Read More

The Gap Between Rich And Poor Americans’ Health Is Widening

By NPR News July 3, 2019

Health inequities are getting worse, according to new research. Factors like income, race and gender are playing a larger role in health outcomes than they did 25 years ago. Continue Reading The Gap Between Rich And Poor Americans’ Health Is Read More

Trump Administration Proposes Rule To Reverse Protections For Transgender Patients

By NPR News May 25, 2019

Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights, announced Friday a new proposed rule rolling back anti-discrimination protections for transgender patients. Those protections had been written in 2016 but enjoined in court. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

A federal agency issued a proposed rule Friday that rolls back Obama-era protections for transgender patients. Advocates for transgender people say the rule leaves them vulnerable to discrimination. Continue Reading Trump Read More

Patty Murray Joins GOP Senate Colleague In Targeting High Health Care Bills, Drug Costs

By NPR News May 23, 2019

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the ranking member, and Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the Senate health committee, introduced legislation to address health care issues such as surprise medical bills and high drug costs. CREDIT: J. Scott Applewhite/AP

In a year already marked by a wide variety of congressional health care legislation, Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., on Thursday released the details of a plan they hope will help bring down health costs and eliminate surprise medical bills for patients. Read More

With Reversal, Trump Administration Now Says Entire Affordable Care Act Should Be Repealed

By NPR News March 26, 2019

The Justice Department sent a letter in support of repealing the entirety of the Affordable Care Act. Here, a sign in support of the ACA in April 2017 in New York City. Kevin Hagen/Getty Images

A letter from the Department of Justice announced the shift, in support of a district court judge's ruling that the law is unconstitutional. The case will likely end up in the Supreme Court. Continue Reading With Read More

Cancer Complications: Confusing Bills, Maddening Errors And Endless Phone Calls

By NPR News February 27, 2019

Carol Marley, a hospital nurse with private insurance, says coping with the financial fallout of her pancreatic cancer has been exhausting. CREDIT: Anna Gorman/KHN

Coping with the financial fallout of cancer is exhausting — and nerve-wracking. But the worst part, one patient says, is that it's unexpected. Cancer patients are 2.65 times more likely to file for bankruptcy than those without cancer, and bankruptcy puts them at a higher risk for early death, according to research. Read More

Pharmaceutical Company CEOs Face Grilling in Senate Over High Drug Prices

By NPR News February 26, 2019

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., left, and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, right, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, asked drug company CEOs some tough questions about drug prices on Tuesday during a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. CREDIT: PABLO MARTINEZ MONSIVAIS/AP

Senators called pharmaceutical industry leaders to account for the high costs of medicine during a Senate hearing. The executives deflected blame to insurance companies and middlemen. Continue Reading Pharmaceutical Company CEOs Face Read More

Federal Judge Strikes Down Affordable Care Act As Unconstitutional

By NPR News December 14, 2018

President Trump praised the ruling by a court in Texas as supporters of the ACA said they will appeal. Continue Reading Federal Judge Strikes Down Affordable Care Act As UnconstitutionalRead More

Idaho’s Proposition 2 Puts Medicaid Expansion To Voters After State Lawmakers Refused

By NWPB News November 3, 2018

Amy Pratt personally collected more than 1,000 signatures to help get Proposition 2 on the ballot. It's the first time she's been politically active and she has no plans of stopping. CREDIT: JAMES DAWSON / BSPR

After years of inaction by the Idaho legislature on the state's healthcare gap, Proposition 2 on the state ballot gives Idahoans the chance to say whether they want Medicaid expansion -- a proposal endorsed by outgoing Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter. Read More

Washington Sent Brain Injury Patients To Oklahoma — Then All But Forgot About Them

By Austin Jenkins August 7, 2018

Regina Ibrahim and her daughter Nadja take a selfie together during a recent visit at Western State Hospital CREDIT: REGINA IBRAHIM

Everyone survived, but Laurie would never be the same again. She had suffered a severe brain injury that left her in a coma-like state for nearly a month. When Laurie emerged from the coma, her personality had changed — a common effect of traumatic brain injuries. Read More

Proposed Health Care Bill Would Help Pacific Islanders In Washington

By Doug Nadvornick January 15, 2018

A Washington House committee took up a bill today that could mean a chance to access health care for Pacific Islanders who live in Washington. The bill applies to U.S. residents who come from the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. Continue Read More

Health Premiums To Rise An Average Of 24-Percent On Washington Exchange

By Austin Jenkins September 26, 2017

TAXREBATE.ORG.UK Listen If you buy individual health insurance through Washington’s Health Benefit Exchange get ready for sticker shock. Rates will go up by an average of 24 percent next year. “It’s difficult, we get it,” Michael Marchand, the state exchange’smarketing director, said when asked about the impact of higher rates on consumers. “You have to show… Read More

Uncertainty, Double-Digit Increases Plague Washington’s Individual Health Insurance Market

By Austin Jenkins September 22, 2017

Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler says insurance premiums are going to rise by double digits in 2018. Listen People who buy individual health insurance in Washington state can expect another round of rate hikes next year. “I’d say double-digit [increases] are almost a certainty,” state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler said in an interview Thursday Read More

Northwest Governors Condemn House Republican Healthcare Vote

By Austin Jenkins May 4, 2017

The Democratic governors of Washington and Oregon are condemning the Republican vote in the U.S. Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Continue Reading Northwest Governors Condemn House Republican Healthcare VoteRead More

Inslee Calls Republican Healthcare Plan ‘Disaster For Washington’

By Austin Jenkins March 15, 2017

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is calling the Republican healthcare plan in Congress “a disaster.” Inslee made his comments Wednesday as new projections on the impact to the state were released. Continue Reading Inslee Calls Republican Healthcare Plan Read More

Unlocking The Mind With Music

By Katherine Barner March 3, 2017

A program at Pullman Regional Hospital is using the power of music to tap deep into the memories of dementia patients. Music & Memory is a national program that brings digital music to elderly patients to help improve their quality of life. “There was one woman that I worked with for over a year and she couldn’t communicate at… Read More

‘Dentistry For Good’ In Guatemala, One Tooth At A Time

By Courtney Flatt December 5, 2016

Revenda Bebawi, a military dentist based in Stuttgart, Germany, helps comfort a nervous child during a free dental clinic in El Paredon, Guatemala. Dentists from around the world traveled to the remote fishing village to treat people’s teeth. Photo credit: Sara Schilling / Tri-City Herald Listen In the U.S., access to good dental care… Read More

Insurer Fined For Charging Wash. Students Incorrect Rates

By Sueann Ramella January 26, 2012

Washington State University students were among those charged incorrect rates by Unicare Life and Health Insurance. PUBLIC DOMAIN / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington state insurance commissioner has fined an Indiana company $100,000 for charging Washington college students the wrong rates. Unicare Life and Health Insurance sold over 8,000 insurance Read More