NEW: In his first term, Trump talked like he wanted to improve mental health care in the U.S. and how the insurance industry covered it. In his second term, not so much. Smart story from @mayatmiller.bsky.social and @jeremykohler.bsky.social of @propublica.org. www.propublica.org/article/ment...

Covid surge, heads up. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/covid-...

1/2 Finding out health costs: Rich Eisenberg at @marketwatch.com does a tour of the territory, quoting me among others. I will say also that transparent health costs are ...https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-much-will-your-next-hospital-stay-cost-no-one-seems-to-know-new-rules-may-help-f7cd6171

There's a rising tide of patients not paying medical bills, for a number of reasons. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/07...

"Now, more than half of upper-income families—those earning more than $215,400 per year — vote Dem .. as more highly educated voters shift to the left. “ WaPo gift link. wapo.st/4lIJPVj

Sharp turnaround by the feds proposes limits on skin substitutes for wound care, after signs that no limits would be imposed. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/07...

Health Central: “My Journey With Long COVID” "Rachel Hall-Clifford shares how long COVID shifted her baseline health and how she balances ongoing symptoms with family, work, and care appointments" www.healthcentral.com/condition/co...

Medscape: 'Long COVID Rates Higher in Women: Evidence Grows' 'New research from the NIH RECOVER initiative, the largest observational study to date, confirms what many have long suspected:' “These illnesses are underfunded and understudied..." www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

NEW: The board of the Fulbright Program has just resigned after accusing Trump aides of political interference. They say a State Dept. office under Rubio and Darren Beattie has cancelled scholarships to nearly 200 US professors and researchers. Story: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/u...

Gotta say, when the studies dropped showing Covid causes erectile dysfunction… I thought people would pay attention. When they said you should avoid Covid for months before trying to conceive? Same. Now we see the virus persists in semen… will anyone care?

If you or a family member have cancer, you should know which drugs actually extend lives. Important reporting on this from Robert Langreth, Tanaz Meghjani and Rachael Dottle > www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...

Highly infectious new COVID strain hits US "The new NB.1.81 variant was first detected in the US in late March–early April among international travelers arriving at airports in California, Washington State, Virginia and New York City, with additional cases reported in Ohio, Rhode Island and Hawaii"

The center appealed thousands of Blue Cross reimbursements for being too low. At trial, the insurer revealed that it had never considered any of the appeals — and that they were pointless: “An appeal is not available to review an underpayment.”

Mask up!

Lovely commencement address by my former colleague Jodi Kantor from the NYT, to Columbia grads. One of the best such talks I've seen. www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFY...

Doc appointments are hard to come by. What can you do? New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/05...

Grief, a powerful read by @rebeccasoffer.bsky.social @modernloss.bsky.social . time.com/7284451/grie...

"Absolute despair" at NIH. www.washingtonian.com/2025/05/01/a...

Who's surprised? Not me. www.politico.com/news/2025/04...

Despite seeing several people I totally trust say this was real I still felt I had to verify it with my own eyes. And having done so I still can't believe it's real.

How much does Plan B cost? from $0 to $49.99. We break it down for you, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/04...

It can be really hard to find a therapist, let alone an in-network therapist. We don't give medical advice, but here are some options. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/04...

is this for real? Did I hear someone say "grift"? www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/t...

SCOTUS might be leaning towards upholding the ACA's preventive services mandate. But if they do, it will also solidify Sec. Kennedy's authority over who gets to specify what preventive care must be covered: www.benefitspro.com/2025/04/22/s...

Hearing aids can now be sold over the counter, without an audiologist and all the complications surrounding that. But do they work? Longtime expert Katherine Bouton unpacks it all. On the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/01...

The tariff saga and its impact on disabled people cannot be separated from the administration’s brutal cuts to Medicaid. “It’s really the most vulnerable of the most vulnerable…who need technologies to live.”

@insidehighered.com doing great reporting on student visa revocations. Spread the word. www.insidehighered.com/news/global/...

Harvard rejects Trump administration’s demands with federal funding at risk. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

When tariffs hit pharma – biggest hit will be on generics. ~90% of all Rx in U.S. = generics and some of the lower cost ones have razor thin (some even negative) margins. Manufacturer has to decide if its worth it to keep making - which is why Rx shortages are growing - and prices keep rising.

Wow, this story! “Slow Pay, Low Pay or No Pay” Blue Cross Defrauded Breast Cancer Center, Must Pay $421M, Jury Finds @tchristianmiller.bsky.social

New rules aimed at limiting skyrocketing costs and questionable clinical practice in wound care were delayed again today - meaning that questionable practices can continue. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/04...

More winning.

O yay. More tariffs.

Winning.

President Donald Trump wants hospitals and health plans to do a better job of revealing prices to patients so they can shop for care. But there’s not a lot of evidence yet that it’s helpful to consumers. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

‘Brilliant at survival’ — Long Covid afflicts trans and bi patients at highest rates by Mary Steffenhagen at ClearHealthCosts @chcosts.bsky.social clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2024/02...

Wound care: The deadline is April 13 for the proposed new regulations to go into effect, or to be delayed again. When Trump made a social media post disparaging the new regs, people started to ... wonder. On the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/03...

Four therapy practices across the nation are driven to despair by insurers' refusal to pay bills. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/03...

For realz? www.nytimes.com/2025/03/18/h...

A group of medical practices is trying to organize against what one official called "heartbreaking" practices in wound care. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/03...

AI helping therapists compose their notes for their records. What could go wrong? A lot, it turns out. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/03...

Under current rules, the maximum out-of-pocket limit for 2026 health plans is slated to be $10,150 for a single person. Under the new rules proposed this week by the Trump admin, the maximum out-of-pocket limit will be $10,600 instead.

UnitedHealth Group continues making stealthy acquisitions amid antitrust and lawmaker scrutiny. In 2024, UnitedHealth bought a ton of surgery centers (Physicians Endoscopy, cardiac cath labs, and more), as well as pharmacies (CPS Solutions, PharmScript). www.statnews.com/2025/03/07/u...

When President Trump made a social media post disparaging new pending regulations to rein in questionable practices in wound care and skin substitutes, people started to speculate this means the regs will be delayed indefinitely -- or killed. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/03...

"The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the three liberal members to form a majority." www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/u...

Wow: Jeff Grant, a top career official at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, retired today. On his way out, Grant sent this letter excoriating Jeffery Anoka, who carried out the DOGE firings, and said Anoka is "ethically and legally bound to restore" the jobs of the fired employees.

Today @thesicktimes.bsky.social: great piece by @meganburbank.bsky.social about efforts to train medical providers on Long COVID, and why that education is so important! thesicktimes.org/2025/02/28/a...

U.S. Terminates Funding for Polio, H.I.V., Malaria and Nutrition Programs Around the World. Story by @stephanienolen.bsky.social Gift link nyti.ms/41yWNgN