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☆ I was charged $150 for missing a doctor's appointment. Turns out these fees are on the rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Eric Audras | Onoky | Getty ImagesIf you miss a doctor's appointment these days, you could get hit with a "no-show" fee of up to $100 — or more. But, she said, "to solve this problem is not to charge patients more fees, which many can't afford." For my appointment, I did get a call the day before from the doctor's office. Fees shouldn't hurt credit, still may be worth disputingWhen you make a doctor's appointment, ask about the office's policy around late cancellations and missed appointments, Donovan said. "Ultimately, these fees are discretionary and I would be reluctant to work with any office that inflexibly charged them," Donovan said.

Persons: Eric Audras, Caitlin Donovan, Janna, didn't, I'd, Adam Rust, Rust, Isabel Pavia, Donovan, you'll, inflexibly Organizations: Onoky, Patient Advocate Foundation, Consumer Federation of America Locations: Camden , New Jersey

☆ I found love on LinkedIn. What began as semi-flirtatious messages grew into 9 years of marriage.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Katie Ortman Doble | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Katie Ortman Doble is a headhunter who uses LinkedIn like a digital Rolodex. Katie Ortman DobleNick invited my sisters to go ring shopping with him shortly after we celebrated one year of dating. Katie Ortman DobleWe never gave up hopeWe spent our 30s in fight or flight mode, but we never gave up hope. Katie Ortman DobleWe both maintained our careers, although I did take a much-needed break from my job and LinkedIn networking in 2019. Katie Ortman DobleUnexpected connections can end up sustaining usThis week, Nick and I celebrate nine years of marriage.

Persons: Katie Ortman Doble, Nick, Katie, —, I'm, It's, That's, Katie Doble, claret, me claret, Katie Ortman Doble Nick, She's, Kimi, Katie's, Tommy, Katie Ortman, Alice, Zhang Organizations: Service, LinkedIn, Denver, West Ham United, Memorial Sloan Kettering, MSK, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, NED Locations: Denver, Downtown Denver, West, Manhattan, Moher, County Clare, Ireland, Pennsylvania, NED, janezhang@insider.com

NEW YORK (AP) — A new, higher-dose nasal spray for reversing opioid overdoses did not save more lives than the previous standard dose, but it did cause more vomiting and other side effects, researchers wrote in a study published Thursday. Three troops in eastern New York were given 8-milligram sprays. The study results were based on 354 instances in which troopers administered naloxone sprays from late March 2022 to mid-August 2023. But so too did those treated with the 8-milligram sprays, who got 1.58 doses, or 12.6 milligrams, on average. But other problems were significantly more common in the patients who got the higher-dose sprays.

Persons: —, Michael Dailey, Dailey Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Albany Medical College, New York State Police, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: New York, Albany

The palace's disclosure that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer shattered that longstanding tradition. “The King has cancer,” the Times of London declared in a terse banner headline Tuesday. But in beaming a sliver of light from inside the palace walls and his own life, Charles has broken with his mother and royal tradition. HOW MUCH DOES THE BRITISH PUBLIC HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW? Charles' news was received with great sympathy in a country in which 3 million people live with cancer, according to Macmillan Cancer Support, a London-based charity.

Persons: King Charles III, Charles, “, Queen Elizabeth II, ”, wasn’t, Charles ’, King George VI, he's, Sally Bedell Smith, “ Charles, Simon Lewis, King, Julie Sharp, Charles “, Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, Konstantin Chernenko, It’s, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, they’re, Defense Lloyd Austin —, —, William, Kate, Wales, Danica Kirka, Laurie Kellman Organizations: —, BBC Radio, Cancer Research, Soviet, Defense, Defense Department, Black, Royals, Republican, National Center for Social Research, Macmillan Cancer, National Health Service, Associated Locations: London, Soviet Union, United States, Wales, British

☆ Here are some key open enrollment tips and strategies for employees
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Jimvallee | Istock | Getty ImagesOpen-enrollment workplace checklist ✔ Health insurance ✔ Savings and spending accounts ✔ Dental and vision plans ✔ Life insurance ✔ Disability insurance ✔ Retirement savings ✔ Beneficiary selection1. If your spouse has their own health insurance option at work, you'll want to both sit down and compare the different offerings. Many employees will notice that the health insurance plans offered by their company don't include dental and vision coverage. Consider life, disability insuranceDuring open enrollment, employees will typically also be presented with different disability and life insurance options. Short-term disability coverage is very limited, she said: "Everyone needs long-term disability coverage unless they have enough savings that they could basically retire if they can't work anymore."

Persons: Caitlin Donovan, Gruber, Jean Abraham, Warby Parker, Pat Greenhouse, Abraham, Donovan, you'll, Jonathan Gruber, Louise Norris, Norris, Carolyn McClanahan, McClanahan, Ryan Viktorin, Viktorin Organizations: Istock, Getty, Savings, Patient Advocate, University of Minnesota, Harvard, Boston Globe, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, IRS, Healthinsurance.org, Planning Partners, CNBC's, Pew Research Center, Partners, Fidelity Investments Locations: Cambridge , Massachusetts, Jacksonville , Florida

☆ This $1,000 Test Finds Signs of Cancer in Your Blood
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Alex Janin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Doctors, researchers and patient advocates are excited about a new blood test that promises to detect cancer early. They disagree about whether you should actually use it yet. The $949 Galleri liquid biopsy can screen for more than 50 types of cancers. It works by looking for a shared cancer signal in DNA shed by tumors in the bloodstream. More than 130,000 of the prescription-only tests have been sold since Galleri became available in June 2021, according to the test maker Grail, a unit of the gene-sequencing company Illumina .

Persons: Galleri

☆ 2 participants in Denver's basic-income experiment say it's helped them buy a car, rent an apartment, and turn their lives around
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-21 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Through the Denver Basic Income Project, they received $6,500 up front and $500 monthly for a year. These payments helped them rent an apartment, buy a car, and improve their mental health, they said. How basic income worksOver the course of a year, the Denver Basic Income Project gives participants cash payments of varying amounts. The Denver Basic Income Project began in 2021 and was granted a $2 million contribution from the city. AdvertisementAdvertisementBroncucia and Searls participated in the Denver Basic Income Project.

Persons: Dia Broncucia, Justin Searls, —, Broncucia, Searls, Mark Donovan, Armando Generyo, Donovan Organizations: Income, Service, University of Denver's, Housing, Homelessness Research, Social Security Disability Insurance Locations: Denver, San Francisco, New York, Santa Fe , New Mexico, Vancouver , British Columbia

☆ Sanofi to offer insulin product for $35 to all Americans through GoodRx
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sanofi Lantus brand insulin pens are arranged for a photograph in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., on Friday, April 5, 2019. Americans, regardless of their insurance status, can now access Sanofi 's most widely prescribed insulin for $35 through the prescription drug savings company GoodRx , the companies announced Thursday. But some patients have struggled to access the $35 price point, even with that program in place. President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act also capped monthly insulin costs for Medicare beneficiaries at $35, but it did not provide protection to diabetes patients who have private insurance. Approximately 8.4 million diabetes patients rely on insulin, the American Diabetes Association said.

Persons: Sanofi, Eli Lilly, Joe Biden's Organizations: Sanofi, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Sanofi –, Novo Nordisk –, U.S, Pharma, Life Sciences, Centers for Disease Control, American Diabetes Association Locations: Brooklyn, New York, U.S

☆ Pfizer to price Covid drug Paxlovid at $1,390 per course
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Pfizer will price a five-day course of its Covid antiviral drug Paxlovid at $1,390 when the company starts to transition it to the commercial market later this year. A company spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed the price, which was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. But beginning in 2024, Pfizer will sell Paxlovid directly to health insurers, which comes as demand for Covid vaccines and treatments slumps nationwide. But health insurance plans will likely pay much less than the nearly $1,400 list price for Paxlovid, meaning patients will probably have small or no out-of-pocket costs. Overall, Pfizer now expects 2023 sales of $58 billion to $61 billion, down from its previous guidance of $67 billion to $70 billion.

Persons: Angelica Peebles Organizations: Pfizer, Wednesday, Wall Street, Paxlovid, FDA, CNBC Locations: Paxlovid

☆ Down syndrome families' fight for access to Alzheimer’s trials, treatments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Julie Steenhuysen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

In an extended portion of Eisai’s main Leqembi trial, CAA was associated with one death. 'THE DIGNITY OF RISK'Hillerstrom said the groups are "very strongly" lobbying Eisai and Lilly to conduct the safety trials in Down syndrome, and said he has been meeting with the companies to push them to design such trials. Lilly declined to comment on whether it is considering either a safety trial or taking part in that study. An Eisai spokeswoman said the company "has no immediate plans" to conduct clinical trials of Leqembi in people with Down syndrome. The company is collaborating with LuMind in a study gathering data on how Alzheimer's manifests in people with Down syndrome.

Persons: Oskar Hillerstrom, Lianor, Hampus, Brian Snyder, Lianor da Cunha, Oskar, de Oeiras, Teresa, Oskar’s, Hampus Hillerstrom, Eli Lilly's, LuMind, Hillerstrom, Lilly, Emily Largent, Beau Ances, Louis, I've, Ances, I'm, Michael Rafii, William Mobley, Mobley, Dawn Brooks, donanemab, Margot Rhondeau, Hannah, Julie Steenhuysen, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, CAA, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Medicare, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Washington University, National Institute, Aging, University of Southern, UC San Diego School of Medicine, LuMind, Syndrome, Thomson Locations: Lexington , Massachusetts, U.S, Santo, Portugal, United States, St, University of Southern California

Those advocates still face one giant hurdle: FDA regulators say the treatment hasn't been shown to work. But with the backing of thousands of ALS patients, Brainstorm took the rare step of “filing over protest,” essentially forcing the agency to render a decision. Still, ALS patients see reasons for optimism. At Wednesday’s meeting, people with such reservations are certain to be outnumbered by appeals from ALS patients and their families. That compromise would be similar to FDA's approach to Relyvrio last year, another ALS drug with questionable data.

Persons: Lou Gehrig’s, drugmaker, they’re, ”, Marc Scheineson, Brian Wallach, Wallach, “, Brainstorm’s, NurOwn, Patricia Manhardt, Anthony Windebank, reanalyzing, weren’t, Terry Heiman, Patterson, it’s, Holly Fernandez Lynch, Matthew Perrone Organizations: WASHINGTON, Drug Administration, FDA, drugmakers, Congress, Obama White House, ALS Association, Mayo Clinic, Physicians, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, Twitter, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP

☆ Federal Officials Propose New Nursing Home Standards to Increase Staffing
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Jordan Rau | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The nation’s most thinly staffed nursing homes would be required to hire more workers under new rules proposed on Friday by the Biden administration, the greatest change to federal nursing home regulations in three decades. The proposed standard was prompted by the industry’s troubled performance earlier in the coronavirus pandemic, when 200,000 nursing home residents died. But the proposal falls far short of what both the industry and patient advocates believe is needed to improve care for most of the 1.2 million Americans in nursing homes. estimated that three-quarters of the nation’s 15,000 homes would need to add staff members. But the increases at many of those facilities would be minor, as the average nursing home already employs nurses and aides at, or very close to, the proposed levels.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Centers, Medicare, Services, C.M.S

☆ Lyme disease: A doctor explains what it is
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —As model Bella Hadid opens up about Lyme disease and other health issues, her ordeal brings up many questions. Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of a particular tick, the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus). CNN: Is there a blood test one could take to see whether they have Lyme disease? False positives can also occur, with some other tickborne diseases and autoimmune illnesses triggering a positive result in the absence of Lyme disease. Wen: Without a vaccine, the best way to prevent Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites.

Persons: Bella Hadid, Leana Wen, Lyme, Wen, It’s Organizations: CNN, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Getty, National Institute of Allergy, Pfizer Locations: Lyme, United States

FRANKFURT, July 29 (Reuters) - Novo Nordisk has launched blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy in Germany, its first big European market, hoping Germans will pay hundreds of euros out of pocket for a drug that public health insurance plans are so far barred from covering. The Danish drugmaker's share price has more than doubled in the two years since the drug debuted, turning Novo (NOVOb.CO) into Europe's second-most-valuable listed company after LVMH. Among major providers, Allianz (ALVG.DE) says it will pay if a physician diagnoses a medical need, while Debeka said its plans exclude weight-loss treatments. Novo is ramping up production to meet soaring demand in the United States, where the drug sells for as much as $1,350 a month. Doctors say many Germans seeking to lose weight have already used Ozempic, a diabetes drug also made by Novo that is a lower dose version of the same ingredient as Wegovy.

Persons: Wegovy, Debeka, Robert Koch, Ludwig Burger, Maggie Fick Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Novo, LVMH, Allianz, European Union, Robert Koch Institute, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Germany, United States, Europe, Norway, Denmark, Danish, Novo, Wegovy, Frankfurt, London

Interviews with seven doctors and two other potential users of Wegovy from Germany, where Novo Nordisk's (NOVOb.CO) weight-loss drug will become available at the end of July, show the office administrator isn't alone. Allianz (ALVG.DE) says it will pay if a physician diagnoses a medical need while Debeka said its plans exclude weight-loss treatments. In Germany, Wegovy will be administered with the same injection pen used in Norway and Denmark, not the one used in the United States to avoid hitting supplies there. "Patients are so desperate in Germany that they will pay out of their pocket for the medication." "My experience is that people will be able to pay for it out of (their own) pocket," said Horbach.

Persons: Doctor Thomas Horbach, Wegovy, Novo, Jessica Lenth, isn't, I've, Lenth, Debeka, Robert Koch, Danish drugmaker, Sylvia Weiner, Karl Rheinwalt, Thomas Horbach, Weiner, Rheinwalt, Juergen Ordemann, Michael Wirtz, Wirtz, Irina Ernstberger, Ernstberger, Ludwig Burger, Maggie Fick, Patricia Weiss, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans Organizations: Novo Nordisk, FRANKFURT, Reuters, Allianz, European Union, Robert Koch Institute, Sana Klinikum, St, Hospital, Ozempic, Novo, Thomson Locations: Germany, Munich, LONDON, Hamburg, Wegovy, United States, Danish, Norway, Denmark, Sana, Frankfurt, St Franziskus, Hospital Cologne, Berlin's, Winsen, Lower Saxony, London

☆ Medicare offers details on reimbursement for new Alzheimer's drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Julie Steenhuysen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

CHICAGO, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Medicare health plan on Thursday offered details of plans to collect patient data as a condition for reimbursement for Eisai Co Ltd (4523.T) and Biogen Inc's (BIIB.O) new Alzheimer's drug Leqembi, should it win traditional U.S. approval as expected by July 6. If it wins traditional FDA approval, Leqembi would be the first disease-modifying drug ever to achieve the regulatory milestone. Current treatments only treat symptoms but do not change the course of the disease, which affects 6 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer's Association. On that basis, CMS said it would only pay for Leqembi if patients were enrolled in a clinical trial. The CMS data requirements apply to all Alzheimer's treatments that reduce beta amyloid from the brain, including Eli Lilly and Co's donanemab, which recently reported positive results from its late-stage trial.

Persons: Biogen, Eisai's Leqembi, Leqembi, Eli Lilly, Co's, “, Robert Egge, Julie Steenhuysen, Daniel Wallis Organizations: U.S, Eisai Co, Centers, Medicare, Medicaid Services, CMS, Alzheimer's Association, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Alzheimer’s Association, Thomson Locations: U.S

☆ Sarepta surges after FDA panel backs Duchenne gene therapy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 15 (Reuters) - Shares of Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT.O) soared 29% premarket on Monday as a backing by the U.S. health regulator's advisers increased the certainty of an accelerated approval for the company's gene therapy for a muscle-wasting genetic disorder. Eight of the 14 advisers to the Food and Drug Administration late Friday voted that the company had enough data to support an accelerated approval for its gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The vote came after FDA staff had earlier last week voiced concerns that the data from the company's mid-stage trial lacked "unambiguous evidence" about benefits from the therapy. TD Cowen analyst Ritu Baral expects an approval for the therapy, especially considering the FDA leadership's interest in promoting biomarker-based accelerated approvals for gene therapies. The FDA, often follows the advice of its expert advisers but is not obligated to do so, is slated to make a decision on accelerated approval by May 29.

Lilly has not previously discussed its Medicare coverage optimism publicly. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Such "coverage with evidence development" requirements are rare and historically used by Medicare to evaluate medical devices. Amyvid, Lilly's Alzheimer's imaging agent that can detect amyloid plaques on PET scans, has been subject to CMS' evidence development program for a decade. "It shuts out many patients," said Dr. Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, "especially minorities and rural patients."

☆ How to avoid getting dropped from Medicaid as states narrow coverage
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

As a pandemic-era policy winds down, millions of people on Medicaid may lose their coverage — even though they remain eligible, advocates say. For the last three years, due to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, states have been required to provide continuous Medicaid coverage to enrollees in order to get federal funding. That meant people on Medicaid couldn't be dropped from the program during that time. "From March 2020 to March 2023, people could only enter Medicaid, and no one was at risk of losing coverage," said Kosali Simon, professor of health economics at the O'Neill School at Indiana University. Here's how to avoid losing your Medicaid coverage if you believe you remain eligible.

☆ Record high share in U.S. report delaying medical treatments due to costs — here's how you can save on health care
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Iona Studio | Istock | Getty ImagesMore people in the U.S. are deciding to hold off on medical care for financial reasons. That percentage is the highest since the polling organization began taking the measurement in 2001, at which point 19% of people answered they'd postponed health care because of money. Sometimes, doctors leave a network, McClanahan said, so you want to check this again if you haven't seen a provider in some time. Your deductible is the amount you have to pay for your health care before your coverage kicks in. If you reach your deductible, you might want to squeeze in other care or treatments within the same year to cut costs, McClanahan said.

Ontario has some private healthcare providers but they are a small part of the health system and provide relatively few public surgeries. Critics worry sharply expanding their footprint will take staff from the pool of public health workers. In 2021, the Commonwealth Fund ranked Canada's health system tenth out of 11 rich countries. Ontario's government said it is following the lead of provinces such as Alberta, which contracts with private providers and said last fall it will fund more surgeries in private clinics. No one disputes Ontario's health system faces serious challenges.

☆ What long Covid patients need to know about health insurance
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Halfpoint Images | Moment | Getty ImagesNavigating the health insurance system is often difficult and overwhelming, even in the best of times. For patients with long Covid, a relatively new condition that frequently leaves patients with a lengthy and unpredictable list of debilitating symptoms, it can be especially nightmarish. Here's what you need to know about navigating health insurance with the condition. Long Covid patients, for example, often seek physical therapy and mental health services, she said. Clinical trials are 'worth investigating'Clinical trials, many of which are covered by health insurance plans, can be a great option for long Covid patients, Donovan said.

☆ Long Covid's financial devastation: $8,000 in credit card debt, ruined retirement plans
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

More than a third of respondents said their income had gone down as a result of long Covid. "Long Covid is as much part of the pandemic as is the acute phase, during which the government went to great lengths to treat people and save lives," said Oved Amitay, president of the Long Covid Alliance, an advocacy group. Of the long Covid patients she has seen, only 2 out of 50 who have applied for SSDI have been approved so far, she said. Sharon Sunders long Covid patient"They may not have the resources to go through the process," Verduzco-Gutierrez said. 'There's a tidal wave of us coming'Sunders wishes the Biden administration would do more to help those financially struggling with long Covid.

☆ The anesthesiologist who is putting you under may work for a private-equity firm
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Gretchen Morgenson | Gretchen Morgenson Is The Senior Financial Reporter For The Nbc News Investigative Unit. A Former Stockbroker | She Won The Pulitzer Prize In For Her | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

But some physicians and patient advocates say the health care investments of private-equity firms and their drive to reap relatively short-term profits are inconsistent with putting patients first. Independent academic studies find that private equity’s laser focus on profits in health care operations can result in lower staffing levels at hospitals and nursing homes. Neither the FTC nor U.S. Anesthesia Partners responded to voice mails seeking comment; a spokesman for U.S. Anesthesia Partners confirmed the inquiry to the Journal, saying it is cooperating. NBC News asked both of NAPA’s private-equity owners about the disputes involving the company and the research showing higher costs associated with private-equity ownership of anesthesiology practices. Covid was sweeping the country and Moses Taylor was doing its best to respond to the health care crisis, according to its lawsuit.

☆ Nearly 6 million older adults are living below the poverty line. These resources can help struggling seniors
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The difference means that nearly 6 million older adults are struggling to make ends meet. Apply for food benefitsPixelseffect | E+ | Getty ImagesMany seniors aren't taking advantage of all the food assistance available to them, experts say. A 2015 study found that less than half of eligible seniors participated in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In addition, those enrolled in Medicare Part D, which covers prescriptions, should look to see if they qualify for Extra Help. The council also has a guide called You Gave, Now Save, including information on the most generous benefits that help older people with expenses like their phone bill and property taxes.

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