Connect with us

Kaiser Health News

A ‘Payday Loan’ From a Health Care Behemoth

Published

1 year ago

on

by Dan Weissmann
Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Alex Shteynshlyuger, a urologist with a practice in New York City, feels surrounded by UnitedHealth Group. He has seen the company gobble up private practices and says it’s slow to pay claims. It also started offering cash-flow services that, Shteynshlyuger says, feel a lot like payday loans.

UnitedHealth Group is the largest employer of physicians in the United States. And it’s growing.

Has the company become too big?

In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann looks into this “behemoth” company and the obstacles antitrust regulators face in keeping up with its rapid growth.

Dan Weissmann


@danweissmann

Host and producer of “An Arm and a Leg.” Previously, Dan was a staff reporter for Marketplace and Chicago’s WBEZ. His work also appears on All Things Considered, Marketplace, the BBC, 99 Percent Invisible, and Reveal, from the Center for Investigative Reporting.

Credits

Emily Pisacreta
Producer

Adam Raymonda
Audio Wizard

Afi Yellow-Duke
Editor

Click to open the Transcript

Transcript: A ‘Payday Loan’ From a Health Care Behemoth

Note: “An Arm and a Leg” uses speech-recognition software to generate transcripts, which may contain errors. Please use the transcript as a tool but check the corresponding audio before quoting the podcast.

“An Arm and a Leg” is a co-production of KFF Health News and Public Road Productions.

To keep in touch with “An Arm and a Leg,” subscribe to the newsletter. You can also follow the show on Facebook and Twitter. And if you’ve got stories to tell about the health care system, the producers would love to hear from you.

To hear all KFF Health News podcasts, click here.

And subscribe to “An Arm and a Leg” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

By: Dan Weissmann
Title: A ‘Payday Loan’ From a Health Care Behemoth
Sourced From: kffhealthnews.org/news/podcast/a-payday-loan-from-a-health-care-behemoth/
Published Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.biloxinewsevents.com/california-confronts-the-threat-of-tranq-as-overdose-crisis-rages/

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Kaiser Health News

Readers Embrace ‘Going It Alone’ Series on Aging and Chastise Makers of Pulse Oximeters

Published

1 day ago

on

November 22, 2024

By

kffhealthnews.org – – 2024-11-22 04:00:00

SUMMARY: Letters to the Editor discuss various healthcare concerns. Gail Daniels shares her struggles caring for a mother with dementia, while Shava Nerad reflects on the challenges faced by those without family support. Gloria Rankin suggests using pen pals to combat social isolation. Zoe Joyner Danielson recalls racial bias in pulse oximeter development, while Suzann Lebda questions fluoride’s impact on dental health. Readers also address issues like Medicare Advantage, high drug costs for seniors, and the financial burden of prepaying for baby deliveries. Liviu Steier advocates for fluorescence in dental care, emphasizing its diagnostic benefits.

Read the full article

The post Readers Embrace ‘Going It Alone’ Series on Aging and Chastise Makers of Pulse Oximeters appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

Continue Reading

Kaiser Health News

Georgians With Disabilities Are Still Being Institutionalized, Despite Federal Oversight

Published

1 day ago

on

November 22, 2024

By

kffhealthnews.org – Sam Whitehead – 2024-11-22 04:00:00

SUMMARY: Lloyd Mills, a 32-year-old with autism, cerebral palsy, and kidney disease, has faced prolonged hospitalization due to inadequate community support in Georgia. After being admitted to Grady Memorial Hospital for mental health issues, Mills waited over eight months for appropriate housing, highlighting the systemic failures of a state still grappling with the consequences of a 2010 Department of Justice lawsuit regarding care for people with developmental disabilities. Despite significant investments and improvements in services, challenges like workforce shortages and inadequate funding persist, often leaving individuals like Mills in hospitals, impacting their mental and physical well-being.

Read the full article

The post Georgians With Disabilities Are Still Being Institutionalized, Despite Federal Oversight appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

Continue Reading

Kaiser Health News

TV’s Dr. Oz Invested in Businesses Regulated by Agency Trump Wants Him To Lead

Published

1 day ago

on

November 21, 2024

By

kffhealthnews.org – Darius Tahir – 2024-11-21 18:01:00

SUMMARY: President-elect Donald Trump nominated celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Oz, known for his investments in healthcare, tech, and food companies, holds significant stakes in UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, Amazon, and other companies involved in health insurance and pharmaceuticals, raising potential conflicts of interest. His financial ties include hospital stocks and pharmaceutical investments. Oz has expressed support for Medicare Advantage and criticized the food and healthcare industries. Critics question whether Oz can separate his financial interests from his role, particularly with companies doing business with the federal government.

Read the full article

The post TV’s Dr. Oz Invested in Businesses Regulated by Agency Trump Wants Him To Lead appeared first on kffhealthnews.org

Continue Reading

Trending