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Listen: What Our 2-Year-Long Investigation Into Medical Debt Reveals

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Noam N. Levey
Tue, 12 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Across the country, Americans are losing their homes, emptying their retirement accounts, and struggling to feed and clothe their families because of medical debt. For two years, KFF Health News and NPR have been investigating this crisis through the “Diagnosis: Debt” project.

The award-winning project has exposed the enormous scale of this problem, finding, among other things, that 100 million people in the U.S. are saddled with some kind of health care debt.

KFF Health News senior correspondent Noam N. Levey joined NPR’s “The Sunday Story” to talk about the project, its findings, and the impact the reporting has had on policymakers and patients across the country. Listen to the program here.

About This Project

“Diagnosis: Debt” is a reporting partnership between KFF Health News and NPR exploring the scale, impact, and causes of medical debt in America.

The series draws on original polling by KFF, court records, federal data on hospital finances, contracts obtained through public records requests, data on international health systems, and a yearlong investigation into the financial assistance and collection policies of more than 500 hospitals across the country. 

Additional research was conducted by the Urban Institute, which analyzed credit bureau and other demographic data on poverty, race, and health status for KFF Health News to explore where medical debt is concentrated in the U.S. and what factors are associated with high debt levels.

The JPMorgan Chase Institute analyzed records from a sampling of Chase credit card holders to look at how customers’ balances may be affected by major medical expenses. And the CED Project, a Denver nonprofit, worked with KFF Health News on a survey of its clients to explore links between medical debt and housing instability. 

KFF Health News journalists worked with KFF public opinion researchers to design and analyze the “KFF Health Care Debt Survey.” The survey was conducted Feb. 25 through March 20, 2022, online and via telephone, in English and Spanish, among a nationally representative sample of 2,375 U.S. adults, including 1,292 adults with current health care debt and 382 adults who had health care debt in the past five years. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the full sample and 3 percentage points for those with current debt. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error may be higher.

Reporters from KFF Health News and NPR also conducted hundreds of interviews with patients across the country; spoke with physicians, health industry leaders, consumer advocates, debt lawyers, and researchers; and reviewed scores of studies and surveys about medical debt.

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By: Noam N. Levey
Title: Listen: What Our 2-Year-Long Investigation Into Medical Debt Reveals
Sourced From: kffhealthnews.org/news/article/listen-sunday-story-npr-medical-debt-investigation-series/
Published Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 10:00:00 +0000

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Kaiser Health News

California Dengue Cases Prompt Swift Response From Public Health Officials

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kffhealthnews.org – Claudia Boyd-Barrett – 2024-11-12 04:00:00

SUMMARY: Jason Farned and his team at the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District have been preparing for dengue’s arrival, with the virus now detected in California. The spread of Aedes mosquitoes, capable of transmitting dengue, has been fueled by climate change and international trade. In 2023, California saw 13 locally acquired cases, prompting efforts like surveillance, pesticide applications, and public education. Authorities are also exploring techniques like sterile mosquito releases to reduce populations. Public cooperation is key, as Aedes mosquitoes are now established in 24 counties, and local outbreaks pose a growing threat to public health.

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Kaiser Health News

Older Americans Living Alone Often Rely on Neighbors or Others Willing To Help

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kffhealthnews.org – Judith Graham – 2024-11-12 03:00:00

SUMMARY: Donald Hammen, 80, relies on his neighbor Julie McMahon for support as he lives alone in Minneapolis. With no close family, he has formed connections with friends, former colleagues, and fellow volunteers, who help him navigate daily challenges. However, he remains uncertain about future care if his health declines. Many older adults like Hammen, lacking close family ties, face similar dilemmas. AARP research shows that only a quarter of solo agers can count on someone for help with basic tasks. Building local support networks is essential, yet many find it challenging to establish reliable connections for assistance in their later years.

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Kaiser Health News

Watchdog Calls for Tighter Scrutiny of Medicare Advantage Home Visits

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kffhealthnews.org – Fred Schulte, KFF Health News – 2024-11-08 04:00:00

SUMMARY: A new federal audit from the Health and Human Services Inspector General highlights concerns over $7.5 billion in Medicare Advantage overpayments linked to home visits that yielded no medical treatment in 2023. Despite these findings, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) declined to limit payments for such visits, arguing they enhance in-home care access. The audit suggests UnitedHealthcare accounted for a significant portion of contested payments, highlighting inefficacies in treating diagnosed conditions. Critics argue CMS needs stronger oversight to prevent potential waste of taxpayer dollars and enforce accurate diagnosis reporting.

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