Nearly everyone is feeling the pain of high health care costs. Between 2003 and 2010, the cost employers paid for family coverage rose 50% and employees' share of the tab increased 63%. That's money siphoned away from the rest of the economy.
If you're very sick and not very wealthy in America, your best move may be to flee the country -- because you'd be better off in any other first world nation. Otherwise, expect to pay through the nose and possibly wind up deep in debt, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Fund.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, those of us who reach age 65 will have a 40% chance of entering a nursing home, and 10% will stay in one for five years or more. So does this mean you need long-term care insurance?
On Friday, Walmart announced it was rolling back is health benefits for part-time workers -- benefits that the nation's largest employer expanded just a few years ago in response to criticism of its labor practices. And even the lucky few employees who get to keep their coverage aren't going to like the new plan much.
When times get tough, teeth just aren't on the top of the "take care of this now" list. And that's nothing to smile about. About half of Americans lack dental insurance, and 77% of those have postponed seeing a dentist because of the cost -- a choice that can have serious long-term consequences.
Last month, new regulations were issued under the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) requiring insurance companies to make choosing a plan simpler. Specifically, the new rules require insurers to publish forms providing "clear, consistent and comparable information" about the health-care plans they offer.
As the federal super committee looks for $1.5 trillion in cuts, it's clear that fixing the federal budget will mean tackling big items -- including Medicare, America's most popular social program and one of its most expensive.
As more people lose their jobs, fewer people are getting their health insurance costs paid by their employer. And that means more consumers are seeking individual coverage, a daunting task. A new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation helps clarify the costs by state.
A new database, created as part of the New York settlement with insurance companies over out-of-network coverage, estimates the cost of a wide range of different procedures. The tool gives consumers a better idea of their expected bills.
CVS Caremark is best known for its drugstore busines. But it's also finding its way into the business of managing prescription-drug insurance claims. After taking some heat in the last few quarters, it is starting to see revenue from some big contracts in this segment.
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department on Monday released new guidelines that require insurance companies to cover contraceptives and other female preventative care without charging co-pays or other fees. Here's why this announcement makes columnist Loren Berlin smile.
Free clinics and the uninsured are paying a heavy price for the nation's teetering recovery: More than half of the clinics are now time turning away eligible patients -- many for the first time -- according to an AmeriCares report published Wednesday.
Health insurance is the new babe magnet -- so says a national survey of college students recent and grads. Ninety percent of students surveyed and 93% of recent grads said that knowing a potential significant other has health insurance would make him or her more attractive.
One of the most costly mistakes people make when it comes to medical care is assuming that using your health insurance -- if you're lucky enough to have it -- is always the best way to go. But there are times when it may just be cheaper to negotiate with your doctors and pay out of pocket.