Catholic health systems aren’t always held to the same medical standards as secular hospitals. This is the third post in an ongoing series. You can read the other installments HERE. When you go to a hospital, you have a reasonable expectation that you’ll receive the care you need — whoever you are, whatever your circumstances. After all, there’s a reason […]

If past experience is any indication, some healthcare services will no longer be available. This is the second in a multi-part series on the rise of Catholic health systems and the impact on patient care. You can read the first post in the series HERE. Refusal to treat patients on religious grounds in Michigan has made national news recently, with […]

Religious doctrine can trump medical standards and interfere with patients’ rights to make their own decisions. If you want to be sure you and the people you love have access to the complete spectrum of healthcare services, you’d better know who owns your hospital. It’s not always obvious, but it’s important. Because one in six hospital beds in the United […]

The new SHOP insurance marketplace at Healthcare.gov gives young company affordable options. Ryan Irvin and Amanda Stitt are the kind of small business owners who want to do the right thing for their employees. But they’re also business owners who need to pay attention to the bottom line. Fortunately, they’re able to do both. The Small Business Health Options Program […]

The King v. Burwell case could leave millions without health insurance. That’s not good for anyone. When Dawn Erina needed some minor surgery early this year, she was able to afford it. She could afford physical therapy visits, too. Without the surgery, Dawn would have struggled to do her job. When Dawn needed to refill one of her prescriptions, she […]

If you started enrolling before midnight on February 15, you can still get covered. But don’t delay! This post has been updated to reflect that all states have granted extensions. It’s not like there wasn’t plenty of advance notice. But if you were trying to sign up for health insurance and didn’t finish the process before midnight on February 15, […]

Brian was the picture of health before his diagnosis. He’s grateful he has insurance and wants everyone to get covered. Back in 2012, Brian Skibo had no reason to think there was anything wrong other than some work-related back pain. But when the pain didn’t respond to treatment, and he started getting headaches, his doctor ordered some tests. What the […]

If SCOTUS eliminates the ACA’s tax credits, Dolly and Chip would no longer be able to afford insurance — and the consequences could be life-threatening. UPDATE: After this story was posted, Dolly resubmitted an application for Medicaid and she and her husband were accepted into the program based on their very low income. So although they are no longer at […]

There’s nothing like a conference full of health advocates to remind you how far we’ve come — and how far we have to go. If you think the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is all there is to health reform, you could not be more wrong. It’s understandable, I suppose, that folks who don’t work in health advocacy might not be […]

A hospital denied her treatment after a stroke because she didn’t have insurance, but Obamacare changed all that. When Jae Stewart was 14 years old, she collapsed in the gym while playing basketball. The doctors said she had a heart murmur and sent her on her way, but little did Jae know this was the beginning of a lifetime of […]

His premiums are $500 less per month and there’s zero co-pay for the expensive medicine he needs to stay alive. When your life depends on taking your medication on time, every single day, it’s not something you take chances with. As a man living with AIDS, Dan Waszak was willing to pay as much as $1,480 a month for health […]