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Several members of Congress are calling on the Social Security Administration to answer for issuing billions of dollars of payments it says beneficiaries weren’t entitled to receive — and then demanding the money back.
Many of the recipients are elderly, poor, or disabled and have already spent the money. They have little or no way of repaying it.
“The government’s got to fix this,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who chairs a Senate panel that oversees Social Security.
“It’s a management problem, and people there should be held accountable,” Brown added.
Rep. Mike Carey of Ohio, the No. 2 Republican on a House panel that oversees Social Security, called for a congressional hearing on the subject.
“We need to have a hearing,” he said. “The general sense from members is … we do have a problem, we’ve got to address it, we’ve got to fix it,” he added.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a member of the Committee on Aging, questioned how the volume of overpayments was allowed to grow to more than $20 billion. “Is somebody going to be held accountable at the federal level for, you know, messing this up?”
Those lawmakers and others commented in the wake of an investigation by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group (CMG) that found many of the nation’s poorest and most vulnerable, including people receiving disability benefits, have been called on to repay the government sums that can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.
By David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group #RickScott #SherrodBrown #MikeCarey #socialsecurity #socialsecuritybenefits
Many of the recipients are elderly, poor, or disabled and have already spent the money. They have little or no way of repaying it.
“The government’s got to fix this,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who chairs a Senate panel that oversees Social Security.
“It’s a management problem, and people there should be held accountable,” Brown added.
Rep. Mike Carey of Ohio, the No. 2 Republican on a House panel that oversees Social Security, called for a congressional hearing on the subject.
“We need to have a hearing,” he said. “The general sense from members is … we do have a problem, we’ve got to address it, we’ve got to fix it,” he added.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a member of the Committee on Aging, questioned how the volume of overpayments was allowed to grow to more than $20 billion. “Is somebody going to be held accountable at the federal level for, you know, messing this up?”
Those lawmakers and others commented in the wake of an investigation by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group (CMG) that found many of the nation’s poorest and most vulnerable, including people receiving disability benefits, have been called on to repay the government sums that can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.
By David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group #RickScott #SherrodBrown #MikeCarey #socialsecurity #socialsecuritybenefits
What happens to health programs if the federal government shuts down?
For the first time since 2019, congressional gridlock is poised to at least temporarily shut down big parts of the federal government — including many health programs.
If it happens, some government functions would stop completely and some in part, while others wouldn’t be immediately affected — including Medicare, Medicaid, and health plans sold under the Affordable Care Act. But a shutdown could complicate the lives of everyone who interacts with any federal health program, as well as the people who work at the agencies administering them.
KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner explains the news to Aspen, her corgi. Full story on @npr & KFFHealthNews.org. #governmentshutdown #medicalnews #corgisoftiktok #CDC #HHS
For the first time since 2019, congressional gridlock is poised to at least temporarily shut down big parts of the federal government — including many health programs.
If it happens, some government functions would stop completely and some in part, while others wouldn’t be immediately affected — including Medicare, Medicaid, and health plans sold under the Affordable Care Act. But a shutdown could complicate the lives of everyone who interacts with any federal health program, as well as the people who work at the agencies administering them.
KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner explains the news to Aspen, her corgi. Full story on @npr & KFFHealthNews.org. #governmentshutdown #medicalnews #corgisoftiktok #CDC #HHS
The opioid settlement funds come from national deals with health care companies like Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, and CVS, which were accused of fueling the epidemic via prescription painkillers. The companies are paying out more than $50 billion to state and local governments over 18 years.
Much of that money is slated for addiction treatment and efforts to reduce drug trafficking. But some is going to school-based prevention programs to reduce the possibility of addiction before it begins.
Parents, educators, and elected officials agree that investing in school-based prevention efforts could help curb the rising rate of youth drug overdoses. The well-known D.A.R.E. program is one likely choice, but its effectiveness is in question.
For generations of Americans, addiction prevention was synonymous with D.A.R.E., a Drug Abuse Resistance Education curriculum developed in the 1980s and taught by police officers in schools. It “dared” kids to resist drugs and was used in concert with other popular campaigns at the time, like “just say no” and a video of an egg in a frying pan with the narration, “This is your brain on drugs.”
But decades of research found those approaches didn’t work. In some cases, suburban students actually increased their drug use after participating in the D.A.R.E. program.
Article by KFF Health News’ Aneri Pattani and Emily Featherston, InvestigateTV
Video reported by Aneri Pattani, Emily Featherston, Caresse Jackman
#opioidepidemic #opioidcrisis #DARE #opioidsettlement #educationtiktok
Much of that money is slated for addiction treatment and efforts to reduce drug trafficking. But some is going to school-based prevention programs to reduce the possibility of addiction before it begins.
Parents, educators, and elected officials agree that investing in school-based prevention efforts could help curb the rising rate of youth drug overdoses. The well-known D.A.R.E. program is one likely choice, but its effectiveness is in question.
For generations of Americans, addiction prevention was synonymous with D.A.R.E., a Drug Abuse Resistance Education curriculum developed in the 1980s and taught by police officers in schools. It “dared” kids to resist drugs and was used in concert with other popular campaigns at the time, like “just say no” and a video of an egg in a frying pan with the narration, “This is your brain on drugs.”
But decades of research found those approaches didn’t work. In some cases, suburban students actually increased their drug use after participating in the D.A.R.E. program.
Article by KFF Health News’ Aneri Pattani and Emily Featherston, InvestigateTV
Video reported by Aneri Pattani, Emily Featherston, Caresse Jackman
#opioidepidemic #opioidcrisis #DARE #opioidsettlement #educationtiktok
Kaiser Permanente and union representatives pledged to continue negotiating a new contract up until the last minute as the threat of the nation’s latest large-scale strike looms next month.
Unless a deal is struck, more than 75,000 health workers will walk out for three days from Oct. 4-7, disrupting care for KP patients in California, Colorado, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C. The unions represent a wide range of KP health workers, including lab technicians, phlebotomists, pharmacists, optometrists, social workers, orderlies, and support staff.
A strike, if it occurs, would affect most of Kaiser Permanente’s 39 hospitals and 622 medical offices across the U.S., and would disrupt care for many of its nearly 13 million patients. If workers walk off their jobs, “it will start to impact patient care right away,” said John August, director of health care and partner programs at Cornell University’s Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution, who is a former head of the union coalition currently negotiating with KP.
Article by Bernard J. Wolfson. #kaiserpermanente #medicalnews #medicalsystem #healthcareworkers #healthcarestrike
Unless a deal is struck, more than 75,000 health workers will walk out for three days from Oct. 4-7, disrupting care for KP patients in California, Colorado, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C. The unions represent a wide range of KP health workers, including lab technicians, phlebotomists, pharmacists, optometrists, social workers, orderlies, and support staff.
A strike, if it occurs, would affect most of Kaiser Permanente’s 39 hospitals and 622 medical offices across the U.S., and would disrupt care for many of its nearly 13 million patients. If workers walk off their jobs, “it will start to impact patient care right away,” said John August, director of health care and partner programs at Cornell University’s Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution, who is a former head of the union coalition currently negotiating with KP.
Article by Bernard J. Wolfson. #kaiserpermanente #medicalnews #medicalsystem #healthcareworkers #healthcarestrike
The Biden administration announced a major initiative to protect Americans from medical debt on Thursday, outlining plans to develop federal rules barring unpaid medical bills from affecting patients’ credit scores.
The regulations, if enacted, would potentially help tens of millions of people who have medical debt on their credit reports, eliminating information that can depress consumers’ scores and make it harder for many to get a job, rent an apartment, or secure a car loan.
New rules would also represent one of the most significant federal actions to tackle medical debt, a problem that burdens about 100 million people and forces legions to take on extra work, give up their homes, and ration food and other essentials, a KFF Health News-@npr investigation found.
“No one in this country should have to go into debt to get the quality health care they need,” said Vice President Kamala Harris, who announced the new moves along with Rohit Chopra, head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB. The agency will be charged with developing the new rules.
“These measures will improve the credit scores of millions of Americans so that they will better be able to invest in their future,” Harris said.
Enacting new regulations can be a lengthy process. Administration officials said Thursday that the new rules would be developed next year.
Article by Noam Levey. #medicaldebt #cfpb
The regulations, if enacted, would potentially help tens of millions of people who have medical debt on their credit reports, eliminating information that can depress consumers’ scores and make it harder for many to get a job, rent an apartment, or secure a car loan.
New rules would also represent one of the most significant federal actions to tackle medical debt, a problem that burdens about 100 million people and forces legions to take on extra work, give up their homes, and ration food and other essentials, a KFF Health News-@npr investigation found.
“No one in this country should have to go into debt to get the quality health care they need,” said Vice President Kamala Harris, who announced the new moves along with Rohit Chopra, head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB. The agency will be charged with developing the new rules.
“These measures will improve the credit scores of millions of Americans so that they will better be able to invest in their future,” Harris said.
Enacting new regulations can be a lengthy process. Administration officials said Thursday that the new rules would be developed next year.
Article by Noam Levey. #medicaldebt #cfpb
The Social Security Administration is trying to reclaim billions of dollars from many of the nation’s poorest and most vulnerable — payments it sent them but now says they never should have received.
During the 2022 fiscal year, the agency clawed back $4.7 billion of overpayments, while another $21.6 billion remained outstanding, according to a report by SSA’s inspector general.
One consequence is a costly collection effort for the government and a potentially devastating ordeal for the beneficiary, a KFF Health News and Cox Media Group investigation found. #socialsecurity
During the 2022 fiscal year, the agency clawed back $4.7 billion of overpayments, while another $21.6 billion remained outstanding, according to a report by SSA’s inspector general.
One consequence is a costly collection effort for the government and a potentially devastating ordeal for the beneficiary, a KFF Health News and Cox Media Group investigation found. #socialsecurity
When her 9-year-old daughter was having trouble breathing, Yvette Hammonds took her to a local emergency room. It quickly became clear that girl needed to be transferred to the children’s hospital about 40 minutes away in Atlanta, so her daughter was loaded into an ambulance.
Months later, Hammonds received a bill for nearly $1,000: the cost of the ground ambulance ride from one in-network hospital to another.
In this installment of @InvestigateTV and KFF Health News’ “Costly Care” series, Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV’s national consumer investigative reporter, probes the lack of cost protections for patients who find themselves needing an ambulance ride to care.
Jackman’s story features an interview with Elisabeth Rosenthal, KFF Health News’ senior contributing editor. “When you need an ambulance, you need an ambulance,” Rosenthal said. “And that’s the worst time in your life to be a consumer, when you have no choice.” #surprisemedicalbills #ambulance #medicalnews #healthcarecosts
Months later, Hammonds received a bill for nearly $1,000: the cost of the ground ambulance ride from one in-network hospital to another.
In this installment of @InvestigateTV and KFF Health News’ “Costly Care” series, Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV’s national consumer investigative reporter, probes the lack of cost protections for patients who find themselves needing an ambulance ride to care.
Jackman’s story features an interview with Elisabeth Rosenthal, KFF Health News’ senior contributing editor. “When you need an ambulance, you need an ambulance,” Rosenthal said. “And that’s the worst time in your life to be a consumer, when you have no choice.” #surprisemedicalbills #ambulance #medicalnews #healthcarecosts
“Medical identity” fraud can happen in several ways, from a large-scale breach to individual theft of someone’s data.
Just ask Evelyn Miller. The first sign something was amiss was a text Miller received from an Emory University Hospital emergency department informing her that her wait time to be seen was 30 minutes to 1 hour. That’s weird, she thought. She no longer lives in Atlanta and hadn’t used that hospital system in years. Then she got a second text, similar to the first. Must be spam, she thought.
When she got a call the next day from an Emory staffer named Michael to discuss the diagnostic results from her ER visit, she knew something was definitely wrong. “It amazed me someone could get registered with another person’s name and no ID was checked or anything,” Miller said.
And while the name and date of birth the staffer had on record for her were correct, Miller’s address was not. She now lives in Blairsville, Georgia, a few hours north of Atlanta. Michael said he’d correct the problem. The next week, she got a bill from Emory for more than $3,600. Full story by Michelle Andrews at KFFHealthNews.org. #medicalnews #medicalfraud #IDtheft #idtheftprevention #hackers
Just ask Evelyn Miller. The first sign something was amiss was a text Miller received from an Emory University Hospital emergency department informing her that her wait time to be seen was 30 minutes to 1 hour. That’s weird, she thought. She no longer lives in Atlanta and hadn’t used that hospital system in years. Then she got a second text, similar to the first. Must be spam, she thought.
When she got a call the next day from an Emory staffer named Michael to discuss the diagnostic results from her ER visit, she knew something was definitely wrong. “It amazed me someone could get registered with another person’s name and no ID was checked or anything,” Miller said.
And while the name and date of birth the staffer had on record for her were correct, Miller’s address was not. She now lives in Blairsville, Georgia, a few hours north of Atlanta. Michael said he’d correct the problem. The next week, she got a bill from Emory for more than $3,600. Full story by Michelle Andrews at KFFHealthNews.org. #medicalnews #medicalfraud #IDtheft #idtheftprevention #hackers
It was Labor Day weekend 2021 when Sara Walsh, who was 24 weeks pregnant with twins, began to experience severe lower-back pain.
On Wednesday, a few days later, a maternal-fetal specialist near her home in Winter Haven, Florida, diagnosed Walsh with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare complication that occurs when fetuses share blood unevenly through the same placenta. The doctor told her that the fetuses were experiencing cardiac issues and that she should prepare for treatment the following day, Walsh said.
Her OB-GYN told her that, without immediate surgery, her twins had a high chance of perinatal death, and she could also die.
Both doctors referred Walsh to a fetal surgeon about four hours away, describing him as an expert on the condition.
As Walsh prepared to leave, she received a call from the surgeon’s practice, the Fetal Institute. Walsh said a billing representative told her that before surgeon Ruben Quintero would see her, she needed to pay in full for the consultation, surgery, and postoperative care — a total estimate of $15,000. Visit our website to read the KFF-@npr #BillOfTheMonth series. #medicalbills #medicaldebt
On Wednesday, a few days later, a maternal-fetal specialist near her home in Winter Haven, Florida, diagnosed Walsh with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare complication that occurs when fetuses share blood unevenly through the same placenta. The doctor told her that the fetuses were experiencing cardiac issues and that she should prepare for treatment the following day, Walsh said.
Her OB-GYN told her that, without immediate surgery, her twins had a high chance of perinatal death, and she could also die.
Both doctors referred Walsh to a fetal surgeon about four hours away, describing him as an expert on the condition.
As Walsh prepared to leave, she received a call from the surgeon’s practice, the Fetal Institute. Walsh said a billing representative told her that before surgeon Ruben Quintero would see her, she needed to pay in full for the consultation, surgery, and postoperative care — a total estimate of $15,000. Visit our website to read the KFF-@npr #BillOfTheMonth series. #medicalbills #medicaldebt
Have you heard of Chagas? If not, listen up. It’s a disease caused by the bite of an insect called a kissing bug, which carries a parasite. The parasite can enter your body through the bite wound and reproduce for decades.
Chagas disease is common in rural areas of Latin America. But there are cases in the United States, 300,000 estimated by the CDC.
If left untreated, Chagas disease can cause serious heart problems. But if caught early, there are treatments that can eradicate the parasite from the body.
Unfortunately, here in the U.S., few doctors know about the disease. Therefore, only 1% of cases are diagnosed and treated.
This can change. Doctors and patient advocates are calling for more access to tests and treatment. Learn about Chagas by visiting cdc.gov or medlineplus.gov. #chagas #kissingbug #publichealth #latinamerica
Chagas disease is common in rural areas of Latin America. But there are cases in the United States, 300,000 estimated by the CDC.
If left untreated, Chagas disease can cause serious heart problems. But if caught early, there are treatments that can eradicate the parasite from the body.
Unfortunately, here in the U.S., few doctors know about the disease. Therefore, only 1% of cases are diagnosed and treated.
This can change. Doctors and patient advocates are calling for more access to tests and treatment. Learn about Chagas by visiting cdc.gov or medlineplus.gov. #chagas #kissingbug #publichealth #latinamerica
Aniya was ready to leave. She was dressed in a fuzzy white onesie her mother had packed for her first trip home. Yet Aniya’s family had more questions than answers as they cradled the newborn out of the hospital, her mother’s body left behind.
April Valentine, a 31-year-old Black mother, died while giving birth in Inglewood, California, on Jan. 10. Her family has raised questions of improper care: Why didn’t nurses investigate numbness and swelling in her leg, symptoms she reported at least 10 times over the course of 15 hours? Why did it take nearly 20 hours for her doctor to see her after she arrived at the hospital already in labor?
Valentine’s family wants the state to investigate how she died and whether systemic or interpersonal racism could have played a role. Los Angeles politicians and media have amplified their demands. “I think she would have been treated differently if she was white,” said Valentine’s cousin Mykesha Mack, who filed a complaint.
By Sarah Kwon
#medicalracism #momsoftiktok #pregnancy #childbirth #parentsoftiktok
April Valentine, a 31-year-old Black mother, died while giving birth in Inglewood, California, on Jan. 10. Her family has raised questions of improper care: Why didn’t nurses investigate numbness and swelling in her leg, symptoms she reported at least 10 times over the course of 15 hours? Why did it take nearly 20 hours for her doctor to see her after she arrived at the hospital already in labor?
Valentine’s family wants the state to investigate how she died and whether systemic or interpersonal racism could have played a role. Los Angeles politicians and media have amplified their demands. “I think she would have been treated differently if she was white,” said Valentine’s cousin Mykesha Mack, who filed a complaint.
By Sarah Kwon
#medicalracism #momsoftiktok #pregnancy #childbirth #parentsoftiktok
Did you know that law enforcement and the health care industry are using artificial intelligence in the fight against the opioid crisis?
Algorithms can flag doctors who might be overprescribing or patients at risk of an overdose.
But researchers warn some AI systems haven’t been thoroughly tested for accuracy or bias — and could make mistakes.
By Andy Miller and Sam Whitehead
Music by Sam Whitehead #opioidcrisis #artificialintelligence #AI #healthnews #originalmusic #doctorsoftiktok
Algorithms can flag doctors who might be overprescribing or patients at risk of an overdose.
But researchers warn some AI systems haven’t been thoroughly tested for accuracy or bias — and could make mistakes.
By Andy Miller and Sam Whitehead
Music by Sam Whitehead #opioidcrisis #artificialintelligence #AI #healthnews #originalmusic #doctorsoftiktok
Paying your #medicalbill won't stop providers from billing you later for more money.
Last summer, Eloise Reynolds paid the bill for her husband’s final stay in the hospital. He’d passed away from #coloncancer , and it said she owed $823. Then a bill came again a year later, charging an additional almost $1,100.
What gives? It appeared the bill represented the coinsurance share of the private room charges. But her husband had already met his out-of-pocket payment maximum for the year. When KFF Health News called, the hospital said the charges were the result of a “clerical error.”
A tip: Don't pay the bill before you've gotten the explanation of benefits, and ask for an itemized breakdown.
This is the latest “Bill of the Month” from KFF Health News and @npr .
Reported by Samantha Liss.
Last summer, Eloise Reynolds paid the bill for her husband’s final stay in the hospital. He’d passed away from #coloncancer , and it said she owed $823. Then a bill came again a year later, charging an additional almost $1,100.
What gives? It appeared the bill represented the coinsurance share of the private room charges. But her husband had already met his out-of-pocket payment maximum for the year. When KFF Health News called, the hospital said the charges were the result of a “clerical error.”
A tip: Don't pay the bill before you've gotten the explanation of benefits, and ask for an itemized breakdown.
This is the latest “Bill of the Month” from KFF Health News and @npr .
Reported by Samantha Liss.