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February 15, 2013 "We should think of doctors the same way we think of shirts," an economist says. "If we can get doctors at a lower cost from elsewhere in the world then we could save enormous amounts of money."

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February 15, 2013 The notion that being a little overweight could help people in old age is being challenged. Some of the studies in support of the so-called obesity paradox excluded people who lived in institutions, like nursing homes, or were too sick to participate, a critic says.

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February 12, 2013 KHNIn some cases, "observation" may be no more than a billing designation that allows hospitals to move patients out of crowded emergency departments. Hospitals also may use them to avoid potential insurance reimbursement problems.

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February 11, 2013 When researchers asked hospitals how much a total hip replacement would cost a 62-year-old woman paying cash, a surprising number couldn't or wouldn't say. Health care could learn something from the car industry about working with consumers, critics say.

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February 8, 2013 MPBMississippi would have been the only Republican-led state in the South with a health insurance exchange not run by the federal government. Now Mississippi has another distinction: It's the only state to have its exchange plan turned down by the federal government.

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February 8, 2013 Health care professionals aren't giving Americans the stress management advice they want, according to a new survey. The untreated anxiety may be good news for the snack food and video game industries.

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February 7, 2013 Regulations to restrict the amount of silica dust that workers can inhale were set decades ago, and workplace safety experts say that limit needs to be cut in half. A proposal for new rules was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for a 90-day review, but almost two years later, it's still under review.

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February 6, 2013 Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said he would seek to expand the state's Medicaid program under the terms of the Affordable Care Act a day after Ohio Gov. John Kasich effectively said the same thing when he unveiled his proposed budget.

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February 5, 2013 KHNMany long-term care policies sold 30 years ago didn't specifically cover assisted living facilities. Policyholders rely on clauses that say new kinds of care will be covered when it becomes available, but the ultimate decision rests with insurers.

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February 4, 2013 Where do our health care dollars go? Where does the money come from? And how has the picture changed over time?

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February 1, 2013 Under the proposed rule, employees at nonprofit religious organizations would get access to no-cost contraception, but their employer wouldn't pay for the coverage. The move is another attempt to provide contraceptive coverage without violating the beliefs of religious nonprofits.

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February 1, 2013 Most medical schools have cut down on students' interactions with the pharmaceutical industry by instituting gift restriction policies. These policies can reduce the prescribing of newly marketed drugs in favor of cheaper options.

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January 30, 2013 KHNUnder the health care overhaul, many people who find their job-based health coverage too expensive can get help buying insurance through exchanges. But rules just finalized by the Internal Revenue Service will limit who is eligible for a subsidy and could leave some families shut out.

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