Over the past few months, several hospitals have announced major changes to their financial assistance policies, including curtailing the number of lawsuits they file against low-income patients unable to pay their medical bills. Investigative reports have spurred the moves, and they prompted criticism from a top federal official. “We are learning the lengths to which …
Like most of us, William Murphy dreads calling health insurance companies. They route him onto a rollercoaster of irrelevant voice menus, and when he finally reaches a human, it’s a customer service rep who has no idea what he’s talking about. Then it can take days to hear back, if anyone responds at all. The …
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare will raise the minimum wage it pays employees, dramatically expand its financial assistance policy for hospital care and stop suing its own employees for unpaid medical debts, hospital officials announced Tuesday. The broad reforms were prompted by a MLK50-ProPublica investigation that detailed how the nonprofit hospital system used …
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. MEMPHIS, Tennessee — This year, a Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare housekeeper left her job just three hours into her shift and caught a bus to Shelby County General Sessions Court. Wearing her …
MEMPHIS, Tennessee — In July 2007, Carrie Barrett went to the emergency room at Methodist University Hospital, complaining of shortness of breath and tightness in her chest. Her leg was swollen, she’d later recall, and her toes were turning black. Given her family history, high blood pressure and newly diagnosed congestive heart failure, doctors performed …
Coping with a loved one’s dementia is difficult enough at home, where they’re surrounded by familiar faces and objects. Going out to social activities can become a major ordeal, and many caregivers and patients suffer from isolation as a result. One path through the social maze: “Memory cafes” that allow dementia patients and their families …
Dealing with increasing prescription costs for medication is an issue for many. I know my personal monthly costs have been rising over the years. I wanted to let you know about a very interesting company PillPack.com. PillPack is now an Amazon-owned company. Walmart was hot and heavy to purchase them as well but lost out. …
The Urban League has put out a great interactive tool that shows debt in America. When you look at the maps showing the most amount of different types of debts, there is a strong correlation between those parts of the country where medical or auto loan debt is higher than average. The darker the color, …
The Senate has just unloaded their new proposed health care law which promises to repeal and replace Obamacare. Putting political opinions aside, a review of the numbers from the Congressional Budget Office paints a terrible picture for many American’s and older citizens. Under this new bill the brunt of the cuts is to be felt …
A leading consumer group, OSPIRG, released the ninth in a series of reports that review complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The latest report explores consumer complaints about medical debt, a major source of problems for consumers, since medical debt items on credit reports are often wrong or about the wrong consumer. The …