Alex Olgin

The word "emergency" in capital letters is shown on the side of a building.

States face an uphill battle to stop runaway health care costs

Alex Olgin

Eight states are following Massachusetts’ lead and trying to strike the right balance of slowing health care spending without causing too much pain to the industry.

The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Policy & Politics

Three health policy stories to watch in 2023

Alex Olgin

Considering the country’s divided Congress, Americans shouldn’t hold their breath for major health reform legislation this year. On the other hand, 2023 is shaping up to see some incredibly consequential health policy changes that could impact millions.

Addiction and Drug Use

States will get billions in opioid settlement dollars. How will they spend it?

Alex Olgin

More than $50 billion in opioid settlement dollars from drugmakers, distributors and pharmacies is starting to flow to state and local governments, and they need to figure out how to spend it.

Therese Humphrey Ball walks along the hilly and tree lined streets of her neighborhood in Ogden Dunes, Indiana, on Oct. 25, 2022. Therese walks daily, rain or shine, up to seven miles, and believes exercise is one of the most important ways to keep healthy when dealing with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.

Health Care Costs

How a major Medicare change could help seniors with high drug costs

Dan Gorenstein

An overhaul of Medicare’s prescription drug benefit will lower costs for seniors while changing incentives for insurers and drugmakers.

A woman in a blue dressing gown turns sideways as she receives a mammogram.

Health Care Costs

When cancer screenings are free but follow-ups aren’t, patients foot the bill

Dan Gorenstein

Initial screenings for breast, lung and cervical cancer are covered by insurance, but expensive secondary tests can leave patients in screening purgatory.