Author archive for lhigashi

By Jason MillmanIf you've been wondering why the high cost of a new hepatitis C cure has ignited such a fierce public debate over the past few months, it's because more specialty drugs like Sovaldi are going to flood the market in coming years. This class of drugs accounted…

By Lisa GillespieTeenage girls who are given access to long-acting contraceptives such as IUDs or hormonal implants at no cost are less likely to become pregnant, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine released Wednesday....The New England Journal study followed 1,404 teenage girls for two…

By Daniela HernandezWhen Fabrizio Mancinelli applied for health insurance through California's online marketplace nine months ago, he ran into a frustrating snag...."This is such a difficult situation for consumers to be put in," said Sonal Ambegaokar, a senior attorney at the National Health Law Program, a national health advocacy…

By Robert PearWASHINGTON—Enrollment in Medicaid is surging as a result of the Affordable Care Act, but the Obama administration and state officials have done little to ensure that new beneficiaries have access to doctors after they get their Medicaid cards, federal investigators say in a new report....Sarah Somers, who…

By Nathaniel WeixelMedicaid expansion remains a contentious issue among governors and state legislatures, but those that have been holding out for political or economic reasons may be able to look to Arkansas for inspiration. Despite having a supermajority of Republicans in both the House and Senate, the state was…