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Consumers in All and across the country face too many challenges when it comes to accessing the care they need. Find All #HealthCareReform stories here.

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Arkansas Hospital Sued Consumers, Own Employees, During COVID-19 Pandemic

Consumers for Quality Care, September 27, 2023

Since 2019, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has been aggressively suing consumers, many of whom were once employees of UAMS, over small amounts of medical debt, according to CNN.   The CNN investigation chronicles the experiences of both employees and patients who received medical care at UAMS...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Delaware Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, September 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Delaware Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Delaware Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Florida Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, September 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Florida Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Florida Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Indiana Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, September 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Indiana Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Indiana Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New Jersey Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, September 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New Jersey Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The New Jersey Hospital Scorecard was created based...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New York Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, September 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New York Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The New York Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard was created...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Ohio Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, September 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Ohio Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Ohio Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: South Carolina Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, September 25, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: South Carolina Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The South Carolina Hospital Scorecard was created based...

Midwest Nonprofit Health System to No Longer Deny Care for Consumers with Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, September 20, 2023

The Minnesota-based nonprofit health system, Allina Health, recently announced it would end its controversial practice of denying non-emergency medical care for patients that have medical debts in excess of $4,500, according to The New York Times. Prior to this announcement, Allina had instructed staff to cancel appointments and lock...

Minnesota State Lawmakers, Consumers Work to Stop Potentially Harmful Hospital Merger

Consumers for Quality Care, September 13, 2023

Minnesota-based hospital system Fairview Health Services recently abandoned, for the second time, its plan to merge with South Dakota-based Sanford Health Services, according to the Minnesota Reformer. Fairview Health Services abandoned this merger, citing a lack of support from “certain Minnesota stakeholders,” an allusion to the labor unions, elected...

St. Paul, MN Looking to Erase $110 Million in Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, August 30, 2023

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter has proposed using leftover federal COVID-19 relief funds to erase millions in medical debt for residents, according to Axios. Medical debt has far-reaching implications for consumers already struggling to make ends meet. These individuals and families are more at risk of facing eviction and...

Medical Debt Hits Hardest Among Low-Income Marylanders and People of Color

Consumers for Quality Care, August 16, 2023

Roughly 17 percent of Maryland residents facing medical debt encounter compounded challenges, with a disproportionate amount of low-income consumers and communities of color affected, according to Maryland Matters. An October 2020 survey by Economic Action Maryland revealed that 12 percent of consumers had unpaid medical debt, with 26 percent...

State Officials Adding to the Medical Debt Crisis by Engaging in Predatory Collection Practices

Consumers for Quality Care, August 9, 2023

While state attorneys general have railed against predatory hospital billing and debt collection practices, they also serve as stewards of taxpayer dollars and collect on unpaid medical debt. Some state officials, like those in North Carolina, can even go as far as garnishing income tax refunds, disproportionally harming low-income...

Virginia Codifies Federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule Into Law

Consumers for Quality Care, July 26, 2023

Virginia has become the first state to codify into law the federal hospital price transparency rule implemented in early 2021, a move that experts believe will force hospitals in the state to disclose their prices, helping consumers to make informed decisions about their medical care, according to 13 News...

South Dakota Expands Medicaid for Thousands of Low-Income Adults

Consumers for Quality Care, July 26, 2023

South Dakota has expanded Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), making over 52,000 low-income adults eligible for health care coverage, Fierce Healthcare reports. Individuals between the ages of 19 and 64 with incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty level are now eligible to apply for...

150,000 Arizona Consumers Losing Medicaid Coverage, Largely Over Procedural Reasons

Consumers for Quality Care, July 19, 2023

This year, Arizona removed 150,000 people from its Medicaid rolls, more than 75 percent of whom were removed solely for filing errors, according to Arizona Public Media. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal protections were enacted to prevent states from dropping consumers from their Medicaid rolls. But...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Wisconsin Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, July 18, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Wisconsin Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Wisconsin Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Virginia Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, July 18, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Virginia Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Virginia Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Kentucky Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, July 18, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Kentucky Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Kentucky Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

States Intensify Efforts to Regulate Health Care Mergers

Consumers for Quality Care, July 12, 2023

California and New York are taking steps to further monitor health care mergers, introducing measures that empower state attorneys general to block deals and establish robust review processes, Axios reports. Beginning next year in California, health care systems proposing a merger will be required to provide a 90-day notice...

Health System Sues Consumer Over Unpaid Medical Bill She Never Received

Consumers for Quality Care, July 5, 2023

An uninsured consumer, with unstable housing and no permanent address, never received a bill for her emergency gallbladder surgery. Yet two years later, she was served with a lawsuit from the heath system for over $10,000 plus interest, according to KFF Health News.   In 2016, Bethany Birch of...

Delaware and New York Extend Postpartum Coverage For New Mothers 

Consumers for Quality Care, June 30, 2023

New York and Delaware are the latest states to extend postpartum coverage under Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), according to HealthcareDive and WMDT-ABC.  In both states, people will be eligible to remain on Medicaid up to a full year after giving birth. Before this, people were...

Colorado’s Hospital Price Transparency Law Empowers Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, June 28, 2023

Colorado has taken a significant step towards health care price transparency with a new law fining hospitals that fail to post their prices in easily accessible formats, according to CBS News. The law, which passed in the state legislature with bipartisan support, allows the state’s Attorney General to impose...

Los Angeles County Residents Owe More Than $2.6 Billion in Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, June 28, 2023

A new analysis from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and reported by KFF Health News, found that about 810,000, or 1 in 10, adults in the county collectively owe more than $2.6 billion in medical debt, an indicator that expanding health care coverage is not enough...

Arizona Couple Finds Themselves Fighting to Correct Insurance Company’s Mishaps

Consumers for Quality Care, June 21, 2023

Colin and Lindsay Hanson moved to Arizona from the harsh cold of Michigan so that Colin, who lives with multiple sclerosis (MS), could have a better life. Unfortunately, they found themselves buried in medical bills, as reported by ABC 15 Arizona, due to confusion from their insurer regarding the...

Nonprofits Partner to Erase $25 Million in Medical Debt for Michigan Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, June 21, 2023

Access Health Inc., a nonprofit health care organization based in Muskegon County, joined forces with RIP Medical Debt, another nonprofit, to alleviate $25 million in medical debt for over 40,000 individuals in the county, Crain’s Grand Rapids Business reports. The partnership aims to assist individuals who are financially vulnerable...

Midwest Nonprofit Health System Not Providing Care to Consumers with Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, June 14, 2023

It’s nothing new for nonprofit hospitals to engage in predatory and aggressive tactics in order to collect medical debt. Yet a recent report from The New York Times found that Allina Health System, a wealthy nonprofit health system in Minnesota and Wisconsin, has taken aggressive debt collection tactics to...

Hospital Consolidation Led to Outrageous Medical Bill for Emergency Surgery

Consumers for Quality Care, June 14, 2023

When an American citizen now living overseas came back to America to attend his daughter’s wedding, his unplanned medical emergency led to his receiving a five-figure bill, according to KFF Health News.  Last summer, Leslie “Jay” Comfort and his wife, Nazuna Konishi Comfort traveled from Switzerland to Pennsylvania for...

New Orleans Takes Aim at Eliminating Millions in Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, June 14, 2023

New Orleans has joined forces with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization, to forgive the medical debts of tens of thousands of city residents, Axios reports. For many, medical debt increases stress, wreaks havoc on their credit scores, causes them to delay necessary medical care, and can – and...

Company Aims to Resolve High Medical Debt Rates in North Texas

Consumers for Quality Care, June 7, 2023

Resolve, a medical debt solution company, is working to assist health care consumers in North Texas, according to D Magazine. North Texas – Tarrant and Dallas counties in particular – is the epicenter of the medical debt crisis in America. Medical services and procedures are priced much higher than...

Cook County Alleviates Financial Pressure on Thousands of Residents by Erasing Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, May 24, 2023

Cook County, IL, which encompasses the greater Chicago area, has forgiven unpaid medical debts for thousands of residents, improving credit scores and reducing financial stress, WGN9 reports. For many, the burden of medical debt, which not only wreaks havoc on credit scores but also intensifies stress and compels individuals...

Chronic Illnesses, Such as Diabetes, Linked to Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, May 24, 2023

NPR recently highlighted how residents in a region of the country, made up of hundreds of counties predominately in the South, are disproportionally burdened by medical debt. Of the 644 counties that make up the region, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention fittingly calls the “Diabetes Belt,”...

Louisiana Experiencing the Highest Maternal Mortality Rate in the Country

Consumers for Quality Care, May 17, 2023

U.S. maternal mortality rates are twice as high for today’s mothers as they were a generation ago, and in Louisiana, poverty and inadequate access to care exacerbate these already alarming rates, according to CBS News. The World Health Organization’s statistics show that the U.S. has one of the highest...

Pennsylvania Hospital Closure Hurts Health Care Delivery

Consumers for Quality Care, May 10, 2023

The closure of Delaware County Memorial Hospital in suburban Philadelphia has hurt overall health care delivery for consumers, according to CBS News. The Pennsylvania Health Department shut down the hospital last fall because its owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, failed to maintain adequate staffing levels. Based out of Los Angeles,...

North Carolina State Legislative Package Aims to Protect Consumers from Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, May 10, 2023

North Carolina State Lawmakers are considering legislation both to safeguard consumers against high medical debt and to provide certain patients access to free health care, according to My Fox 8. Referred to as the “Medical Debt De-Weaponization Act,” Senate Bill 321 and House Bill 367 seek to address the...

Oregon Lawmakers Aim to Ensure Nonprofit Hospitals Follow Charity Care Law

Consumers for Quality Care, May 10, 2023

In Oregon, state lawmakers are weighing a bill designed to ensure low-income consumers receive discounted medical care, Philomath News reports.    Under IRS rules, nonprofit hospitals are required to provide charity care, or quality health care care at a discount for consumers in financial need. Additionally, under Oregon law,...

In Colorado, Lawmakers Look to Improve Compliance of Hospital Price Transparency Rule

Consumers for Quality Care, May 10, 2023

In an effort to help enforce federal price transparency laws, the Colorado State Senate recently passed SB 252, Colorado Politics reports.   The bill, which passed the Senate 22-11, mandates that hospitals provide clear pricing information about procedures and services in a consumer-friendly format. It would also task the...

Insurance Company Continued Denial of Critical Treatment for Suicidal Teen

Consumers for Quality Care, May 3, 2023

A family’s desperate attempt to get their daughter critical life-saving treatment for depression turned into a nightmare situation with their insurance provider, according to NPR. Then 15-year-old Rose suffered from life-threatening depression, anxiety, and chronic suicidality, having already attempted to take her own life several times before her parents,...

Many North Carolinians Have Little Faith in Insurers Protecting Their Best Interests

Consumers for Quality Care, May 3, 2023

A new poll conducted by Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina found that over 30 percent of respondents said that their health insurance company does not have their best interests in mind, according to WRAL News. Half of consumers believe health insurance premiums are too high, while nearly a...

Four-Year-Old’s Bill Sent to Collections for Medical Care Never Administered

Consumers for Quality Care, April 19, 2023

A family was not only charged for medical care that was never administered for their four-year-old’s skin burn, but the bill was also ultimately sent to a debt collector. Furthermore, the parents were unable to dispute the charge since the bill was made out to the child, according to...

North Carolina Becomes the 40th State to Expand Medicaid

Consumers for Quality Care, April 19, 2023

North Carolina recently joined 39 other states in expanding Medicaid, Healthcare Dive reported. After debating Medicaid expansion for more than a decade, legislators found middle ground and broadened Medicaid coverage to include 600,000 more consumers. Before the expansion can go into effect, however, the state budget will need to...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Michigan Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, April 19, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Michigan Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Michigan Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Louisiana Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, April 19, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Louisiana Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. CQC developed the Louisiana Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard based on...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: California Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, April 19, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: California Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The California Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent...

Jim Manley: Opinion: It’s time to hold nonprofit hospitals in NC accountable

Consumers for Quality Care, April 5, 2023

Nonprofit hospitals are supposed to operate like charities, providing affordable health care to those in need while improving their communities. But the truth is that across the country – including here in North Carolina – nonprofit hospitals are implementing toxic policies that put profits ahead of patients. Recently, egregious, profit-seeking behaviors...

Colorado Bill Would Require Nonprofit Hospitals to Provide More “Community Benefit” Spending

Consumers for Quality Care, April 5, 2023

Colorado state lawmakers are considering a bill that would require nonprofit hospitals to meet specific standards for community benefit spending, according to The Denver Post. There are no federal requirements specifying exactly how much nonprofit hospitals must spend on community benefits. But if House Bill 23-1243 passes, Colorado’s nonprofit...

Pennsylvania May Require Insurers to Cover Telehealth Services

Consumers for Quality Care, March 29, 2023

State lawmakers in Pennsylvania are looking to require private insurance companies to cover telehealth services, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. As it stands, Pennsylvania is one of just seven states where insurers have no obligation to provide telehealth services, such as virtual checkups and remote monitoring of health conditions....

Pennsylvania Judge Revokes Nonprofit Hospital’s Property Tax Exemption

Consumers for Quality Care, March 29, 2023

Nonprofit hospitals in Pennsylvania are coming under more scrutiny, according to Spotlight PA. This month, a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court judge revoked a property tax exemption for a nonprofit hospital in Southeastern Pennsylvania while also denying appeals from three others. Judge Christine Fizzano Cannon found that these hospitals, all operated...

Michigan Maternal Health Advocates Look to Pass the ‘Momnibus’ to Protect Black Mothers

Consumers for Quality Care, March 29, 2023

Maternal health advocates in Michigan are calling on state lawmakers to address racial disparities in care, according to Michigan Live. Across the nation, Black women die from pregnancy-related issues at a higher rate than white women. In Michigan, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related...

Hospitals and Insurance Providers Exploit Loopholes in No Surprises Act, Hurting Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, March 22, 2023

The wording and fine print in contracts between insurers and hospitals may determine whether in-network or out-of-network costs apply, leading to surprise medical bills, according to NPR.  Danielle Laskey experienced a severe pregnancy complication and sought help from the Swedish Maternal & Fetal Specialty Center-First Hill, a specialized pregnancy...

Hospitals Are Closing Maternity Units That Hurt Their Bottom Line

Consumers for Quality Care, March 22, 2023

At a time when America faces a maternal health crisis, hospitals across the country are shutting down labor and delivery care units in an effort to reduce costs, according to The New York Times. Days before Christmas last year, the maternity unit at Astria Toppenish Hospital, in the Yakama...

Montana Expands Mental Health Screenings for Students

Consumers for Quality Care, March 22, 2023

Montana is taking steps to address its high suicide rate, particularly among children, by providing free mental health screenings for all students, according to Kaiser Health News. Montana resident Bella Nyman — who has lived with mental health issues for most of her life — believes that a mental...

Nonprofit Group Details Oregon Hospitals Not Following Charity Care Law in Report 

Consumers for Quality Care, March 22, 2023

A recent report from an Oregon-based nonprofit organization is shedding light on nonprofit hospitals that don’t follow the laws regarding charity care but instead engage in predatory debt collection practices aimed at low-income consumers, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.  Dollar For sets out to educate consumers on their rights...

Oregon Bill Aims to Help Chronically Ill Patients Afford Medications

Consumers for Quality Care, March 22, 2023

Oregon lawmakers have proposed legislation which seeks to ease the financial burden for patients with chronic illnesses who require expensive medications, according to Statesman Journal. For Madonna McGuire Smith, the cost of medication for her, her husband, and her three children to treat a chronic bleeding disorder meant they...

After FTC Pressure, a Proposed New York Hospital Merger Is Prevented

Consumers for Quality Care, March 15, 2023

Last month, State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University and Crouse Health System dropped their planned merger after mounting pressure from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Healthcare Dive reports. The hospital systems had planned to merge under Certificates of Public Advantage (COPAs), which would have sheltered the...

Couple Receives $200K Bill for Rabies Shots

Consumers for Quality Care, March 8, 2023

A California couple was charged over $200,000 for a single visit to the emergency room for rabies shots after encountering a bat in their home, according to ABC 7 News. Al and Eileen Aguilar were able to capture and release the bat that had entered their home. Although neither...

North Carolina State Treasurer Highlights Exorbitant Hospital Executive Pay

Consumers for Quality Care, March 8, 2023

North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell has issued a series of new reports highlighting how executive pay among the state’s nine largest health systems has drastically increased at the same time consumers are paying more for their health care, as reported by Raleigh News & Observer and MedPage Today. ...

Systemic Barriers Put in Place by Insurance Companies Prevent Nevada Consumers from Accessing Mental Health Services

Consumers for Quality Care, March 8, 2023

A shortage of professional mental health providers, coupled with systemic barriers instituted by insurance companies not accepting mental and behavioral health specialists in their network, prevent many Nevadans from accessing the health care services they need, according to the Nevada Current. Data shows that denial rates of mental health...

Connecticut Proposes Medical Debt Relief for Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, March 8, 2023

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has proposed cancelling medical debt for thousands of residents, according to the Yale Daily News. Under Gov. Lamont’s proposal, the state would use $20 million from its share of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to partner with nonprofits who would then buy the debt...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New York Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, March 7, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 7, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New York Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The New York Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard was created...

Montana Proposes Legislation to Examine Tax-Exempt Status for Nonprofit Hospitals

Consumers for Quality Care, March 1, 2023

Montana lawmakers are considering legislation to increase the authority of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Service (DPHHS) to conduct oversight of nonprofit hospitals’ tax-exempt status, according to the Daily Montanan.  House Bill 45 would allow DPHHS to create new reporting standards to determine if hospitals are...

How One Family Took on Their Health Insurance Company and Won

Consumers for Quality Care, March 1, 2023

A family is calling for change after shining a light on predatory health insurance billing practices, according to ProPublica. Penn State University student Christopher McNaughton and his parents, David McNaughton and Janice Light, navigated the difficult and complex health insurance denial and appeal process for years to ensure Christopher...

Chicago Family Charged Out-Of-Network Rate at In-Network Hospital

Consumers for Quality Care, March 1, 2023

Physicians treating the newborn daughter of a Chicago family in their in-network hospital actually worked for a separate, out-of-network hospital, leaving the family with a bill of more than $14,000, according to KHN. Seven months pregnant, Brenna Kearney experienced complications that required an immediate delivery by cesarean section. Kearney’s...

Jim Manley: Op/Ed: High costs for care at Indiana’s nonprofit hospitals not very charitable

Consumers for Quality Care, February 26, 2023

Nonprofit hospitals are supposed to operate like charities, providing affordable health care to those in need while improving their communities in exchange for massive tax breaks. But the truth is that across the country ― including here in Indiana ― nonprofit hospitals are implementing toxic policies that put profits ahead of...

Report Finds Deaths from Pregnancy Complications Continue to Increase in Mississippi

Consumers for Quality Care, February 22, 2023

A report from the Mississippi Department of Health found deaths from pregnancy complications continue to increase, especially among communities of color. According to NBC News, the report shows an 8.8 percent increase in maternal mortality rate between 2013-2016 and 2017-2019, with Black women being four times more likely to...

Michigan Releases New Consumer Rights Protection Guide on Surprise Medical Billing 

Consumers for Quality Care, February 15, 2023

Michigan is releasing a new consumer protection guide to help residents understand their rights when it comes to surprise medical bills, according to Michigan NPR.  The start of 2023 marked the one-year anniversary of the federal No Surprises Act. The law is intended to stop hospitals and insurance providers...

High-Deductible Health Insurance Plans Costing Families More and More

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High-deductible health insurance plans are forcing many Americans to pay out thousands of dollars for medical services and devices before their health insurance plan will begin covering these expenses, according to NBC News. Massachusetts resident Meghan Neri was shocked to learn that the packages of epinephrine auto-injectors for her...

St. Louis Nonprofit Fights Maternal Mortality Among Black Women

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Parents as Teachers, a St. Louis nonprofit, is part of a movement working to combat high maternal mortality rates among Black women, according to The New York Times. St. Louis resident Tara Ervin lost her sister Kelly to a pregnancy complication after her sister’s concerns were ignored by the...

Maternal Deaths in New Jersey Have Decreased, but Racial Disparities Remain

Consumers for Quality Care, February 1, 2023

According to a report published by the New Jersey Hospital Association, and reported by NorthJersey.com, cesarian sections and serious maternal complications have decreased statewide, but a significant racial gap in maternal care still exists. As one of the states with the highest maternal death rates in the nation, New...

Cities are Partnering with Debt Forgiveness Organizations to Erase Consumers Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, February 1, 2023

Cleveland may soon be joining cities like Chicago, Illinois and Columbus, Ohio that have worked with nonprofit organizations like RIP Medical Debt to help eliminate consumer medical debt, according to Ideastream Public Media.  Medical debt impacts one in five U.S. households, according to a recent JAMA study. With this...

Nevadans Taking Advantage of ACA Subsidies During Open Enrollment

Consumers for Quality Care, February 1, 2023

The expanded Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies are helping more Nevadans enroll in health care coverage than in previous years, according to Nevada Current. Ryan High, Executive Director of Nevada Health Link, the state’s open enrollment program, highlighted the record setting numbers of consumers enrolling in health plans. According...

Over $800 Million in Medical Debt Could Be Erased for Michigan Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, February 1, 2023

A nonprofit organization is hoping to relieve Michigan consumers of over $800 million in medical debt owed, according to Michigan Radio. The organization, RIP Medical Debt, purchases medical debt for pennies on the dollar either on the secondary debt market or directly from medical providers, then cancels the debt...

Minnesota Attorney General Investigating Mayo Clinic’s Billing Procedures 

Consumers for Quality Care, January 25, 2023

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is launching an investigation into one of the state’s largest and most prominent hospitals, the Mayo Clinic, according to The Bemidji Pioneer. The Attorney General’s office is taking action in light of a recent investigative report conducted by the Post Bulletin, which interviewed 20...

Racial Disparities Found to Impact Maternal Deaths in Texas

Consumers for Quality Care, January 25, 2023

A report published by the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee, and reported by The Houston Chronicle, found that racial disparities contributed to negative pregnancy outcomes among Black women in Texas. The report found an increased rate of severe maternal morbidity among Black women, with discrimination contributing to...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Washington State Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, January 24, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Washington State Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Washington state Hospital Score Card was created based...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Oregon Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, January 24, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Oregon Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON – Despite being tax-exempt, non-profit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of needy patients. According to recent findings from the Lown Institute, PatientsRightsAdvocate.org, and...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New Jersey Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, January 24, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: New Jersey Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The New Jersey Hospital Scorecard was created based on...

CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Illinois Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail

Consumers for Quality Care, January 24, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2023 Contact: Press@Consumers4QualityCare.org CQC Nonprofit Hospital Scorecard: Illinois Nonprofit Hospitals Earn a #HospitalFail   WASHINGTON – Despite being tax-exempt, nonprofit hospitals across the country are making big money at the expense of their patients. The Illinois Hospital Scorecard was created based on recent findings...

Hospitals Found Taking Advantage of Federal Drug Discount Program Designed to Benefit Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, January 18, 2023

A decades-old federal drug program, 340B, is designed to offer prescription drugs at lower prices to low-income consumers, but now large nonprofit hospital systems are taking advantage of the law’s loopholes to turn massive profits, according to The Wall Street Journal. 340B requires pharmaceutical manufacturers to sell drugs to...

Medical Cost-Sharing Plan Left Uninsured Kansas Man with Nearly $160,000 Bill

Consumers for Quality Care, January 18, 2023

People without employer-sponsored insurance or those who are ineligible for federal subsidies to purchase a plan through the health insurance marketplace can be left feeling priced out of traditional health insurance. As a result, these individuals become more vulnerable to hospital charges that ordinary patients usually never see, according...

Military Recruits with Medical Debt May Not Be Allowed to Enlist

Consumers for Quality Care, January 18, 2023

Samaria Bradford, 27, from Goldsboro, North Carolina had dreamed of joining the Air Force before her plans were derailed due to medical debt, according to KHN. First qualifying in 2020, she delayed her enlistment so she could support her younger sister who was in high school. During that time,...

Planned Health Care Merger in North Carolina Threatens Consumer Care

Consumers for Quality Care, January 11, 2023

In North Carolina, the planned merger of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora threatens the safety and overall cost of medical care for consumers, warned North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell as reported by The Center Square. “There is widespread evidence that mergers make hospital care less affordable and less...

Washington State Pharmacies Face Challenges with PBMs Despite Recent Reform Laws

Consumers for Quality Care, January 11, 2023

Pharmacies in Washington state continue to face challenges in working with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) despite recent reform laws, according to State of Reform. “Unfortunately, our ability to care for our most vulnerable is under a very real threat,” said Ryan Oftebro, President of the Washington State Pharmacy Association....

More Than 200,000 Children in Colorado Could Lose Health Coverage, Experts Warn

Consumers for Quality Care, January 11, 2023

Recent Colorado state data shows that more than 200,000 children are at risk of losing health care coverage when the COVID-19 public health emergency expires, according to Kiowa County Press, which could leave many families vulnerable to medical debt and bankruptcy. “Folks are worried that they are not going...

New Orleans City Council Plans to Forgive Medical Debt for Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, January 4, 2023

The New Orleans City Council is working on a plan that could provide relief for consumers with medical debt, according to 4WWL. Medical debt affects 4 in 10 Americans overall and 56 percent of Black Americans. The impacts of medical debt on consumers are also far-reaching. “Medical debt like...

Hospitals Continue to Utilize Predatory Debt Collection Practices Despite New Mexico Law

Consumers for Quality Care, January 4, 2023

Despite a law which limits aggressive medical debt collection practices in New Mexico, Source NM reports that hospitals and collection agencies have continued to file hundreds of lawsuits against low-income consumers with medical debt. Over 200,000 New Mexicans are uninsured, and nearly 18 percent of New Mexicans have medical...

Some California Hospitals Yet to Post Charity Care Rules on Their Website Despite State Law

Consumers for Quality Care, January 4, 2023

Despite a law requiring hospitals to prominently post their financial assistance policies on their website, a Los Angeles Times investigation found that hospitals across the state have yet to comply with these transparency requirements. Although AB 1020 went into effect in January 2022, hospitals are still not in compliance...

Portland Radio Station Helps Clear More than $4 Million in Medical Debt for Consumers

Consumers for Quality Care, January 4, 2023

Portland County Station KWJJ, in conjunction with RIP Medical Debt, recently led a campaign erasing more than $4 million in medical debt for 3,200 consumers, according to Radio Ink. RIP Medical Debt works by purchasing medical debt in bulk for a discounted rate, and then forgiving that debt for...

New Yorkers Will No Longer Face Risk of Losing Their Home Over Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, December 21, 2022

Consumers in New York will no longer face liens on homes or garnished wages from health care providers attempting to collect outstanding medical debt thanks to a new law signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, according to Spectrum 1 Local News. Roughly 50,000 New York consumers have faced...

Lack of Mental Health Services in Montana Impacting Youth Suicide Numbers

Consumers for Quality Care, December 6, 2022

Despite increased attention paid to the national mental health crisis, the amount of mental health resources remain well below the scale of need, a fact which is greatly impacting Montana’s youth, according to the Montana Free Press. Recent data released by Montana’s Department of Public Health and Human Services...

Partnership in Muskegon County, Michigan Aims to Relieve Burden of Medical Debt

Consumers for Quality Care, December 6, 2022

Two nonprofit organizations, Access Health and RIP Medical Debt, have partnered to form a collaboration that will aim to help Muskegon County, Michigan consumers reduce or even eliminate their medical debt, Fox 17 reports. Access Health aids consumers in Muskegon County who do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot...

South Dakota Voters Approve Extension of Medicaid Benefits

Consumers for Quality Care, November 30, 2022

South Dakota voters approved an extension of Medicaid benefits to over 40,000 low-income residents during this year’s election, according to Forbes. The state’s voter-approved “Constitutional Amendment D” will expand Medicaid next year to any resident aged 18 to 65 with an income up to 133 percent of the federal...

Report Finds NC Hospital Made Millions While Claiming to Lose Money on Medicare Patients

Consumers for Quality Care, November 23, 2022

While nonprofit hospitals publicly declare millions in losses in services to Medicare patients as part of the community benefits they provide, they also often claim millions in profits from Medicare, a state report has found. According to a North Carolina state treasurer’s office report and as reported in Kaiser...

Report Finds Many North Carolina Hospitals Not in Compliance with Price Transparency Rules

Consumers for Quality Care, November 23, 2022

Despite the hospital price transparency rule enacted in January 2021, 67 percent of North Carolina hospitals were found to not be in compliance, according to a study conducted by the nonprofit Patient Rights Advocate and reported by Spectrum Local News. The hospital price transparency rule requires that hospitals provide...