health care costs news stories on Newser

Retiring? Better Have $240K for Health Care

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:27:05 CDT

Retiring this year? You and you significant other will need $240,000 for health care expenses, according to Fidelity Investments' latest annual projection. That's up 4% from last year's $230,000 estimate, which is a typical—and actually fairly modest—increase, BusinessWeek reports. Since 2002's $160,000 estimate, the annual...

42% of Americans Will Be Obese by 2030

Rob Quinn — Tue, 08 May 2012 01:01:54 CDT

The once-explosive growth in the proportion of Americans who are obese has slowed, but it's still expected to grow to 42% by 2030, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control study. The study found that if the obesity rate stays at the current level—34%—then some $550 billion...

Do the Huge Amounts We Spend on Cancer Pay Off?

Kevin Spak — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:23:21 CDT

The US spends a lot more on cancer treatments than most countries, spending an average of $70,000 per case, compared to $44,000 in Europe. But it's worth it, a controversial new study argues, because American patients live an average 11.1 years after being diagnosed, compared to 9....

Health Report: Same Test Can Cost $786—or $1,819

Matt Cantor — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 08:23:13 CDT

Yet another factor that could put a crimp in your wallet when it comes to health care: The cost of procedures such as colonoscopies, mammograms, and Pap smears vary wildly across the nation, according to a new report picked up by USA Today . Researchers found that colonoscopies, for instance, could...

Doctors: Chill With All the MRIs, EKGs

Mark Russell — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:15:04 CDT

US doctors need to scale back on 45 of the most common testing procedures and treatments—such as EKGs for physicals when there's no sign of heart trouble, MRIs for routine back pain, and antibiotics for mild sinusitis. A panel of nine medical specialty boards is to make the recommendations...

Health Care Costs for Family of 4 to Top $20K This Year

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:47:20 CDT

Health care costs for a family of four covered on an employer's insurance plan are expected to exceed $20,000 this year, an increase of 7% from last year—and more than double the $9,235 it would set you back in 2002. Under such plans, employers pay a large...

To Trim Health Care Costs, Train Doctors Faster

Kevin Spak — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:42:11 CDT

Want to reduce waste and health care costs? Well bioethicist Zeke Emanuel—brother of Chicago Mayor Rahm—and health care policy professor Victor Fuchs think you should start by taking a scalpel to med school. In an opinion piece in the Journal of the American Medical Association , the two argue...

Dead Skier's Fans Donate $300K to Cover Bill

Rob Quinn — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 06:04:28 CST

Fans of iconic freestyle skier Sarah Burke were shocked by her death in Utah earlier this month —and horrified by the huge bill she racked up during her nine days in a coma . The Canadian star's insurance did not cover the event where she was fatally injured and observers north...

Hospitals Stuck With 'Permanent Patients'

Kevin Spak — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:43:48 CST

Look long enough in most hospitals, and you’ll probably find some decidedly unwelcome guests. Hospitals, particularly those in urban centers like New York, are faced with a growing burden from so-called “permanent patients,” who hospitals are stuck caring for even though they are well enough to be released, the New...