Learn more about health care affordability

Using medical claims data from a large population of privately insured individuals, the report found that employers and private insurances plans in 2020 paid hospitals 224% of what Medicare paid for the same services, with rates for inpatient and outpatient care varying widely from site to site.

Healthcare Finance covers a new report by AHIP that suggests that hospitals charge twice the price for certain drugs when compared to specialty pharmacies.

This research brief from KFF includes recent polling on the public’s experience with health care costs. According to these findings, many adults struggle to afford various services, and even those who are insured are not immune to high out-of-pocket costs.

This research brief from the University of Pennsylvania looks at how different factors, such as provider incentives and technological growth, can affect the cost of health care.

This policy brief from the 1% Steps for Health Care Reform Project examines how spending by consumers and insurers is impacted by specialties where patients have little or no choice over their physician.

This issue brief from the Employee Benefit Research Institute takes a look at pricing challenges around labs, imaging, and special medications.

This issue brief from the Health Care Cost Institute examines how spending, utilization, and prices for emergency room services have changed over time, and how out-of-pocket costs and out-of-network services have the potential to lead to surprise bills.

This study projects potential savings around U.S. biosimilars between 2021 to 2025 across different scenarios. According to the study, biosimilars could lower biologic prices through competition, but barriers to increasing supply and uptake remain.

This report from AARP reviews major trends in retail pricing for prescription drugs widely used by older Americans. According to the report, price increases surpassed other consumer goods and services in the time between 2006 and 2020.

This policy proposal encourages employers and commercial insurers to pursue preferred pharmacy networks to help lower out-of-pocket costs.

This policy brief from KFF reviews the No Surprises Act (NSA), which establishes new federal protections against surprise medical bills.

This research report examines federal regulation aimed at improving price transparency and includes various case studies on the topic.

The Wall Street Journal reports on how prices for urgent but not life-threatening emergency room visits differ among various Boston hospitals.

STAT News reports on the current landscape around biosimilars and how biosimilar competition may help patients save money.

Axios reports on the No Surprises Act (NSA), which seeks to reduce the number of unexpected medical charges from emergency visits and other out-of-network health care services.

Axios reports on how corporate leaders view government-led efforts to reduce health care costs.