Medical Expenses
A federal appeals court upheld a lower court’s ruling in favor of the Trump administration in a suit challenging a plan to require hospitals to disclose the “standard prices” of common medical tests and procedures.
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New Rule Forces Upfront Disclosure of Health Care Costs
The Trump administration on Thursday finalized a health care transparency rule requiring insurers to disclose up front the real cost of common medical procedures and tests.
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Costlier Than War: Researchers Put Pandemic’s Price Tag at $16 Trillion
The coronavirus pandemic could wind up costing the U.S. more than $16 trillion, a toll that would be costlier than all the wars the nation has fought since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to an analysis released Monday.
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US Consumer Prices Pulled Up by Surge in Gas Costs
American consumer prices rose 0.6% last month, driven higher by the rising costs of gasoline and food as demand increased.
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Wholesale Prices Plummeted Amid Virus-Driven Lockdowns
U.S. wholesale prices posted their biggest monthly drop on record in April, as the coronavirus pandemic pushed down demand and inflation pressures.
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Georgia Voters Push for Free Postage to Mail Absentee Ballots
Voters and fair election advocates argued in a virtual hearing Friday that Georgia’s mail-in ballots impose an unconstitutional poll tax by requiring the increased number of absentee voters during the Covid-19 pandemic to provide their own postage stamps.
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EU Court Says Airlines Must Include Extra Fees in Ticket Prices
Airlines must be more transparent in pricing by including additional fees in ticket prices on their websites, the European Union’s highest court ruled Thursday.
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Consumer Prices Sink on Low Gas Costs Amid Lockdowns
U.S. consumer prices fell 0.4% last month, marking the largest decline in five years as gas costs plummeted while Americans practiced social distancing and stayed at home.
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Texas Oil Regulators to Consider Production Cuts
Texas regulators will meet later this month to consider the possibility of forcing oil companies to cut production to help stabilize prices, a prospect of direct government intervention that was unimaginable in the oil-friendly state just weeks ago.
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Audit: Unclogging Navy Ship Toilets Costs $400K Per Flush
Backed-up toilets on two U.S. Navy ships will cost $400,000 per acid flush to fix, according to a government watchdog report that outlines the costs of poor planning.
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US Wholesale Prices See Biggest Drop Since 2015
American wholesale prices declined the most in five years in February, pulled down by plummeting costs of gasoline and services as the effects of the coronavirus outbreak take a toll on the economy.
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Records Show More Payments to Trump Properties by Secret Service
The U.S. Secret Service was billed $157,000 more than was previously known by President Donald Trump’s clubs and properties for nightly room rentals in the last three years, newly released documents show.
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Drug Prices Rose Three Times Faster Than Inflation in the Last Decade
In the first analysis of its kind of prescription drug pricing in the United States, researchers found that the net cost of drugs – the price consumers paid, minus manufacturer discounts – grew three times faster than inflation over a decade.
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Poll: Health Care Top Legislative Priority for 2020
A vast majority of Americans say lowering health care and prescription drug costs are the most important policy issues for President Donald Trump and Congress to tackle before the November election, according to a new poll released Wednesday.
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Wholesale Prices Grow at Fastest Rate Since Fall 2018
American wholesale prices went up 0.5% in January, the biggest hike since October 2018, driven by a surge in the cost of services.
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Wholesale Prices Tick Up as Inflation Stays Low
Rising energy costs nudged up American wholesale prices only slightly in December, a sign that inflation pressures remain tame.
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House Passes Bill to Rein in Prescription Drug Costs
The House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday that aims to lower the cost of prescription drugs by allowing the federal government to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies and capping the amount companies can charge for their products.
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US Wholesale Prices Stayed Flat in November
American wholesale prices were unchanged last month, reflecting a continued trend of tame inflation that is likely to persist.
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Poll: Most See Economy as Helping Rich, Hurting Poor
Despite strong economic indicators, a poll released Wednesday found most Americans say the U.S. economy is beneficial to the wealthy and harmful to the poor and those in the middle class.
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Hospitals Sue to Block Disclosure of Treatment Costs
Several hospital groups sued the Trump administration Wednesday in an effort to keep their procedure prices secret as health care costs – and profits – continue to rise.
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