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Health care
Americans are spending way too much on health care, and getting far too little in return. Together we can bring down the cost of prescription drugs, prevent surprise medical bills, get providers to rein in skyrocketing costs, and more.
The Latest on Health care
PIRG builds on campaign to improve hospital price transparency to drive down high prices in health care
Facility fees are driving up the prices of doctor visits.
Updates
Sign up for a quick primer on medical bill protections
Medical Bills: Everything you need to know about your rights.
Nearly $5,000 of medical debt is crippling 1 in 10 adults
Featured Resources
Outpatient outrage: Hospitals charge fees for care at the doctor’s office
A bad deal: Why you don’t want (medical credit) cards in your hand
Medical Bills: Everything you need to know about your rights
Did your insurance deny your health care claim? How to appeal.
The Latest
New report: COVID-19 cases in nursing homes drop by 80 percent after mass vaccinations
Despite a sharp overall drop in coronavirus infections in nursing homes in recent months, hundreds of U.S. nursing homes that weathered 2020 without any COVID-19 cases have reported new cases since 2021 began. This happened even though the elderly were among the first to get COVID-19 vaccines during the initial rollout in mid-December, fueling an 83 percent drop in new cases in nursing homes nationwide by early February. In Texas, new cases dropped by 80.5 percent. These surprising revelations are among the findings of the third in a series of reports by U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group, based on analyzing government data about nursing homes and COVID-19. Over the course of the pandemic, the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes have been COVID-19 bellwethers. These new cases are a clear indication that while things are getting better, our society still faces risks from the virus. However, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this month issued new guidance, relaxing visitation restrictions. “With nearly 550,000 Americans dead by now, you would think we would have learned our lesson,” said Bay Scoggin, state director of TexPIRG Education Fund. “It seems, unfortunately, that carelessness and impatience could needlessly put lives and communities at risk -- again.”
New report: Society undervalues family caregivers’ vital, increasingly important role
People caring for their aging parents, their loved ones with disabilities, or their children are doing some of the most important work there is. And yet many public policies undervalue the worth of caring for a loved one. As the largest population cohort in U.S. history -- the Baby Boomers -- ages, with a longer expected lifespan than ever, the need for caregivers will grow. Vital and Undervalued, a new report from U.S. PIRG Education Fund, shows how many people are either providing care for or receiving care from a loved one.
After 20 people die and dozens become ill, FDA finally flags hand sanitizer from Mexico
Consumers still at risk for harmful over-the-counter drug products of all types because of soft federal regulations.
NURSING HOMES STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MASKS, GOWNS, OTHER PPE
A new analysis by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group found that 8 percent of nursing homes nationwide as of Dec. 27 had a critical shortage of surgical-grade N95 masks, which are the best protection against spreading the virus. Additionally, 4 to 6 percent of nursing homes reported shortages in at least one other category of personal protective equipment.
TexPIRG Education Fund’s tips to protect yourself from surprise medical bills
Here's how to deal with surprise medical bills in Texas