Alison Kodjak
NPR
Washington, DC, United States
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Past articles by Alison:
Homeland Security's Civil Rights Unit Lacks Power To Protect Migrant Kids
A former official in the civil rights office says the unit seems afraid to offend U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ICE. Meanwhile, the complaints of abuses of families continue to pile up. → Read More
Louisiana's Novel 'Subscription' Model For Pricey Hepatitis C Drugs Gains Approval
Certain high-cost drugs are straining state budgets. A new deal approved Wednesday allows Louisiana to spend a fixed amount for unlimited access to a costly cure. Other states may try to follow suit. → Read More
Drug Industry Middlemen To Be Questioned By Senate Committee
The Senate Finance Committee will hear Tuesday from executives from the biggest pharmacy benefit managers. Confidential rebates paid to the PBMs are expected to draw scrutiny. → Read More
Express Scripts Takes Steps To Cut Insulin's Price To Patients
As congressional lawmakers continue to turn up the heat on drugmakers, insurers and middlemen over the price of many medicines, one player says it will limit patients' share of the cost of insulin. → Read More
Trump Administration Moves Forward In Attempt To Invalidate Affordable Care Act
Justice Department files notice that it agrees with a federal judge's ruling that the ACA should be thrown out. The administration had previously said it wanted only parts of the law invalidated. → Read More
It Will Take More Than Transparency To Reduce Drug Prices, Economists Say
The Trump administration wants to increase transparency in prescription drug pricing. But health economists say the administration's call to tie prices to what other nations pay might work better. → Read More
U.S. Hospitals And Insurers Might Be Forced To Reveal The True Prices They Negotiate
A little-noticed Trump administration proposal would require hospitals, doctors and insurers to post the true, negotiated price for a medical procedure or service, as opposed to the "list" price. → Read More
Poll: Americans Support Government Action To Curb Prescription Drug Prices
A new poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that many people struggle to pay for medicines and that a majority of Americans would welcome a range of government interventions to lower prices. → Read More
Pharmaceutical Company CEOs Face Grilling In Senate Over High Drug Prices
Senators called pharmaceutical industry leaders to account for the high costs of medicine during a Senate hearing. The executives deflected blame to insurance companies and middlemen. → Read More
CVS Looks To Make Its Drugstores A Destination For Health Care
With almost 10,000 stores across the country, CVS says it is already where consumers are. The company is transforming some of its stores and their retail clinics into hubs for a wider range of care. → Read More
Scientific Duo Gets Back To Basics To Make Childbirth Safer
Remarkably little is known about the fundamentals of how a woman carries a baby inside her. Two Columbia University researchers aim to change that, to reduce the number of kids born too soon. → Read More
Trump Administration Wants To Cut Drug Prices By Eliminating Middlemen's Rebates
Pharmacy benefit managers are the focus of proposed regulations that could reduce drug costs for seniors and cut profits for middlemen. It could set a precedent for the broader market. → Read More
Several Democrats Eyeing A Presidential Run Embrace 'Medicare-For-All'
The idea, they say, would be to eliminate the health insurance industry and replace it with government-run health insurance. The industry is already gearing up to oppose any moves in that direction. → Read More
Democrats' Health Care Ambitions Meet The Reality Of Divided Government
Congressional Democrats want to protect health coverage and protections of the Affordable Care Act. With the Senate in Republican hands, House Democrats will hold hearings and may turn to the courts. → Read More
Prescription Drug Costs Driven By Manufacturer Price Hikes, Not Innovation
A recent study shows the cost of brand-name drugs is rising — not because of expensive new therapies entering the market but because manufacturers are raising prices on existing drugs. → Read More
Ruling Backs States Opposed To Obamacare; White House Expects Appeal
A Texas judge on Friday said that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional — a ruling likely to be appealed and to make its way up to the Supreme Court. → Read More
ACA Sign-Ups Have Lagged For 2019. But What Does That Mean?
The pace of enrollment in Affordable Care Act plans is slower than in past years. That could mean fewer people will have health coverage — or that more people are getting insurance via their work. → Read More
Research Gaps Leave Doctors Guessing About Treatments For Pregnant Women
To protect a developing fetus from experimental drugs or treatments that might cause birth defects, pregnant women aren't included in many clinical trials. But that limits the safety evidence, too. → Read More
Rethinking Bed Rest For Pregnancy
Research indicates bed rest does not improve birth outcomes and can be risky for the mom. So why is it still prescribed by many doctors and midwives for about 20 percent of pregnant women in the U.S.? → Read More
A Winning Idea: Medicaid Expansion Prevails In Idaho, Nebraska And Utah
Voters in Idaho, Utah and Nebraska approved ballot initiatives to expand Medicaid, overcoming roadblocks that had kept an estimated 300,000 people from obtaining coverage. → Read More