• By Real World Health Care Editorial Staff  |  Jan 28, 2026

    What Patients Don’t Know About Hospital Financial Assistance – But Should

    Every year, hospital patients are billed $14 billion that should be waived through financial assistance, making “charity care” one of hospitals’ best kept secrets. By law, non-profit hospitals must offer programs that forgive bills. Many for-profit hospitals also offer help through which patients’ bills may be reduced or eliminated. However,…more.

  • By Michael Heimall, President & CEO, HealthWell Foundation  |  Dec 17, 2025

    Breaking Down Barriers to Care

    The end of 2025 is quickly approaching, and with it, the opportunity to reflect on a year in which the health care landscape started to change dramatically, in ways that may have lasting impacts. As I wrote in my November 12th column, health care is becoming more expensive and harder…more.

    Categories: General
  • By Michael Heimall, President & CEO, HealthWell Foundation  |  Nov 19, 2025

    How Federal Spending Cuts Will Increase Health Care Costs in 2026

    The Republican budget reconciliation legislation, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” (OBBB) was signed by President Trump in early July. The OBBB cuts over $1 trillion from Medicaid programs over the next 10 years – the largest rollback of federal support for health care in American history. As a…more.

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