Latest news with #publicinsurance
Bloomberg
23-06-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
Medicaid Cuts Will Hurt Nearly Half of America's Kids
Republican lawmakers claim their proposal to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid is designed to protect the country's most vulnerable — that by focusing on work requirements, they're simply eliminating waste from the bloated program and ensuring the money goes to those who truly need it. In reality, anyone who relies on public insurance could be affected, including about 37 million kids, nearly half of all American children.
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Japan eyes fully covering childbirth costs from April 2026
Japan's health ministry is set to eliminate out-of-pocket payments associated with child delivery, possibly from April next year, to address the country's declining birth rate. Advertisement One proposed approach in the policy approved on Wednesday by a panel of experts involves fully covering expenses for normal deliveries under the public medical insurance system. Normal childbirth currently falls outside the scope of the insurance coverage as it is not regarded as a medical condition like illness or injury, although caesarean sections are covered as an exception. Epidurals, in which labour pain is reduced, are expected to remain outside coverage under the proposals. Parents hold their babies before participating in a baby crying contest in Tokyo. Photo: EPA-EFE Since medical institutions can set their own prices for normal deliveries, childbirth costs in the country have largely differed among prefectures. While the government currently provides a lump-sum payment of 500,000 yen (US$3,400) for each childbirth, delivery costs have been on the rise and often exceed that amount. The average cost nationwide for a normal childbirth in the first half of fiscal 2024 was around 518,000 yen, figures from the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry showed. Advertisement If childbirth becomes qualified for public coverage, a unified price will be set nationwide. But obstetricians have expressed concerns that the move could cause financial strain for medical institutions due to reduced revenue.
