healthcare

Health care in Georgia ranks second worst in the nation

The U.S. health care system faced new levels of scrutiny in the past year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. There were shortages of medical masks, ICU beds, as well as nurses. But even before the pandemic, some states were much better equipped to handle both everyday health needs -- and the pandemic -- than others. There are many states in which residents are much more likely to lack health care insurance. In many of these states, there are also fewer medical professionals relative to the population, which can hinder access to care, as well as underfunded medical hospitals. The health care…

Good To Know: Georgia hospitals are required to make prices available

Jan. 1 marked the launch of a federal rule on medical prices that the hospital industry fought hard to stop. For the first time, each hospital was required to publish a website file showing the payment rates it had negotiated with insurers, and another post that would let consumers search for hundreds of “shoppable’’ medical services. The Trump administration rule drew a lawsuit from the American Hospital Association, a suit that was rejected by a federal appeals court. So far, about half of Georgia hospitals have complied correctly with the requirements, says Turquoise Health, a California-based start-up that’s tracking the pricing…