Martha Bebinger covers health care and other general assignments for WBUR. She also contributes to HealthCareSavvy, WBUR’s community of patients starting to shop for health care. She was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, class of 2010.
Mass. Senate Skirts End-Of-Life Counseling Controversy
With no debate, the state Senate approved a requirement last week that all doctors and nurses talk to dying patients about their end-of-life options.
Senate Passes Health Care Cost Control Bill With Few Major Changes
In a near unanimous vote the state Senate on Thursday night passed a major health care cost control bill that legislators estimate will save $150 billion over the next 15 years.
State Legislature Readies Next Chapter Of Health Care Reform
The Legislature is expected to roll out separate bills soon based on movements that are already underway: global payments, electronic health records and increased focus on primary care.
Report: Lower Health Care Cost Growth Means Big Savings
As state legislators finish a health cost-control bill, a report says employers and employees would see between $8 billion and $34.5 billion in savings over nine years.
Heat Forces Some Marathoners To Sit This One Out
While the 2012 race turned out to be one of the hottest race days in history, organizers say it was not as bad as 2004, when hundreds ended up in emergency rooms.
Report: Mass. Health Coverage Law Not A ‘Budget Buster’
A new report says the state has spent just $91 million more since 2006 to cover the uninsured than it was spending before the law passed.
Budgeting Care For One Of America’s Most Expensive Patients
Stoughton's Sue Beder, who's had multiple sclerosis for 47 years, is an expensive health patient. With a global payment plan, a Cambridge agency will try to cut her care costs by 20 percent.
Mass. Keeps Close Eye On Supreme Court Health Care Hearings
While the Supreme Court decision over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act will have little effect in Massachusetts, the unprecedented combination of health care policy and legal theory has kept many Boston-area residents interested.
State Weighs Goals For Cutting Health Care Costs
If you decide you want to lose weight or save money to buy a house, you start by setting a goal. Will you aim for 10 pounds or 20? How much do you need for a down-payment?
Deciphering Medical Bills — Well, Trying
Here at WBUR, we have an online social network that helps people understand health care costs. We speak with two of the network's members.
