Insurance

People now have at their disposal more medicines that are effective at reducing weight, but none can counter obesity alone. One big problem: Insurance coverage remains spotty, and the costly drugs may be needed long term.

The body mass index — a simple mathematical equation — is tied to a measure of obesity invented almost 200 years ago. On the downside, it can stand between patients and treatment for weight issues. It particularly mismeasures Black women and Asians.

This guide from Life Kit includes podcast episodes on how to select the right health care plan, a glossary of common insurance jargon and why you should give your summary of benefits a close read.

Russell Cook expected a quick, inexpensive visit to an urgent care center for his daughter after a car wreck. She wasn't badly hurt, but they were sent to an emergency room — for a much larger bill.

Three women explain how life’s surprises can catapult their efforts to carefully manage limited budgets and lead to financial distress.

Approved as a device, not a drug, Plenity contains a plant-based gel that swells to fill 25% of a person’s stomach, to help people eat less. Results vary widely but are modest on average.

Picking health insurance takes a lot of work. It's not a one-size-fits-all type of situation, and there are a lot of confusing terms that come up every year. You also need to consider your general health and finances. So how can you make sense of it all?

Federal, state and municipal governments as well as private businesses continue to largely avoid mandates out of fears they will provoke a backlash. So, how about an economic argument?

Clinical trials show Wegovy triples the average weight loss seen with other drugs. Whether it will reach many patients largely depends on whether insurers decide to cover it.

A Trump administration rule mandating that hospitals disclose true prices on their websites took effect this year. But compliance is spotty and even when figures are public, they are hard to find and understand.