UnitedHealthcare and St. Louis-based SSM Health have reached a multi-year agreement Jan. 20, amid a contract extension through Jan. 31, according to a news release shared with Becker’s. The agreement ensures individuals with commercial and Medicaid plans can still receive…
Author: Elizabeth Casolo
Founded in 2023, Texicare — a Texas Mutual affiliate — offers health coverage to small businesses throughout the state. Texicare President and CEO Meredith Duncan previously worked at Aetna, Bright Health and Kaiser Permanente. She spoke with Becker’s about the…
Matt Hocks is taking over managing Sanford Health Plan and Security Health Plan, according to a Jan. 7 news release. Mr. Hocks, executive vice president and COO of Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health, joined the system in 2004. He worked…
CMS estimated there were $28.83 billion in improper payments for Medicare fee for service in fiscal 2025. Compared to 2024 reporting, that value is down from $31.7 billion. “While CMS’ improper payment reporting programs are designed to protect the integrity…
Bloomington, Minn.-based HealthPartners launched its copay-only health plan, Simplica NextGen Copay, this year. The plan sets prices for in-network care without a deductible or coinsurance. Moe Suleiman, senior vice president of commercial business, and Maggie Helms, senior vice president, chief…
Advertisement
As Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee Hawaii Medical Service Association and Honolulu-based Hawaii Pacific Health prepare to form One Health Hawaii, they are going under the microscope. A Jan. 13 informational briefing run by Hawaii’s House and Senate committees on…
Sustained GLP-1 use slows medical cost growth, according to findings published Jan. 13 from professional services firm Aon. The firm analyzed 192,000 GLP-1 users from July 2022 to March 2025, comparing outcomes to non-users, through commercial medical and pharmacy claims…
Alignment Healthcare has California roots, but its CEO, John Kao, is confident about planting seeds for growth elsewhere. Mr. Kao weighed in on Alignment’s strategy Jan. 14 during the J.P. Morgan 2026 Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. Just days before,…
Ninety-three percent of health plan executives anticipate AI will contribute value by automating prior authorizations, according to an analysis of Deloitte survey results released Jan. 15. The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions surveyed more than 100 C-suite leaders across healthcare,…
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is the latest state leader to push for prior authorization reform, fleshing out her plan in a Jan. 14 news release. Just one day prior, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul had shared her intentions to tackle…