Over one-half of eligible Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans this year, according to KFF. Given that enrollment and recent scrutiny, all eyes are on how the private alternative to traditional Medicare gets paid. A Nov. 20 KFF…
Author: Elizabeth Casolo
Thirteen Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced eight bills aimed at reforming Medicare Advantage and solidifying traditional Medicare, according to a Nov. 19 news release from Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis. Each piece of legislation falls into one of…
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed a bill Nov. 18 requiring insurance companies to extend autism behavioral therapy coverage to include individuals up to 26 years old. Behavioral therapy for autism can include applied behavior analysis and cognitive behavioral therapy, along…
Over 90% of Medicare Advantage beneficiaries believe that supplemental benefits can improve health and save money, according to a Nov. 20 Humana Healthcare Research survey. Humana’s research organization, coupled with input from the University of Pennsylvania, surveyed 5,979 of the…
Wyoming’s proposal to CMS for the Rural Health Transformation Program included a pitch for “BearCare,” a state-operated public benefit plan to cover severe emergencies. Among them, bear attacks. Unlike other federal relief initiatives, the Rural Health Transformation Program is a…
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Blue Cross of Idaho requested the Idaho Department of Insurance investigate Nutex Health after months of failed negotiations with Nutex’s Post Falls (Idaho) ER & Hospital, according to a Nov. 17 news release. The insurer expressed concern over the hospital’s…
Employers can expect a 6.7% increase in total health benefit costs in 2026 — the steepest in 15 years — according to the 2025 National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans from consulting firm Mercer. The cost per employee is slated…
More and more payers and employers have been getting on board with surgical alternatives to GLP-1s for weight loss. A 2024 survey found most employer-sponsored plans covered these procedures, and covering GLP-1s for diabetes and obesity was much less likely.…
Independent Health plans to join fellow nonprofit insurer MVP Health Care, according to a Nov. 18 news release. Together, the organizations would encompass more than 1 million members, $7 billion in annual revenue and more than 3,000 employees. “Joining the…
Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health reached an agreement with Humana to remain in network with the insurer Nov. 17, according to both the insurer and health system. “Humana and Bon Secours Mercy Health have agreed upon terms that will preserve…