Author: Jakob Emerson

With its second Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly center now open in South Los Angeles, SCAN Group is pressing ahead with a care model that faces steep regulatory challenges. The new 33,000-square-foot facility in Compton will provide low…

UnitedHealthcare is expecting 78% of its Medicare Advantage membership to be enrolled in plans rated 4 stars or above in 2026. The company told regulators on Sept. 8 that while star ratings data is not yet final, it intends to…

Idaho’s health plan for state employees, retirees and their dependents is dropping coverage for GLP-1s prescribed for weight loss, effective Nov. 1. The change does not impact GLP-1 coverage for diabetes, the state said Sept. 5. The new policy is…

A new kind of Medicare Advantage advertisement is hitting the airwaves, one diverging from the usual scenes of seniors gleefully enjoying an outdoor activity or making a medical appointment against a backdrop of upbeat music. Instead, a more blunt framing…

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee is laying off an additional 95 employees and eliminating 28 vacant positions in non customer-facing roles. “Like health insurers across the country, BlueCross has seen a sharp rise in claims costs – a trend that started…

Alignment Healthcare has named Matt Eyles as executive vice president of government and business strategy, effective Sept. 29.  In the newly created position, Mr. Eyles will focus on the Medicare Advantage company’s engagement and leadership in healthcare policy at federal…

For more than two years, Becker’s has reported on the intensifying trend of Medicare Advantage reimbursement fights between hospitals and insurers that has contributed to a dizzying and ever-changing environment for older adults to navigate each enrollment period.  Now, that…

A group of House Republicans are backing the newly filed Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act, which would extend enhanced ACA subsidies for one year beyond their current expiration date at the end of 2025. Under the legislation, the premium…

CMS’ progress toward expanding its team of medical coders to audit more Medicare Advantage plans is unclear, Bloomberg reported Sept. 5. In May, the agency said it would audit every MA plan for potential overpayments annually, in what was described…

UCare has asked CMS to mutually terminate its Medicare Advantage plans for 2026, citing rising medical costs and challenges within the broader market. “This decision was not made lightly,” President and CEO Hilary Marden-Resnik said Sept. 4 “UCare remains deeply…