Blue Cross Blue Shield plans faced widespread financial pressure in 2025, with several major insurers posting operating losses as medical and pharmacy costs continue to climb. The struggles played out across several leadership moves, an evolving reimbursement policy landscape and…
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Nebraska will roll out Medicaid work requirements in May, making it the first expansion state to implement these provisions under HR 1. Here are four notes leading up to Nebraska’s launch: 1. Medicaid expansion states must implement community engagement requirements…
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission insights, Congressional reports and enrollment data have all been released in the early months of 2026. Some methodology has been questioned by insurers and CMS, even directly on the Congressional floor. Despite the challenges, here are…
Texas saw the largest increase in bronze ACA plan enrollment from 2025 to 2026, while West Virginia saw the largest decrease, according to CMS data analyzed by KFF. Bronze plan enrollment grew 26% nationally, from 7.3 million to 9.2 million,…
The day after CMS released its final 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D payment rule, Chris Klomp, director of Medicare and deputy administrator at the agency, sat down with Health Tech Nerds Radio podcast to walk through what changed, what…
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CMS has issued operational guidance to states regarding how to implement H.R. 1’s Medicaid coverage restrictions for noncitizens, which take effect Oct. 1. On April 8, the agency outlined how states must update eligibility systems, applications, verification processes and claims…
AP of South Florida, a Florida-based insurance brokerage, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of major fraud against the U.S. for its role in a fraudulent ACA enrollment scheme. In a parallel civil resolution, AssuredPartners, a national brokerage…
Ten states have not expanded Medicaid under the ACA. If those states were to move toward expansion, 2.3 million people would secure health insurance coverage. While Medicaid expansion has long been a possibility, there is still some room for upheaval…
In early February, Republican lawmakers in Oklahoma introduced a state bill and joint resolution that could shake up the future of Medicaid expansion. The April 6 version of HB 4440 poses a state question asking whether Medicaid expansion provisions should…
At the start of this year, Florida Blue launched two specialty pharmacy programs aimed at reducing drug costs for members on high-priced therapies. The programs, dubbed FlexAccess and Advocate+ Pharmacy Match, address affordability from two different angles. FlexAccess works on…