Payer

Lowering Medicare eligibility to 60 would increase the federal deficit by $155 billion between 2026 and 2031, according to a May 16 report from the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation.

Sen. Bernie Sanders and 14 other senators introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2022 on May 12 to create a federally-administered single-payer healthcare system.

Castlight Health analyzed more than 160 million commercial medical claims nationwide to reveal insights about healthcare utilization patterns from 2018 to 2021. 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico has named Latha Raja Shankar, MD, as chief medical officer, the Albuquerque Journal reported May 14.

The University of Vermont Health Network and UnitedHealthcare have again extended their current contract, this time through May 27, VTDigger reported May 13. 

Former NFL athletes Chadwick Slaughter and Fabian Washington have pleaded guilty for their part in a scheme to defraud the Gene Upshaw NFL Player Health Reimbursement Account Plan, according to the Texas Department of Insurance.

The letters EDD explain why California's attempts at a single-payer healthcare system keep stalling out, according to California Focus, a syndicated public affairs newspaper column.

An Oscar Health stockholder filed a proposed class action May 12 in the Southern District Court of New York, alleging the insurtech company misled investors about financial issues caused by COVID-19 ahead of its initial public offering in March 2021.

Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross is partnering with Uno Health to help enroll Medicare Advantage members into state and federal government programs. 

Ten providers — including Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Cleveland Clinic —  recently posted job listings seeking leaders in payer contracting and relations.