New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte has signed a bill that requires insurers to notify the state’s insurance department at least 90 days in advance before discontinuing a line of business, including Medicare Advantage plans. The bill specifically mandates that insurers…
Payer Policy Updates
Oregon health officials are weighing a potential cap on commercial health insurance payments to hospitals in an effort to address rising costs, the Oregonian reported July 15. According to the report, the state’s Committee on Health Care Affordability has been…
On July 4, President Donald Trump signed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which includes major changes for employee benefits. Six notes: 1. Starting January 1, individuals enrolled in bronze and catastrophic ACA plans will be eligible to contribute to…
Groups representing insurers are urging the House of Representatives to rollback steep Medicaid cuts passed by the Senate. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a 1,000+ page budget reconciliation package, passed the Senate July 1. The Senate version would cut…
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has vetoed a key provision from the state’s budget plan that would have required coverage of weight loss medications for state employees and their dependents for the upcoming fiscal year, citing concerns over long-term costs. The…
Advertisement
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is introducing legislation that would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to bill Medicare Advantage plans for care provided to members, the Wall Street Journal reported June 23. A study published in Health Affairs in…
CMS will raise limits for payments to Medicare Advantage brokers for 2026. According to a notice from CMS published June 18, plans can pay brokers up to $694 for new enrollments in MA plans, and $347 for renewing existing members.…
CMS is implementing a final rule that will shorten the open enrollment period on the ACA exchange and create stricter eligibility verifications for enrollees. In a June 20 news release, the agency said the changes will lower individual premiums by…
The Trump administration and insurers appear to have their own changes to reimbursement practices in store, with announcements expected next week — adding to funding changes outlined in Congress’ budget reconciliation bills. The Wall Street Journal reported June 20 that…
A group of Democratic lawmakers has introduced legislation to create a public insurance option for individuals and employers. The Choose Medicare Act was introduced by Reps. Jimmy Gonzalez, Jared Huffman, LaMonica McIver and Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Sens. Jeff Merkley…