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HHS: Protections against surprise medical bills implemented at dawn of new year
As 2022 gets underway, new federal protections against surprise medical bills have gone into effect, which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has said will shield consumers from bills from out-of-network providers, facilities and ambulanc…
FDA expands use of Pfizer vaccine, green-lights boosters for children 12-15
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially authorized Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 booster shots for children 12-to-15-years old, the agency revealed on Monday.
AHA asks UnitedHealthcare to rescind revised policy on emergency coverage
UnitedHealthcare recently announced it would move forward with new coverage criteria for emergency-level care, which went into effect January 1, and this has drawn the ire of the American Hospital Association, which is urging UHC to rescind the policy….
Racial, ethnic disparities persist in hospital mortality for COVID-19 patients, others
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hispanic Medicare patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were more likely to die than non-Hispanic white Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study led by researchers from the Department of Health Care Policy in the Blavatn…
13.6 million people now covered by ACA plans, with a month to go
The open enrollment period in 2021 is outpacing all previous years in terms of enrollment, with a historic high of more than 13.6 million people already enrolled in health insurance coverage for 2022 through HealthCare.gov and state-based marketplaces …
FDA authorizes COVID-19 pills from Pfizer and Merck
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued emergency use authorizations for Pfizer and Merck’s antiviral COVID-19 pills.
The FDA gave emergency use authorization to Pfizer’s pill on Wednesday and announced the Merck approval today.
Omicron variant not convincing unvaccinated people to get the COVID-19 shot
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is the latest variant of concern in the global fight against the disease, but attitudes differ wildly about it – especially when it comes to vaccinated vs. unvaccinated individuals.
CMS issues final rule on durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies
In a final rule issued on Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has expanded access to certain durable medical equipment, such as continuous glucose monitors that increase diabetes treatment choices for people with Medicare.
Medicare Advantage, consolidation drove healthcare insurer trends in 2021
It was difficult to predict trend lines for the payer and health insurance industry in 2021, largely because of persistent uncertainties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumer behavior has become more unpredictable, care models and offerings are changi…
Medicaid/Chip enrollment increases to more than 83 million, says CMS
The latest enrollment figures released this week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows that an estimated 83 million people are now enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), representing an increase of ne…
