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Humana announces value-based agreement with Minnesota-based Allina Health
Insurer Humana and nonprofit healthcare system Allina Health are expanding their existing agreement to focus on value-based care for Humana’s Medicare Advantage members in Minnesota, the organizations said this week.
The multiyear agreement, which take…
American Society of Anesthesiologists accuses BCBS NC of abusing No Surprises Act
The American Society of Anesthesiologists has accused BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina of abusing new federal law designed to protect patients from out-of-network bills.
HHS announces a record number of healthcare workforce awards in rural and underserved communities
The Biden Administration, through the Department of Health and Human Services, has awarded a historically high number of health workforce loan repayment and scholarship programs due to a new $1.5 billion investment, including $1 billion in supplemental…
Newly expanded supplemental benefits in Medicare Advantage grew 43% for 2022
Medicare Advantage plans offering at least one newly-expanded supplemental benefit rose 43% from the 2021 to the ’22 coverage year, finds new analysis from the Better Medicare Alliance.
Private equity ownership of nursing homes linked to lower quality, higher Medicare costs
Nursing homes acquired by private equity companies saw an increase in emergency room visits and hospitalizations among long-stay residents and an uptick in Medicare costs, according to a new study from Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings…
Biden Administration secures 10 million courses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral antiviral medicine
The Biden White House said today that, at a cost of more than $5 billion, it has secured 10 million treatment courses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 oral antiviral drug, contingent on emergency use authorization or approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administra…
Highmark Health President and CEO David Holmberg named chair of AHIP board
AHIP’s Board of Directors has elected HighMark Health President and CEO David Holmberg its new board chair, effective January 1, 2022. Holmberg will take the helm from Bruce Broussard, president and CEO of Humana, who is serving as AHIP Board Chair thr…
Biden Administration is requiring insurers, health plans to report on prescription drug costs
In an interim final rule, the Biden Administration is now requiring private insurers to report prescription drug costs, as well as key data, to the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury.
It’s the fourth rule in a series that the …
Washington loses 2% of healthcare workforce to vaccine mandate
The state of Washington has lost 2% of its healthcare workforce since mandating that all hospital and nursing home staff receive COVID-19 vaccines, according to the Washington State Hospital Association.
While the state hates to see healthcare staff de…
Dartmouth-Hitchcock virtual self-care program receives $30K Cigna sponsorship
The Dartmouth-Hitchcock Aging Resource Center has received a sponsorship from the health insurance provider Cigna for a program intended to support the well-being of unpaid caregivers.
The Self-Care Sampler for Family Care Partners virtual program is …
