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Wearing masks outdoors no longer necessary for those fully vaccinated, CDC says
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is relaxing mask wearing standards by allowing individuals who are fully vaccinated to be outdoors in small or medium gatherings without wearing a mask.
Kaiser Permanente paying $11.5 million to settle racial discrimination class-action lawsuit
Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California announced Thursday it is paying $11.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging it discriminated against employees on the basis of race, ending a two-year negotiation process involving more than 2,000 Bl…
Highmark Health, ChristianaCare to collaborate on lowering costs through value-based care
Many agree that the current healthcare system is too expensive, and it’s this belief that has prompted a new collaboration between HighMark Health and ChristianaCare, which will aim to make healthcare more affordable by taking costs out of the system.
Hospital merger and acquisition activity will remain robust throughout the year, Moody’s finds
Hospitals, health systems and providers, both for-profit and nonprofit, are expected to see continued robust merger and acquisition activity throughout the year, according to a new report from Moody’s Investors Service.
HHS reminds providers that COVID-19 vaccines must remain free for all Americans
In response to reports that some providers have been charging patients for vaccines, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General is reiterating that any COVID-19 vaccines should be administered free of charge to recipie…
Blue Shield of California’s Wellvolution debuts new features for type 2 diabetes
Blue Shield of California is enhancing its Wellvolution program by adding two new services that provide personalized care and nutrition support for members living with or at risk for Type 2 diabetes.
Wellvolution is a digital lifestyle medicine and he…
Cigna, Oscar plan to expand affordable coverage for small businesses in Connecticut
Major health insurer Cigna will be teaming with insurance company Oscar to offer small business health insurance to Connecticut employers later this year, in a new offering called Cigna + Oscar that will come into effect on July 1.
AHA urges CMS to reinstate pause in surveys if COVID-19 cases surge
In a letter sent to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Monday, the American Hospital Association said that there should be more suspensions on hospital surveys in the event of a surge in cases of COVID-19.
OIG claims Humana overcharged Medicare by almost $108 million
A new audit from Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General alleges that a Humana health plan for Florida seniors improperly collected almost $198 million in 2015 by failing to comply with some federal coding requirements and overstatin…
Cigna launches COVID-19 vaccine transportation for Medicare Advantage members
In an effort to help older Americans get access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Cigna is providing transportation to and from vaccine sites at no extra cost to customers in most of its Medicare Advantage plans across the U.S.
Cigna is working with its Medicar…
