Jeff Lagasse

Author's posts

Optum Rx debuts weight management program

Optum Rx has debuted a new weight management and wellness support program called Weight Engage, which will be available to consumers of plan sponsors, including employers, beginning January 1.

HHS finalizes interoperability, algorithm transparency final rule

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, today finalized its Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Certification Program Updates, Algorithm Transparency…

AMA finds commercial, MA markets highly concentrated among insurers

The American Medical Association today identified the industry giants with the biggest shares of the markets for commercial health insurance, Medicare Advantage, and public health exchanges, with UnitedHealthcare and Elevance Health representing the la…

Humana to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than half

Humana has signaled its intent to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 54.6% by 2023, using 2019 as a base year. In line with a 1.5°C temperature trajectory, Humana’s near-term science-based emissions reduction targets have been approved by the Scien…

AHIP names Mike Tuffin president and CEO

AHIP has appointed MIke Tuffin its next president and CEO. Tuffin will officially take the helm of the healthcare payer trade organization effective January 8.
He succeeds AHIP CEO Matt Eyles, who decided to step down this year. 

Patient groups criticize UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage marketing

Patient advocacy groups have sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services criticizing UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage marketing, asking the agency to investigate potentially misleading advertising tactics.

Administration eyeing negative impacts of corporate healthcare ownership

The White House has signaled its intent to address the potentially negative and problematic aspects of corporate ownership in healthcare, with a focus on drug pricing, transparency and anticompetitive behavior.

OCR settles first-ever phishing cyberattack investigation

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has reached a settlement with Lafourche Medical Group, a Louisiana medical group specializing in emergency medicine, occupational medicine and laboratory testing. The settl…

UnitedHealth: Chronic conditions becoming more prevalent as disparities emerge

Multiple chronic conditions, ranging from diabetes to depression, are becoming more common, according to the United Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of UnitedHealth Group. Many chronic conditions are at the highest levels ever recorded in the a…

CVS overhauls pharmacy reimbursement with CostVantage model

CVS Health is altering how it reimburses pharmacies for prescription medications through a new model called CostVantage, which the company promised would evolve the traditional reimbursement model and provide more simplicity and transparency.