Jeff Lagasse

Author's posts

Loneliness linked to health issues among older adults

Social isolation and loneliness among seniors has become a prevalent issue, so much so that the Elevance Health Public Policy Institute has issued a white paper showing that this trend can have negative impacts on seniors’ health, such as increasing th…

Healthcare organizations increasing IT investments

Technology and IT has emerged as an important strategic priority for healthcare institutions, with a new Bain and Company report showing that providers are increasingly accelerating their spending on IT and software.

Burnout growing among PAs; 8% plan to leave

Burnout among doctors and nurses has been well documented in recent years, but physician assistants are also susceptible to this trend, with a National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants survey showing that 30% have at least one sympto…

Report: Insurers should build trust to stand out in Medicare Advantage market

The biggest factors influencing retention in the fast-moving, competitive Medicare Advantage market are trust and the ability to resolve problems or complaints, according to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Medicare Advantage Study.

Hard-to-use EHRs may result in patient harm

Electronic health records that are difficult to use are also less likely to catch medical errors that could harm patients, according to new research published in JAMA Network Open.

Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina posts 4% rate decrease for 2024

The North Carolina Department of Insurance has approved a 4% average rate decrease for individual customers and families who enroll in Affordable Care Act plans in 2024, according to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.
This average rate decre…

Florida Blue, Aledade claim value-based collaboration saved $14 million

Florida Blue, the state’s Blue Cross Blue Shield plan, and Aledade, a network of independent primary care providers, have claimed that their collaboration on a value-based care network in the state has resulted in nearly $14 million in shared savings.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan eases prior authorization requirements

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan has said that in an effort to expand access and affordability for members, it’s further reforming its process to relax approximately 20% of prior authorization requirements.
The move would also reduce administrative t…

Bipartisan legislation seeks to increase healthcare price transparency

New bipartisan legislation intended to increase healthcare price transparency and lower overall costs for patients and employers was introduced late last week in the U.S. House of Representatives, and seeks to provide patients with accurate information…

NextGen Healthcare to be acquired by Thoma Bravo

NextGen Healthcare, a provider of cloud-based health technology solutions, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by software investment firm Thoma Bravo. When the transaction is in the books, NextGen Healthcare will become a privately …