Author's posts
ACA-linked readmission rate improvements misleading
Hospital readmission rates began to improve upon implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, but a new JAMA Network Open analysis has found that the readmission gains due to the HRRP were smaller than originally…
Millions in Medicare Advantage overcharges revealed in audits
Federal audits released last week show widespread overcharges and other errors in payments to Medicare Advantage health plans for seniors, with some plans overbilling the government more than $1,000 per patient a year on average, according to Kaiser He…
Cost of burnout-related physician turnover totals $5 billion annually
Frenzied work conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to burnout among clinicians, but some of this hardship can be alleviated by letting healthcare professionals know they’re valued and appreciated, and not going through their ordeal alone…
Medicare Advantage bill introduced by senators to stem complaints
U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) have introduced the bipartisan Medicare & You Handbook Improvement Act, which is meant to ensure that when seniors assess their Medicare coverage options, they have the necessary inform…
House members urge changes to No Surprises Act final rule
Leaders of the House Ways and Means Committee have sent a letter to several federal agencies saying the final rule implementing the No Surprises Act favors insurers and should be changed to reflect provider concerns.
No Surprises Act prevented 9 million surprise bills
As many as 9 million surprise medical bills have been prevented since January due to the impact of the No Surprises Act, according to new data published by AHIP and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA).
ACA open enrollment sign-ups are 40% higher than last year
The White House has announced that the number of new enrollees who have signed up for health insurance on HealthCare.Gov is up almost 40% compared to the same time last year. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra called …
UnitedHealth Group and Change merger is being appealed by the DOJ
The Department of Justice is angling for another chance to block UnitedHealth Group’s acquisition of Change Healthcare, filing an appeal on Friday to reverse a September district court decision that cleared the merger.
The states of New York and Minnes…
UnitedHealthcare teams with AARP to tackle hearing aid costs
UnitedHealthcare is now administering AARP Hearing Solutions, part of a new partnership with AARP, the goal of which is to reduce costs for prescription and over-the-counter hearing aids.
Majority of Americans unaware of Medicaid eligibility redeterminations
The majority of adult Medicaid beneficiaries are unaware that their future eligibility could be in question upon the close of the national COVID-19 public health emergency, according to new findings from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
