Category: Health Industry

Indiana State Senator Moves To Scrap Hospital Monopoly Law He Helped Create

After rival hospitals in Terre Haute scuttled plans to merge, a state senator has introduced a bill to forbid similar mergers by repealing a state law he helped write.

Biden Administration Bars Medical Debt From Credit Scores

The move, which comes less than two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office, represents a challenge to the new administration.

Health Insurers Limit Coverage of Prosthetic Limbs, Questioning Their Medical Necessity

Advocates say it is discrimination and are arguing for “insurance fairness” on the grounds that people who have joints surgically replaced typically don’t face the same kinds of coverage challenges.

Syringe Exchange Fears Hobble Fight Against West Virginia HIV Outbreak

Health workers and researchers say an HIV outbreak in West Virginia that three years ago was called “the most concerning” in the U.S. continues to spread after state and local officials restricted syringe service programs.

In Settling Fraud Case, New York Medicare Advantage Insurer, CEO Will Pay up to $100M

A whistleblower suit alleged a health insurer bilked Medicare by exaggerating how sick patients were.

Readers Offer Solo Agers Support and Reflect on Ancestors

KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

Employers Press Congress To Cement Health Price Transparency Before Trump’s Return

Donald Trump’s first administration advanced rules forcing hospitals and insurers to reveal prices for medical services. Employers don’t want to risk backtracking during Trump’s second administration.

Obamacare Sign-Ups Lag After Trump Election, Legal Challenges

The number of new and returning enrollees using healthcare.gov — the federal marketplace that serves 31 states — is well below last year’s as of early December. Also, a Biden administration push to give “Dreamers” access to Obamacare coverage and subsidies is facing court challenges.

Rage Has Long Shadowed American Health Care. It’s Rarely Produced Big Change.

The outpouring of anger at health insurers following the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson continues a cycle of rage that dates back decades.

How a Duty To Spend Wisely on Worker Benefits Could Loosen PBMs’ Grip on Drug Prices

As criticism of pharmacy benefit managers heats up, fear of lawsuits is driving some big employers to drop the “Big Three” PBMs — or force them to change.