Category: Insurance

Medical Providers Still Grappling With UnitedHealth Cyberattack: ‘More Devastating Than Covid’

Medical providers say they’re still coping with the Change Healthcare cyberattack disclosed in February even though parent company UnitedHealth Group reported that much is back to normal and its revenue is up over last year.

Too Big To Fail? Now It’s ‘Too Big To Hack’

Congress this week had the chance to formally air grievances over the cascading consequences of the Change Healthcare cyberattack, and lawmakers from both major parties agreed on one culprit: consolidation in health care. Plus, about a year after states began stripping people from their Medicaid rolls, a new survey shows nearly a quarter of adults who were disenrolled are now uninsured. Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews Caroline Pearson of the Peterson Health Technology Institute.

Lawsuit Alleges Obamacare Plan-Switching Scheme Targeted Low-Income Consumers

The lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that large call centers were used to enroll people into Affordable Care Act plans or to switch their coverage, all without their permission.

When Rogue Brokers Switch People’s ACA Policies, Tax Surprises Can Follow

Some tax filers’ returns are being rejected because they failed to provide information about Affordable Care Act coverage they didn’t even know they had.

Nearly 1 in 4 Adults Dumped From Medicaid Are Now Uninsured, Survey Finds

A first-of-its-kind survey of Medicaid enrollees found that nearly a quarter who were dropped from the program in the last year’s unwinding say they’re uninsured.

An Arm and a Leg: Attack of the Medicare Machines

In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann tells a horror story. Instead of monsters and aliens, it’s about private health insurance companies and algorithms that call the shots on patient care.

After Public Push, CMS Curbs Health Insurance Agents’ Access to Consumer SSNs

Days after publication of a KFF Health News article about Obamacare enrollees being switched to different plans without their knowledge or consent, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services took steps to tighten insurance agents’ access to private consumer information on the federal marketplace.

Readers Speak Up About Women’s Health Issues, From Reproductive Care to Drinking

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

Rising Complaints of Unauthorized Obamacare Plan-Switching and Sign-Ups Trigger Concern

Federal and state regulators are mulling what they can do to thwart this growing problem.

Biden Is Right About $35 Insulin Cap but Exaggerates Prior Costs for Medicare Enrollees

Most Medicare enrollees likely were not paying a monthly average of $400 — as President Joe Biden stated — before the insulin cap took effect. However, because costs and other factors result in widely varying prices, some Medicare enrollees might have paid that much in a given month.