Category: Health Insurance

Community Health Systems sells two-hospital Mary Black Health System as part of long-term divestitures

When the transaction is complete, Community Health Systems affiliates will still operate four hospitals in South Carolina.

Elderly housing with supportive social services can reduce hospital use, study says

Investment in housing with such supportive social services as psychological assessments, physical activity and socialization programs can reduce hospitalization for older adults.

Day of discharge does not influence heart surgery patient readmissions

The use of preoperative beta blockers, tobacco use, and surgical site infections were independent predictors of readmission within 30 days, but day of discharge was not.

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Falling Premiums And Rising Political Tensions

In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Mary Agnes Carey of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News and Julie Appleby of Kaiser Health News discuss the Trump administration’s announcement that average premium prices are falling on the Obamacare marketplaces, the effort by Senate Democrats to reverse rules on short-term health insurance and the focus on protections for people with preexisting conditions in the run-up to midterm elections.

Updated: CMS Star ratings for 2019 Medicare Advantage plans and Part D coverage show Kaiser on top (see list)

CMS sign at HIMSS17.
Cigna’s Healthspring, KelseyCare’s Kelsey-Seybold plan, Humana’s CarePlus Health Plan, Florida Blue and Martin’s Point are also on the list.

What will it take to get consumers to finally use patient portals?

Security and privacy standards and mimicking a social media approach may be the next logical steps, one expert says.

Hurricane Michael ravages Gulf Coast, damages hospitals

At least two people have died as a result of the storm as at least one hospital has been badly damaged and is currently evacuating.

CMS says health insurance premiums down by 1.5 percent under ACA

CMS takes credit for introducing waivers and a reinsurance program for insurers to submit high-cost claims into a risk pool.

Fact-Check: Who’s Right On Protections For Preexisting Conditions? It’s Complicated

Consumers favor ACA’s safeguards on the promise that patients who have health problems can get insurance. In the heat of the midterm campaigns, politicians in both parties agree, but their arguments don’t always add up.

CVS and Aetna merger a disruptive sign of the future

Whether consumers will benefit from clout, data, lower pricing or not is up for debate.