Month: September 2015
Two proposed mergers involving four of the nation’s biggest health insurers could reduce competition in an important industry. That’s why federal and state regulators need to closely study these deals and, if necessary, force the companies to sell some parts of their businesses. Earlier this summer, Anthem agreed to acquire Cigna for $48 billion, and Aetna ...
During this fall’s open enrollment period, workers who get health insurance through their employers may not see huge premium increases or significant hikes to deductibles or other out-of-pocket costs. But there may be less obvious changes that could make a notable difference in coverage or costs, benefits consultants say. Employers again are sharply focused on ...
On Tuesday, the California Senate voted 24-15 to approve a bill (AB 305) that would prohibit medical problems primarily affecting women from being considered pre-existing conditions when calculating workers’ compensation benefits, the AP/Washington Times reports. The bill now returns to the Assembly for a final vote. Details of AB 305 According to state Sen. Marty ...
Why did hospitals binge-buy doctor practices in recent years? To improve care coordination, lower costs and upgrade patient experiences, say hospitals. To raise costs, gain pricing power and steer patient referrals, say skeptics. Researchers at Stanford University tested those opposing arguments by comparing referral patterns between independent doctors and those working for hospitals. Ownership by ...
California has adopted a series of laws in recent years to help people in the country illegally, and polls show broad support for a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 2 million such immigrants living in the state. But it’s a different story when it comes to providing them healthcare benefits. California voters are sharply ...
New government procedures have caused more than 400,000 immigrants to lose healthcare coverage they received under Obamacare this year, according to the Associated Press. The change in procedure shortens the timeframe during which foreign-born citizens can resolve eligibility issues, which has caused 423,000 people to lose their state-sponsored benefits. The healthcare law provides a 95-day ...
California had the most health insurance exchange enrollees of any state, with about 1.4 million enrollees as of June 30, according to new federal data, The Hill reports (Sullivan, The Hill, 9/8). Details of Exchange Enrollees Overall, the data show about 9.9 million U.S. residents had selected and paid for health coverage through the federal ...
The White House isn’t likely to wait long to challenge Wednesday’s ruling allowing House Republicans to sue the Obama administration for spending federal funds on the Affordable Care Act‘s cost-sharing assistance. The administration is expected to seek what’s called an interlocutory appeal, which would allow a higher court to consider the issue of whether ...
By sheer number of covered lives, Kaiser Permanente has been California’s largest health insurer for decades. But if Anthem gets its way — no longer. The Indianapolis-based insurer is currently the second-largest health insurer in the Golden State, and one of the three largest health insurers in the nation. Its planned mega-merger with Cigna is ...
About 9.9 million people have signed up and paid for health insurance under President Barack Obama’s health care law, the administration said Tuesday, a slight dip from a previous count but on track toward the administration’s year-end goal of 9.1 million. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that 84 percent of those, ...