IRA Means Increased Drug Prices For Commercial Plans: Ways To Prepare

The recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes several provisions aimed at lowering prescription drug prices for those on Medicare and reducing drug spending by the federal government. But these cost reductions for Medicare may lead to employers and their employees paying the price.

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401(k) Contribution Limits Are Taking a Big Jump for 2023

The I.R.S. announced one of its largest increases in decades to caps on retirement contributions, allowing workers with access to the plans to save more.

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Lawsuits, Challenges And Debates: Where California's Controversial Medicaid Contract Process Stands

California’s first-ever Medicaid managed contract procurements are a major shakeup in the state’s Medi-Cal system, which has over 12 million enrollees, or a third of California’s population. Millions of residents will switch plans as a result of the changes, and a lengthy road of appeals and legal battles could lay ahead. California selected the intended ...

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COVID-19 Regulation: Cal/OSHA Makes Big Changes Ahead of December Vote

California employers may want to get out their measuring tape — because the size (in cubic feet) of a workspace just became an important element of COVID-19 compliance. Last Thursday and Friday (October 13–14), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) made some significant changes to ...

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Pfizer Says COVID-19 Vaccine Will Cost $110-$130 Per Dose

Pfizer will charge $110 to $130 for a dose of its COVID-19 vaccine once the U.S. government stops buying the shots, but the drugmaker says it expects many people will continue receiving it for free. Pfizer executives said the commercial pricing for adult doses could start early next year, depending on when the government phases ...

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After Congress Fails to Add Dental Coverage, Medicare Weighs Limited Benefit Expansion

Proposed changes in Medicare rules could soon pave the way for a significant expansion in Medicare-covered dental services, while falling short of the comprehensive benefits that many Democratic lawmakers have advocated. That’s because, under current law, Medicare can pay for limited dental care only if it is medically necessary to safely treat another covered medical ...

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Watch For It! Apple To Launch Health Insurance In 2024

Apple is poised to enter the health insurance business in 2024 in partnership with a major payer, according to an industry analyst. “They are in such a strong position to do this,” Ben Wood, chief analyst at CCS Insight, told Forbes. “They’ve got a wealth of personal health data through Apple Watch. If they join some of the dots ...

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Say What? Hearing Aids Available Over-the-Counter for as Low as $199, and Without a Prescription

Starting Monday, consumers will be able to buy hearing aids directly off store shelves and at dramatically lower prices as a 2017 federal law finally takes effect. Where for decades it cost thousands of dollars to get a device that could be purchased only with a prescription from an audiologist or other hearing professional, now ...

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Californians Are Not Getting The Latest COVID Booster. Here Is Where Uptake Is The Lowest

Have you gotten your bivalent booster yet? If you live in California, chances are the answer is no, according to data from the California Department of Public Health. As of Oct. 18, just 9% of eligible residents statewide – about 2.6 million people – have had a bivalent booster, the first COVID shot directed at ...

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These Two New COVID Variants Could Drive The Next Surge. Here’s Why They’re Causing Surprise And Concern

Concern is rapidly growing over emerging omicron coronavirus variant BQ.1 and its sibling BQ.1.1, which experts say appear to be strong candidates for a winter surge in the U.S. and could knock the BA.5 variant out of its dominant spot. The BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 variants, descendants of BA.5, were first identified in mid-July, according to ...

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