Month: February 2024
Less than half of employers are confident in the integrity of health care services and fees charged by hospitals, pharmacy benefit managers, third-party administrators and even broker and consultants, says a new report.
The hospital operations giant has lost a bid to dismiss a proposed class action lawsuit in North Carolina federal court, accusing it of scheming to restrict competition and artificially drive up costs for health plans.
Congressional leaders have struck a deal to avert a government shutdown this week, agreeing to punt a pair of funding deadlines later into March to buy more time for spending talks. Under the deal announced Wednesday, leaders have agreed to extend funding for six full bills covering the departments of Agriculture, Justice, Commerce, Energy, Interior, Transportation ...
California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas cast doubt on the latest proposal to create a state-run single-payer healthcare system, saying he likes the idea but isn’t convinced the state can afford it in the face of a budget shortfall of at least $38 billion.
Californians have racked up billions of dollars in medical debt. Two years ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature granted authority to a new agency, the Office of Health Care Affordability, to rein in health costs that were racing ahead of residents’ ability to pay. But this effort is in danger of being watered down before it can benefit them.
Affordable Care Act (ACA) reporting season is here again, that time when U.S. employers must prepare to comply with ACA reporting and furnishing deadlines for the 2023 tax year. If you haven't completed your filing duties yet, the clock is ticking.
Unexpected health costs and surprise medical bills are among the leading concerns of voters heading into the 2024 election, which contribute to their negative views about the economy, according to a poll released Wednesday by health policy research group KFF.
California voters will decide March 5 whether to pump billions more dollars into combating the nation’s worst homelessness crisis, an investment Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom argues will finally provide the housing and treatment so badly needed by tens of thousands of homeless people. Newsom is spearheading Proposition 1, a $6.4 billion bond he says would fund 11,150 ...
The smaller bill will likely focus extender policies as well as possible funding for community health centers and partial offsets to scheduled Medicare cuts for physicians
Brokers play a key role in connecting employers with health care coverage options, including facilitating affordable prescription drug benefits for employers, which are a leading health care cost. In California, prescription drugs accounted for 11.2% ($60.36 per member per month) of the health plan premium in 2021, after manufacturer rebates. Health plan spending on prescription drugs in ...