As Premiums Rise, A Majority Of Americans Are Reviewing Insurance Policies To Find Savings

As personal insurance rates continue to increase for a myriad of reasons, around 70% of U.S. consumers are actively reviewing their insurance policies in an effort to find savings, according to a survey from Trusted Choice, national brand representing the members of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”). Among those shopping around, 45% ...

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California New Laws For 2024: Workers Get More Paid Sick Days

Under a new law, employees in California are guaranteed five paid sick days a year, two days more than previously. Worker advocacy groups say the benefit is needed, but business groups warn of additional costs.

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3 Thing To Know About Specialty Pharmacy In 2024

Specialty drug costs keep going up for plan sponsors Here are a few considerations employers and their brokers and consultants need to take into account in the coming years.

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Drugmakers Set To Raise U.S. Prices On At Least 500 Drugs In January

Drugmakers including Pfizer (PFE.N), Sanofi (SASY.PA) and Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502.T) plan to raise prices in the United States on more than 500 drugs in early January, according to data analyzed by healthcare research firm 3 Axis Advisors. Excluding different doses and formulations, more than 140 brands of drugs will have their prices raised next month, the data showed. The expected ...

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Medicaid Spending on Prescriptions Has Risen Despite Lower Utilization

Although there’s been lower utilization of prescription medications, Medicaid spending on prescription drugs has increased, a recent report shows. The KFF report relied on 2016 to 2022 State Drug Utilization Data, as well as CMS-64 Financial Management Reports from fiscal year 2017 to fiscal year 2022. It comes as states unwind the continuous enrollment provision, which prevented ...

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Nearly 20% Of Hospitals Have Been Warned Over Price Transparency Violations

Nearly 20% of U.S. hospitals have been warned that they violated the federal price transparency rules that went into effect in 2021, according to a Dec. 20 report from Bloomberg.  Government regulators evaluated 1,750 hospitals as of early December, and about 1,300 have received warnings of rule violations, according to the report. Most corrected errors after ...

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Sick With COVID And The Flu: Double Infections Hit California Hard

California’s hospitals are getting busier with more COVID-19 and flu patients, some of whom are suffering from both viruses at the same time. The simultaneous sickness is another wrinkle in an already hectic respiratory virus season. Although hospitals are not nearly as crowded as during the emergency phase of the pandemic, they are becoming increasingly ...

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‘You Have A Crisis Out There’: Gavin Newsom Scolds Counties Over Delays In Mental Health Law

If any year is looked back on as pivotal in California’s fight to curb mental illness, homelessness and drug-related deaths, 2023 could be the one. Gov. Gavin Newsom pushed major — and at times controversial — reforms of the state’s mental and behavioral health systems through the Legislature, but a mere two months after signing the laws, ...

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FTC, DOJ, HHS’s New Health Counsels To Take On Price-Gouging

Three major government agencies are adding new officials to investigate price-gouging in health care — positions experts say will help the three agencies better coordinate across the government.

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Biden Administration To Impose Inflation Penalties On Dozens Of Drugs

The Biden administration said on Thursday it had identified 48 drugs in the Medicare program whose prices rose quicker than inflation during the fourth quarter of the year and may require their makers to pay rebates.

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