Dental Insurance Sticker Shock? Some Employers May Face Big Premium Hikes

Some dental insurance issuers might be attracting employer customers with first-year prices that are too low to last. Amy Friedrich, president of the Benefits & Protection business at Principal Financial Group, talked about dental plan competition earlier this week during a conference call with securities analysts. “We are definitely seeing new-sales rates that are competitive,” Friedrich said. ...

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HHS Will Demo Drugmakers’ 340B Rebate Model In Limited Pilot Program

The Trump administration is now accepting applications for a pilot program to demo rebates for 340B drugs that drugmakers have said are necessary to reduce abuse of the decades-old subsidy program. Announced Thursday by the Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the pilot would swap out traditional upfront ...

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Americans Say Prior Authorizations Are A Major Problem, Insurers Vow To Reduce Burden

The prior authorization process is in the spotlight as the majority of Americans say delays and denials of services and treatments by health insurance companies are a major problem. This sentiment is shared across demographic groups, political affiliations and income levels, according to a KFF survey. About half of insured adults have had to get ...

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Nearly 39M Americans Now Enrolled In HSA-Eligible Health Plans

HSAs accounted for nearly 18% of total commercial health plan enrollment in 2024, including group health plans and individual health insurance.

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Aetna Takes ‘Disciplined Approach’ To Pricing Fully Insured Plans

CVS Health, the parent of Aetna, likes its employer health plan business but is taking a tough approach to pricing, a company executive said Friday.

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Forget 10,000 Steps — Research Reveals The Real Number You Need For Better Health

You may not need as many steps as you thought. Ten thousand steps per day has been widely recommended as the standard benchmark for physical activity — but a new study suggests that just 7,000 could be enough to boost essential health markers. Researchers from the University of Sydney conducted a review of 57 studies spanning more ...

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Worried About Alzheimer’s? Start Walking, According To A New 10-Year Study

If you needed another reason to get your daily steps in, science just handed you one. A new study shows that walking daily can reduce the risk of cognitive decline — especially among those with a genetic predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease. Almost 3,000 participants between the ages of 70 and 79 reported their daily walking habits over ...

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IRS Employer Health Insurance ‘Pay-Or-Play’ Penalties To Rise 15.2% In 2026

The new numbers will affect what some employers owe if employees apply, and get, federal premium subsidies.

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Health Insurance Companies Have A Problem — People Are Using Their Plans More

When medical insurance provider Centene (CNC) opened its books to investors on Friday, the company reported a surprising loss and an uptick in usage. The latter is a broader problem for the industry. In the second quarter, Centene reported an adjusted loss of $79 million and a “health benefits ratio” of 93%. Its benefits ratio, or the ...

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High Part D Premium Hikes In CMS’ Crosshairs For 2026 Bids

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has published its preliminary technical Medicare Part D bid information for the 2026 contract year, with updates intended to limit significant increases in cost-sharing and premium hikes. The changes in how CMS approves certain standalone prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors have resulted in the first-ever rejections of standalone PDP bids. ...

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