Author: Scott Welch
As the coronavirus pandemic wanes across California, a handful of counties along the northernmost edge of the state that were spared the worst of last year’s surge are now seeing an alarming rise in cases driven by the spread of variants and deep-rooted resistance to vaccines. With the states June 15 target for reopening in ...
A new HRA Council held its first meeting Friday, and the founding member list could give hints about which insurers have the strongest interest in the commercial individual major medical insurance market. Organizers of the Washington-based group say it will be a non-partisan, nonprofit coalition that will promote awareness of health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), help develop HRA standards, ...
Health spending would increase by almost a quarter of its current funding level as the White House aims to build a new health research agency, eliminate racial and socioeconomic disparities, and beef up the nation’s public health preparedness. President Joe Biden’s budget request, released Friday, includes includes $133.7 billion for the Department of Health and Human ...
The Senate last week voted 55-44 to confirm the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to be the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). All of the 50 Democrats who voted backed Brooks-LaSure. Brooks-LaSure also won support from five Republicans. The list of Republicans supporting her included three senators who are known for voting ...
Dive Brief: * Healthcare costs for a family of four decreased year over year from 2019 to 2020, a first in the 16-year history of the annual Milliman Medical Index report. The COVID-19 pandemic was responsible for the decline, as people deferred care. Milliman, an actuarial firm, relies on claims data from 2019 and a chunk of 2020 ...
What would you do with $6 trillion? President Joe Biden would give a lot more money to working-class parents and spend billions on roads and bridges, among other priorities. The question is whether he can get a closely divided—yet Democratic majority—Congress to go along. The president’s proposed budget outlines his ambitious plans for the country over the ...
Scientists are increasingly confident that vaccines provide long-lasting protection against the coronavirus and that boosters will not be necessary for at least a year, perhaps much longer. The vaccines are holding up well against all coronavirus variants so far. That means boosters probably won’t be needed anytime soon to protect against variants. Even more promising, ...
Nevada’s bid to enact the second state-based public option health benefit plan in the nation passed the state Senate Monday on a 12-9 party line vote and moved to the Assembly with one week remaining in the session.
Nevada reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 1,813 new cases. That's down 29.2% from the previous week's tally of 2,559 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
A pair of bills recently introduced in the House and Senate aim to ensure that a boom in telehealth use during the pandemic does not go away. A House bill introduced Monday and a Senate bill introduced Tuesday both aim to make certain telehealth flexibilities permanent for Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries.