Author: Scott Welch
Air conditioning is a life-saving tool in southern Nevada, but more and more people are finding it difficult to afford. Jacqueline Banderas, a mother of five, said there are times she’s received electricity bills of more than $1,000 to cool her home at the height of summer. “Once, they even cut my power because I ...
Primary care has been shown to improve health outcomes and population health; reduce health disparities; and save money. Despite these benefits, however, accessing primary care has become more difficult. “In 2025, there were 7,901 primary care health professional shortage areas,” according to a new report from the Health Care Cost Institute. “A recent report found ...
Employers can expect to pay an average of $17,000 per employee for health care costs next year. Aon, a global professional services firm, projects a 9.5% increase in 2026, marking the third consecutive year with price hikes approaching double digits.
A deadline looming, Congress charged Monday toward a federal government shutdown as Republicans brush back Democratic demands to save health care funding from cutbacks, while Democrats are flexing a newfound willingness to play hardball, even if it means closing offices and services.
A group of GOP senators are working on legislation to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies with policy changes designed to win over conservatives, according to four people granted anonymity to disclose private discussions.
An effort by President Trump’s administration to curb advertising for pharmaceutical drugs on television is posing a potential marketing hurdle for some of the country’s largest drugmakers while threatening a key revenue stream for media companies.
Integrated nonprofit health systems Kaiser Permanente and Renown Health have announced a joint venture giving the former an entry into northern Nevada. The deal, announced Wednesday, is still pending regulatory approval but is expected to close in early 2026. With it, the partners would own and operate a health plan and new outpatient care network ...
Two prior authorization reform bills have passed the California legislature and are headed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. The California Medical Association, which supported the legislation, said in a Sept. 11 news release the bills “aim to dramatically streamline the system, ensuring timely access to care for patients.” If signed by Mr. Newsom, Assembly Bill 512 would: ...
A new analysis from Morningstar estimates that the major national firms will continue to grow their share of the market over the next decade. The study projects that the six largest carriers—Aetna, Centene, Cigna, Elevance Health, Humana and UnitedHealthcare—will insure 56% of Americans by 2034, increasing from 41% in 2014. As of 2024, these six ...
The chaotic national dialogue around immunizations could cause widespread and lasting damage to public health, even in places like the Bay Area where vaccine support remains robust, say experts in infectious diseases. As national leaders, including the United States’ own health secretary, argue about and frequently dismiss the value of vaccines across all ages, public ...