Author: Scott Welch
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 ...
State attorneys general are urging Congress to pass three bills that would reform pharmacy benefit manager practices and bring more transparency to their work. A bipartisan group of 39 state attorneys general sent a letter to Senate and House leaders Feb. 20, highlighting the urgent need for federal action. While efforts to regulate PBMs are occurring on the state ...
GoodRx is offering 30 common heart health medications for less than $30 at more than 70,000 pharmacies across the country. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Among the generics now available are ACE inhibitors like lisinopril, beta blockers like propranolol, calcium channel blockers like amlodipine and statins like pravastatin. Brand-name medications available ...
With steep inflation affecting retirement goals, employers can play a pivotal role in reducing employees' financial stress by enhancing their offerings beyond the traditional 401(k) with emergency savings accounts, says a new report.
An ongoing cybersecurity breach that hit the health technology company Change Healthcare this week has led to prescription delays for at least a few small pharmacies in the U.S., with some interruptions reported by bigger institutions like Walgreens, according to the pharmacies. Change Healthcare — a technology company based in Tennessee that is part of ...