Author: Scott Welch
The Contra Costa County health department on Tuesday recommended people wear masks in crowded indoor settings as COVID-19 infections increase throughout the Bay Area. The department said masking is particularly important for those at high risk of serious illness if infected. However, the department also stressed that it is a recommendation, not a health order, ...
When Californians phone for help with their Medicaid coverage, they routinely face waits of nearly an hour — and are regularly disconnected without reaching anyone, researchers found in a newly released analysis. An audit released Wednesday by the Children’s Partnership, an advocacy group focused on child health, found the average wait when researchers phoned in ...
More than half of U.S. states are reporting “very high” levels of COVID activity as the virus continues to spread and increase in many parts of the country, according to the latest wastewater data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 27 states are reporting “very high” levels and 17 states are reporting “high” ...
Regular aspirin use may keep the oncologist away, at least when it comes to colorectal cancer, according to a new study, and people with unhealthy lifestyles seemed to see the greatest benefit. Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide, predicted to cause more than 52,500 deaths in the US alone in ...
On May 13, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) published an open letter to Novo Nordisk on the front page of a leading Danish newspaper, urging the hometown company to live up to its altruistic standards by lowering U.S. prices for its blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drugs. What Sanders didn’t realize was that Denmark, a country ...
The Fifth Circuit Court's ruling, which was filed late last week, confirms a February 2023 decision from the court in the Eastern District of Texas, vacating arbitration methodology set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is creating a voluntary demonstration program to support changes to Medicare Part D under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The agency also finalized bid information for contract year 2025, with a base beneficiary premium increase of $2.08 for people with Part D. The IRA is designed to ...
Why OIG Did This Audit California pays managed care organizations to make services available to eligible Medicaid enrollees in return for a monthly fixed payment (capitation payment) for each enrollee. Previous OIG audits found that State Medicaid agencies made capitation payments on behalf of enrollees who were residing and enrolled in Medicaid in another State. ...
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a valuable tool for eligible individuals to save tax-free dollars for health care expenses, with the added benefit of accumulating tax-free interest over time. Introduced in 2003 and available to individuals starting in 2004, HSAs have become an integral part of health care planning and financial savings. While many health ...
Heat Map: Share of Residents Who Are Uninsured, 2022 Texas is home to the country’s largest share of Americans under 65 without health insurance, according to new Census Bureau data, with 18.8% of residents uninsured as of 2022. Why it matters: That’s a big improvement over 2006, when 27.6% of Texans were uninsured — but still nearly ...