Industry Updates
This broad category includes articles concerning health insurance costs, carrier and health plan news, changing benefits technology, and surveys by the Kaiser Family Foundation and others on employee benefits.
Here is an overview of updates from our California carrier, health plan, and administrator partners. For details, click on the related link (if any). Bonus Updates Health Net 2025 Large Group Incentive: Health Net brokers can earn 2% of paid premiums for 12 months for each new Large Group employer sold. Download the Health Net flyer ...
The fate of a Biden-era rule that would keep medical debt from consumers’ credit reports is up in the air amid reported stoppages within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the new administration’s broader hold on recently finalized regulations. Jan. 7, the bureau issued a final rule on consumer protection, which also prohibits lenders from considering ...
One in four respondents selected health care access as their highest priority for public health.
Artificial intelligence (AI) could be used to prescribe medications to patients — if a new bill makes its way through Congress. The proposed legislationopens in a new tab or window, sponsored by Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify that AI and machine learning technologies can qualify as ...
The past year was a step in the right direction for the hospital industry as outpatient revenue and below-inflation expense increases fueled a 9% year-over-year increase in 12-month operating margins. The new numbers from advisory firm Kaufman Hall run through December and reflect operating data from 1,300 hospitals nationwide as collected by Strata. Those hospitals ...
Insurers are working harder to sell dental plans and other benefits to small and midsize U.S. employers. Amy Friedrich, president of Principal Financial’s benefits and protection business, talked about the shift last week. Friedrich said competition intensified for all of the products Principal offers through its specialty benefits division, including group life, group vision and ...
The Federal Trade Commission today set off a new round of debate about the role of big pharmacy benefit managers in shaping U.S. prescription drug prices by posting a second interim staff report. This time, the FTC focused on charges for high-cost specialty drugs at the pharmacies of the three biggest PBMS — Cigna’s Express Scripts ...
The hospital lobby is petitioning President Donald Trump to grant carve-outs for medical devices and pharmaceutical products to the tariffs his administration has enacted, or may soon enact, on Mexico, Canada and China. In a letter sent Tuesday, the American Hospital Association (AHA) told the president that the country’s hospitals “stand with you” on the ...
Moody’s Ratings is downgrading the insurance industry’s credit outlook to negative as elevated medical costs continue to batter payers. Moody’s analysts noted in a report that spending in the commercial market alone is set to increase by 8% this year, the fastest rate recorded in 13 years. Spending in the individual market, meanwhile, is set ...
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he secured significant concessions from the Trump administration on vaccine safety that led to his vote Tuesday morning to advance the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Cassidy voted with all other Finance Committee Republicans on Tuesday to advance Kennedy’s nomination to the floor. ...