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.
Prior authorization is the most burdensome regulatory issue facing medical groups, with 89% saying it is very or extremely burdensome, according to a Nov. 13 report from the Medical Group Management Association. The MGMA’s annual regulatory report surveyed executives from more than 350 group practices, according to the report. Sixty percent of respondents are in practices with ...
The U.S. spends huge amounts of money on health care that does little or nothing to help patients, and may even harm them. In Colorado, a new analysis shows that the number of tests and treatments conducted for which the risks and costs exceed the benefits has barely budged despite a decade-long attempt to tamp ...
Optum Rx is shifting eight different insulin products to its preferred formulary in a bid to address affordability, the company said Thursday. The product selection includes all rapid-acting and short-acting insulin products as well as some long-acting insulins, according to the announcement. It includes insulins manufactured by Sanofi, Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Optum’s Tier ...
As cold and flu season truly sets in, major home delivery platforms are now allowing customers to purchase products using their health benefits. Both DoorDash and Instacart announced this week that they would accept payments from health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts to cover the cost of health and wellness items. In particular, according ...
Containing rising health care costs while recruiting and retaining a talented workforce is a challenge for employers. However, 6 in 10 are implementing initiatives to address both.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires medical health insurers to offer an annual one-month Special Open Enrollment Window (SOEW), when eligible Small Group employers can purchase medical coverage without having to meet standard employer-contribution and/or employee-participation ratios.
Faced with tough decisions and trade-offs, employers are leaning more than ever on benefits consultants for trusted advice to help them manage the myriad choices available and plot a strategic course for their employee health care benefits.
The IRS on Wednesday raised the amount that Americans can set aside for retirement in their 401(k) and other tax-deferred plans next year. Beginning in 2024, workers will be allowed to contribute up to $23,000 to their 401(k), an increase of $500 from this year. The increase applies to other retirement savings accounts, including the ...
The share of American consumers with medical debt on their credit reports has declined dramatically over the past year as major credit rating agencies removed small unpaid bills and debts that were less than a year old, according to a new analysis from the nonprofit Urban Institute. At the same time, millions of Americans have seen their ...
The new obesity drugs are so much in demand that the food industry has grown concerned that they might threaten future profits. The entertainment industry is speculating about which celebrities might be taking them. Amid the noise, it can be easy to miss a much more fundamental question: Will these new medications improve the health of the ...