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.
The House of Representatives passed a “two-step” spending bill last week that, along with delaying a government shutdown, bumps back pay cuts for hospitals and extends community health center and training programs.
Kaiser Permanente's healthcare workers voted to ratify a new contract with the hospital chain, the union said on Thursday, ending a months-long negotiation that resulted in the largest recorded strike in the U.S. medical sector.
A new report on how smaller employers have been dealing with rising health care costs revealed that more than 40% are considering switching insurers and more than 25% are looking at increasing deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs for employees.
The e-commerce giant says its Prime customers can now get quick access to a health care provider through a program that costs $9 a month or $99 annually.
For the more than 100 million American adults with obesity, medications such as semaglutide (known by its brand names Wegovy and Ozempic) and tirzepatide, a version of which the Food and Drug Administration approved last week, could be transformative. These drugs are remarkably effective in reducing weight, managing diabetes and reducing cardiovascular complications. But there is still much we don’t ...
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.