Medicare Medicaid Category

Medicare & Medicaid

News articles in this section include actions by federal regulators like the CMS and HHS, as well as information on Medicare and state Medicaid coverage and benefits.

Private Insurers Getting Smaller Share Of Health Expenditure Pie

Increases in spending on hospital care, physician services and prescription drugs squeezed U.S. commercial health insurers in 2019, according to new federal government health spending data.

Read More

Healthcare Spending Growth Holds Steady In 2019, Despite Jump In Hospital Spending

Even though Americans got more hospital care and prescription drugs in 2019, elimination of a tax on insurers kept the healthcare spending growth rate effectively flat year-over-year.

Read More

Trump’s $200 Medicare Drug Cards Expected to Be Mailed Jan. 1

The Trump administration expects to begin sending $200 prescription drug discount cards to seniors by Jan. 1, a campaign promise to seniors that President Donald Trump was unable to fulfill before losing re-election, a person familiar with the matter said. A White House official described the time line for distributing the cards to Medicare beneficiaries, ...

Read More

Insurers, Providers Prepare For COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Costs

While the federal government is covering the cost of the COVID-19 vaccine for consumers during the public health emergency, some insurers may be left to foot the bill for providers’ time administering the shot. Although several insurers have said their members won’t be charged for the vaccine or its administration, some providers expect to shoulder ...

Read More

‘The Health System Of The Future Will Be Consumer-Centric, Wellness-Oriented And Digitally Connected’

In the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic left many businesses in an unprecedented state of uncertainty. Healthcare companies across the care continuum had to face new unknown challenges, pushing them to rapidly learn, adapt and transform the way they deliver healthcare. As a result, the concept of “anytime anywhere care” has become mainstream, changing the rate at which we ...

Read More

Moody’s: Outlook Stable For Health Insurers In 2021 Despite COVID-19, Policy Pressures

The credit outlook for health insurers is stable for next year, though several trends to watch in 2021 could have a notable financial impact, according to a new report from Moody's Investors Service.

Read More

Next Steps For Telehealth Require Congressional Action, Experts Say

Telehealth advocates are homing in on the next big challenge to solidify virtual care’s gains during the COVID-19 pandemic: urging congressional action. “That’s really our No. 1 federal priority,” said Kyle Zebley, director of public policy at the American Telemedicine Association. The latest Medicare physician fee schedule, released earlier this week, offers a powerful step ...

Read More

UnitedHealth Expects $2 Billion COVID Earnings Hit Next Year

UnitedHealth Group Inc. expects the pandemic to carve $2 billion out of its profits next year, with Covid-19 testing and treatment costs remaining steady even as more Americans return to their doctors’ offices for routine care.

Read More

Why Biden Worries Big Pharma

Divided government in Washington threatens much of President-elect Joe Biden's legislative agenda, but prescription drug pricing is a rare area where he might find common ground with a Republican-controlled Senate.

Read More

Group Launches Ads Opposing Bipartisan Fix To ‘Surprise’ Medical Bills

A fiscally conservative group is putting six figures behind new digital ads aimed at sinking a measure to ban the “surprise” medical bills patients get from hospitals and services that aren’t covered by insurance.

Read More
arrowcaret-downclosefacebook-squarehamburgerinstagram-squarelinkedin-squarepauseplaytwitter-squareyoutube-square