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.

CMS Finalizes 5.06% Medicare Advantage Benchmark Increase

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized an increase of the average benchmark payments to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by 5.06%, or $25 billion, on Monday. It is nearly a three-percentage-point increase over the advance notice proposed in the waning days of the Biden administration and will be seen as favorable to payers. ...

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Medicare Advantage Final Rule Excludes Anti-Obesity Drug Coverage Under Medicare, Medicaid

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a Medicare Advantage (MA) rule proposed by the Biden administration but is choosing to leave out the rule’s flashiest policy. As outlined by the CMS, the Trump administration’s final rule will not include three proposals included in the initial proposal, including the plan to cover anti-obesity ...

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Nevada Pharmacy Benefit Managers Lining Pockets At Expense Of Patients, Say Lawmakers

PBMs, which administer prescription drug benefits for health insurance plans, employers, and other organizations including governments, are driving up prescription drug costs, putting small pharmacies out of business, and interfering with doctor and patient relationships, says Sen. Rochelle Nguyen

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Republicans Say Efficiencies Will Save Medicaid. Dems Say ‘Not Possible.’

The Trump administration and Republicans broadly have said they can cut Medicaid’s budget without hurting patient care by finding efficiencies. Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette, the top Democrat on a key health care panel, says that’s not so. “We just simply don’t have that much money,” DeGette said at POLITICO’s Health Care Summit Wednesday. President Donald ...

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Bipartisan Bill Targets Prior Authorization Transparency, Physician Decision-Making

Bipartisan lawmakers have introduced a bill that aims to more closely align Medicare insurers’ prior authorization denials with medical need, as determined by board-certified specialist physicians.

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Nonprofit Hospital Margins Flipped Positive In 2024: Fitch

Nonprofit hospitals’ 2024 financial performances are beating the prior year’s tough numbers, though even the stronger organizations remain “well below pre-pandemic levels,” Fitch Ratings said. In a Thursday brief describing the financial profiles of its rated nonprofit hospitals, the agency attributed the year-to-year improvements to stronger revenues and volumes as well as slightly mitigated, but ...

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Nevadans Prepare For Potentially Devastating Cuts To Medicaid

Nearly 800,000 Nevadans are covered by Medicaid, a federal health insurance program used by one in five Americans who would otherwise struggle to afford medical care.

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Nevada Announces Intent To Award Medicaid Contracts

The Silver State plans to award managed care contracts to incumbents UnitedHealth, Elevance, Centene and Molina — along with CareSource, a newcomer to the state.

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Cigna Closes $3.3B Sale Of Medicare Plans To HCSC

Cigna has officially sealed the deal on the $3.3 billion sale of its Medicare business to Health Care Service Corporation. HCSC acquired Cigna’s Medicare Advantage, Part D, supplemental benefits and CareAllies units as part of the deal. While it will no longer operate the Medicare unit directly, Cigna said it will continue to provide pharmacy ...

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Congress Extends Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities For 6 Months

Telehealth groups celebrated the extension, but added that the short-term reprieve means continued uncertainty for providers.

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