A November 2024 proposal by the Biden administration that would allow Medicare and require Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) to provide coverage for weight loss drugs could be in jeopardy. Until now, Medicare has been prohibited from paying for weight loss medications unless they are prescribed for treatment of diabetes or to manage a patient’s increased ...

Stop-loss insurance costs spiked at Cigna in the fourth quarter, and that will lead to price increases for employers renewing their coverage. Company executives talked about the coming wave of stop-loss increases Thursday, during a conference call with securities analysts. Brian Evanko, the company’s chief financial officer, said the main drivers of the spike were ...

Double-digit tariffs, if they take effect as proposed, threaten to escalate healthcare costs, disrupt supply chains and create affordability challenges for patients, healthcare executives say. President Donald Trump on Saturday signed executive orders intending to impose sweeping tariffs on the country’s three largest trading partners. The Trump administration imposed 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico ...

Steadily rising costs and increased demand for personalization mean employers must keep a closer eye on the return on their benefits investments in the coming year. “As companies and HR teams navigate another year of workforce challenges, one truth remains: benefits can make or break your talent strategy,” according to the 2025 Annual Lifestyle Benefits ...

A federal appeals court and the Federal Communications Commission, in one of its first actions under the new presidential administration, have handed down major decisions that many in the insurance industry may see as a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the decisions give new freedom to insurance companies, agencies, quote-comparison sites and others that ...

Members of the health benefits policy-shaping committees in Congress are talking about encouraging bipartisanship.