Drug utilization management such as prior authorization and stricter formularies cost the healthcare industry $93 billion annually, with patients bearing the largest share of the cost, a new study found. The study, published Monday in the journal Health Affairs, found that intense use of drug utilization measures has led to patients spending $35.8 billion a year in ...

Consumer out-of-pocket spending on healthcare is set to hit an estimated $491.6 billion, or about $1,650 per person, in the U.S., according to a recent report. The number is a roughly 10% increase over last year’s total and is expected to maintain a continual annual growth rate of 9.9% for the next five years, according ...

September 30, 2021, marks the conclusion of the COBRA Subsidy Period, which was introduced by the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act in March 2021. As we approach the looming expiration date, employers (or health insurance carriers, if the employer is subject to Cal-COBRA) must send one final notice to Assistance Eligible Individuals (AEIs) announcing the ...

The Senate’s release of its bipartisan infrastructure plan signals that lawmakers are poised to throw former President Donald Trump’s belated bid to lower Medicare drug prices under the bus — not to mention trains, bridges, tunnels and broadband connections. That’s because the massive spending bill is the first of two likely to at least delay ...

The Senate is poised to pass a roughly $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that will delay until 2026 a controversial Part D rebate rule. While most of the new funding in the package, the text for which was released Sunday, goes toward infrastructure projects such as new roads or information technology, there are several healthcare-related provisions that could impact the industry.

Some of California’s staunchest vaccine resisters are state employees and health care workers, all of whom will be required to get vaccinated or undergo testing starting next month.