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2+ hour, 12+ min ago (884+ words) For every new enrollment, two Pennsylvanians are dropping Obamacare coverage as steep government subsidies are set to expire at year's end. About 38,000 people who have Affordable Care Act coverage through Pennie, the state's health insurance exchange, have opted not to renew their plans for next year. That's compared to 19,000 new enrollees. "We are seeing how much this affordability matters to people," Pennie Executive Director Devon Trolley told TribLive on Tuesday. Open enrollment runs Nov. 1 to Jan. 15, so there's still time for an enrollment surge. But Trolley said she's certain Pennie's headcount will shrink if an enhanced version of Obamacare subsidies sunsets. Prior to open enrollment, Pennie projected 450,000 of its 500,000 users would face higher premiums without the subsidies, with 150,000 of them leaving the exchange as a result. Many more might choose plans that are cheaper but offer worse coverage. Financial aid…...

2+ hour, 21+ min ago (156+ words) The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Tuesday announced Medicaid income and resource standards that will go into effect Jan. 1. Certain income and resource standards are adjusted beginning each January in accordance with changes in the Supplemental Security Income federal benefit rate and Consumer Price Index, CMS Deputy Administrator Dan Brillman wrote in an informational bulletin that provided updated SSI and spousal impoverishment standards for 2026. "States must update their standards in accordance with this information for the changes that become effective on January 1, 2026," he said. The SSI FBR will be $994 for individuals and $1,491 for couples beginning Jan. 1. The CPI increase for 2026 will be 3%. The CPI increase since September 1988 is 171.1%. Additionally starting Jan. 1, CMS said: Also effective Jan. 1: Amounts for the minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance and the community spouse monthly housing allowance were announced in May and became effective July…...

4+ hour, 50+ min ago (363+ words) As Gov. Ron DeSantis readies the state for a so-called artificial intelligence "bill of rights," legislation that could help Floridians in fights with insurers is moving closer to the House floor. Rep.Hillary Cassel's measure (HB 527) would mandate that "qualified human professionals" must review insurance claims rather than allowing companies to shunt the task onto AI tools like "algorithms, artificial intelligence systems and machine learning systems" without manual oversight. In the case of denied claims, a human being would be accountable for the decision if the bill becomes law, signing off on it and denoting how AI tools were used to arrive at the decision, if at all. Cassel, the current Vice Chair of the House Insurance and Banking Committee, told her colleagues that the bill "addresses a growing challenge in our insurance markets" with a "clear and reasonable safeguard…...

5+ hour, 31+ min ago (650+ words) Cally Ideus isn't just a benefits adviser " she's also a National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals regional vice president, military veteran and international human intelligence scholar who was deployed in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. But there's more: She runs her own nonprofit organization called Odyssey Mission and is a candidate for District 30 in the Nebraska legislature. In short, she's a Renaissance Woman with Midwestern charm, boundless energy and lofty goals, which include expanding the reach of equine therapy that worked wonders on fellow soldiers. Her hope is that one day it will be covered under group health plans." Never a fan of actually selling insurance " a field she fell into with the help of her sister " Ideus's focus and passion are instead channeled into advocacy for health plan participants and improving public policy so that she can be a…...

5+ hour, 51+ min ago (446+ words) Shift4 Payments Inc (NYSE: FOUR) closed the day trading at $66.79 down -3.03% from the previous closing price of $68.88. In other words, the price has decreased by -$3.03 from its previous closing price. On the day, 1.78 million shares were traded. FOUR stock price reached its highest trading level at $68.855 during the session, while it also had its lowest trading level at $66.59. On June 02, 2025, Truist started tracking the stock assigning a Hold rating and target price of $97. Raymond James Upgraded its Outperform to Strong Buy on March 10, 2025, while the target price for the stock was maintained at $140. The insider trade also gives investors a glimpse into the future direction of stock prices, which can be beneficial to investors. A recent insider transaction in this stock occurred on Nov 12 "25 when Whalen James J. sold 1,438 shares for $71.50 per share. The transaction valued at 102,817 led to the insider holds…...

5+ hour, 53+ min ago (396+ words) With consumer prices continuing to rise, many older adults are searching for simple ways to save on everyday essentials. Yet an estimated $5 billion in over-the-counter (OTC) allowances available to Medicare Advantage members go unused each year - roughly 70% percent of benefits left on the table, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association. - Daily Update A roundup of the latest news, delivered weekdays. - Weekly Roundup Your source for Arkansas dining, culture and entertainment news, delivered Fridays. - Events Be first to know about upcoming events and local promotions, delivered occasionally. - Arkansas Times Climate Watch Climate change news for Arkansans from our agriculture and environment reporter, delivered twice monthly. With consumer prices continuing to rise, many older adults are searching for simple ways to save on everyday essentials. Yet an estimated $5 billion in over-the-counter (OTC) allowances available to Medicare Advantage members go unused each…...

6+ hour, 1+ min ago (368+ words) The Louisiana Department of Health headquarters located at 628 N. 4th St. in Baton Rouge. A health department official says she sees the new report by the Centers of Disease Control as "encouraging" despite Louisiana ranking in the top ten states with the highest chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea rates. Louisiana has halted a contract with UnitedHealthcare to provide Medicaid coverage for roughly 345,000 people in Louisiana, less than a month before next year's agreement was set to take effect. People on the UnitedHealthcare plan will be redistributed to other plans, the Louisiana Department of Health said. Medicaid Director Seth Gold said in a letter to the health plan dated Dec. 2 that the department will not renew its contract, which expires Dec. 31. The letter did not provide a reason for the decision. Louisiana currently contracts with six companies to provide health insurance to low-income families…...

6+ hour, 41+ min ago (1059+ words) Louisiana abruptly cuts two Medicaid contracts, putting care options for 488,500 in limbo State health department plans to move enrollees to other plans by Jan. 1 Gov. Jeff Landry's administration is abruptly ending contracts with two of the six companies that provide Medicaid insurance in Louisiana, a move that could leave 488,500 residents uncertain of what health care they will have starting Jan. 1. Seth Gold, Louisiana's Medicaid director, sent short letters last week to the CEOs of Aetna Better Health of Louisiana and UnitedHealthCare of Louisiana announcing their contract extensions with the state had been dropped for 2026. The Illuminator obtained copies of the letters Monday from the Louisiana Department of Health. "LDH will begin the transition process of moving your Medicaid members to other contracted Medicaid Managed Care Plans for a Jan. 1 effective date," Gold wrote in the letters to the companies dated…...

6+ hour, 46+ min ago (1203+ words) Dealing with the critical issue of Medicaid planning proactively empowers you to make thoughtful decisions that safeguard your family's financial well-being," said Frederick P. Davies. This approach is central to how the Davies Law Firm guides families across New York through the challenging Medicaid landscape. For individuals and couples seeking to protect assets and plan for future care needs, the Davies Law Firm provides tailored solutions such as Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts (MAPTs), spend-down strategies, and, where appropriate, spousal refusal, a legal mechanism in New York that allows the healthy spouse to preserve assets while the other applies for Medicaid. Proper timing is key. New York's five-year look-back period for nursing home Medicaid means that any asset transfers made during this period may result in a penalty, delaying eligibility. Frederick P. Davies advises clients to begin Medicaid planning well in advance of…...

7+ hour, 10+ min ago (395+ words) Health insurance premiums in the U.S. significantly increased between 1999 and 2024, outpacing the rate of worker earnings by three times, according to our newly published research in the journal JAMA Network Open. Some of the premium increases can be attributed to an increase in hospital outpatient visits and coverage of GLP-1 drugs. But research, including our own, suggests that premiums have rapidly escalated mostly because health system consolidation -- when hospitals and other health care entities merge -- has led hospitals to raise prices well above their costs. Hospital CEOs prioritize profit Hospitals are aggressively raising their prices because hospital CEOs have incentives to do so. Board members set performance criteria that determine the base salary and bonus payments for CEOs. Over half of board members at top U.S. hospitals have professional backgrounds in finance or business. As a result, researchers and advocates have raised…...