News
Alabama liability insurance claims costs surged as lawsuits and large verdicts increased, report finds
4+ hour, 20+ min ago (395+ words) Rising lawsuits and large jury verdicts are driving up liability insurance costs across Alabama, according to a new Alabama Department of Insurance report that found claim severity has surged far faster than inflation over the past four years. The findings…...
Jackson Hospital blames Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama for its collapse — but the bankruptcy records tell a different story
1+ mon, 1+ week ago (1376+ words) Jackson Hospital & Clinic, Inc. in Montgomery, which bankruptcy filings have described as carrying between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities, filed a lawsuit last week against Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, claiming they are to blame for the hospital's…...
Dr. David Albright: Alabama’s rural health plan can work if leaders ensure predictability
1+ mon, 1+ week ago (854+ words) On the edge of a small Alabama town, a hospital administrator studies next year's numbers. She doesn't know how many of her patients will still have insurance come January. The lights are on. The margin isn't. Down the road, a…...
Dr. Daniel Sutter: When government outsources compassion, fraud moves in
1+ mon, 1+ week ago (735+ words) Reporting by Ryan Thorpe and Chris Rufo at City Journal brought attention to the fraud. The investigations have already led to indictments or convictions. The frauds total around $1 billion and have occurred with three separate programs: Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services,…...
Jim Zeigler: It's time to put Americans before Big Pharma
2+ mon, 5+ day ago (498+ words) Alabamians know how to stretch a dollar. We balance our checkbooks, pay our taxes, and work hard to take care of our families. But when it comes to the cost of prescription drugs, Big Pharma keeps moving the goalposts and…...
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama, Medical Association announce patient-centered enhancements to prior authorization process
2+ mon, 3+ week ago (339+ words) On Tuesday, the Medical Association of the State of Alabama and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBSAL) announced progress in improving the "prior authorization" process, they jointly reported." Prior authorization is a tool insurance companies use to confirm…...
Jackson Hospital faces renewed financial crisis as city weighs loan request
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (453+ words) Just eight months after being rescued from bankruptcy, Jackson Hospital & Clinic once again faces a financial crossroads " this time with only weeks to secure a plan that could keep its doors open. Hospital administrators told the Montgomery City Council this…...
UAB and UnitedHealthcare reach new agreement to avoid care disruption
5+ mon, 4+ week ago (96+ words) UnitedHealthcare members will continue to have uninterrupted access to UAB Health System providers following an agreement in principle between the two organizations. The new health insurance contract, once finalized, will allow patients to receive care from all UAB and UAB-affiliated…...
Offord named commissioner of Alabama Medicaid Agency; Azar tapped to chair SEIB
6+ mon, 2+ week ago (342+ words) The Alabama Medicaid Agency is under new leadership after Governor Kay Ivey appointed a long-standing organization affiliate as its next commissioner. On Thursday afternoon, Ivey announced that she has selected attorney Bo Offord for the role. Offord has represented and…...
Dr. Daniel Sutter: Can we contain entitlement spending before a fiscal crisis?
6+ mon, 3+ week ago (738+ words) The national debt exceeds $36 trillion with a projected $1.9 trillion to be added in 2025. Critics contend that placing entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare off limits dooms Uncle Sam to bankruptcy. Can we contain entitlement spending? Let's first be precise…...