News
US Finalizes 2.48% Medicare Advantage Payment Hike, Insurance Stocks Surge
3+ hour, 30+ min ago (222+ words) The U.S. government has finalized a 2.48% average increase in payments to private insurers offering Medicare Advantage plans to older adults in 2027, a much steeper rise than the near-flat increase it proposed in January. Shares of UnitedHealth, CVS and Humana rose between…...
Patients Often Left ‘Out of Network’ as Hospitals, Insurers Clash Over Cost: Community Health CEO
1+ week, 2+ day ago (585+ words) No one wants to see health insurance premiums rise. Individuals, small businesses and large employers are already under inflationary pressures. But it will be far worse if health insurance companies fail to help address rising costs facing healthcare providers. Lengthy…...
Medi-Cal Faces Funding Emergency Because of State Miscalculations, Federal Cuts
1+ week, 6+ day ago (589+ words) Gavin Newsom loves to brag about his accomplishments as governor " a syndrome that sometimes backfires when reality raises its ugly head. So it was in January 2022 when he proposed extending health care coverage to everyone in the state, including undocumented…...
Medi-Cal Cuts Could Stagger Fresno County Budget. Hiring Freezes Loom
1+ week, 6+ day ago (1219+ words) Fresno County supervisors received grim budget news as the county prepares to potentially pay hundreds of millions of dollars more in medical costs for those losing out on state-funded insurance. Joe Prado, Fresno County Public Health Director, told supervisors at…...
Will City of Fresno Craft Its Own Health Plan After Blue Shield-Community Split?
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (768+ words) The Fresno City Council on Thursday made the first moves to create a new health care plan for its workers and families after failed negotiations between Community Health Systems and Blue Shield of California left thousands with only out-of-network coverage....
US Labor Department Proposes Rule to Boost Transparency in Pharmacy Benefit Manager Fees
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (233+ words) Jan 29 " The U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration on Thursday issued a proposed rule aimed at increasing transparency around fees and compensation collected by pharmacy benefit managers. The move, which follows a directive under President Donald Trump's executive order…...
Failed Talks With Community Health Leave Blue Shield Members Without Care
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (298+ words) With five days to figure out an alternative, notices went out to Blue Shield of California members this week that their coverage with Community Health Systems would end Sunday. Though negotiations are ongoing, the letter, dated Jan. 27, informs members that…...
10% of California Hospitals Threatened with Closure: Industry Group
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (786+ words) By this time next year, federal work requirements for Medi-Cal eligibility will be in place. "Unless we address the safety net issues in one fashion or another it will be reduction in health care availability, longer emergency room wait times,…...
Fresno Unified Calls Retiree Health Care Complaint Letter 'Baseless"
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (734+ words) Fresno Unified School District responded to a complaint letter alleging elder abuse and opposing Aetna Medicare Advantage, calling claims "baseless" and "misleading." On Jan. 22, a demand letter was filed on behalf of 6,200 retirees enrolled in Aetna Medicare Advantage, saying the…...
Sick of Fighting Insurers, Hospitals Offer Their Own Medicare Advantage Plans
2+ mon, 1+ week ago (1177+ words) Ever since Larry Wilkewitz retired more than 20 years ago from a wood products company, he's had a commercial Medicare Advantage plan from the insurer Humana. But two years ago, he heard about Peak Health, a new Advantage plan started by…...