1+ hour, 24+ min ago   (474+ words) Word & Brown General Agency Employer benefits are under more pressure and scrutiny than they have been in years. “Cost volatility, more complex workforce needs, tighter regulatory requirements and emerging technologies such as AI are pushing organizations beyond incremental adjustments toward…...

1+ hour, 25+ min ago   (268+ words) The Trump administration announced it will end a subsidy program aimed at keeping premiums low for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. In a notice posted Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released key guidance for Part D plans as they…...

1+ hour, 19+ min ago   (754+ words) Many seniors and disabled people in California who need long-term care will soon face a dramatic reduction in assets they can keep and still qualify for Medi-Cal. Starting in July 2027, the individual limit will fall from $130,000 to $21,000, while the limit…...

1+ hour, 21+ min ago   (419+ words) As care continues to move beyond the hospital, pharmacy has become an increasingly important enterprise capability that influences patient access, financial performance and long-term growth. This evolution is driven not only by drug acquisition costs but also by utilization growth,…...

6+ day, 23+ hour ago   (386+ words) Word & Brown General Agency Health plan cost trends for employer-sponsored benefits are approaching their highest levels in 15 years, fueled by inflationary pressure, AI implementation, a broken No Surprises Act dispute resolution process and market consolidation. “We have seen elevated medical…...

6+ day, 23+ hour ago   (582+ words) The Trump administration is withholding more than $1 billion in Medicaid funding to California and Minnesota over what it deems suspect claims. Tuesday’s funding suspension is the latest action by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to target Medicaid funding…...

6+ day, 23+ hour ago   (698+ words) U.S. hospitals are now treating fewer patients with health insurance purchased through an ACA exchange. Hospitals are also seeing more uninsured patients and patients with skimpy commercial coverage. The patients with high-deductible commercial coverage seem to be waiting until later in…...

6+ day, 23+ hour ago   (577+ words) A House member has an idea for making employer-sponsored health coverage cheaper and more flexible: Exempt the plans from the Affordable Care Act essential health benefits rules. The bill would, in effect, give small employers with fully insured group health…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago   (874+ words) Nevada health officials are preparing to phase in sweeping new work requirements for the largest safety-net insurance program in the state, a move that will impact an estimated 280,000 Nevadans who benefited from expanded Medicaid coverage. Under the tax and spending…...

2+ week, 2+ hour ago   (1121+ words) As the Trump administration’s January deadline looms for states to enforce new Medicaid work requirements, some state lawmakers are turning the tables by pushing to publicly name the largest companies that have employees enrolled in the government program covering low-income…...