News
Editorial: Corporate welfare for hospitals is raising health care costs
13+ hour, 9+ min ago (365+ words) Lots of medicine coming out of a roll of bank notes Hospitals are not as unpopular as other health care sectors, such as drug manufacturers and insurance companies. But like other businesses, they are prone to rent-seeking and fiercely defensive…...
Novant on board with Lantern, state health plan
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (323+ words) (The Center Square) " The state health plan in North Carolina on Wednesday announced an expansion of a plan to lower surgery costs. Novant Health, headquartered in Winston-Salem, has agreed to participate in the program offered by private company Lantern. State…...
ECU Health, United Healthcare at standstill over reimbursement negotiations
4+ week, 10+ hour ago (848+ words) ECU Health issued a notice to end its Medicare and Medicaid agreements with United Healthcare because the two entities can't reach an agreement on reimbursement rates. ECU Health will become an out-of-network provider to most United Healthcare clients as early…...
State cuts cost 31 jobs in Medicaid assistance program
2+ mon, 4+ week ago (342+ words) ECU Health will cut 31 combined community health, community coordinator and administrative positions at Access East in March. The positions supported the state's now defunct Healthy Opportunities Pilot program after the state legislature did not include funding for the program in…...
Your Consumer Health: Private equity enters not-for-profit nursing home market
8+ mon, 4+ week ago (593+ words) Anybody who has placed a loved one in a nursing home, and I have, understands the inner trauma of worrying about the level of care that they will receive, and for the most part, focus is placed on the home's…...
John Hood: State treasurer sees big picture of health costs
5+ mon, 6+ day ago (310+ words) Pointing to a projected $1 billion budget hole in North Carolina's health plan for teachers and other public employees by 2027, State Treasurer Brad Briner and his team are implementing an array of program changes and premium hikes. Their response may not…...
Editorial: Trump Rx isn't the best way to lower prices
5+ mon, 1+ week ago (308+ words) US President Donald Trump announced deals with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk on Nov. 6 to lower the costs of some popular weight-loss drugs. In a landmark deal announced Nov. 6, President Donald Trump negotiated dramatically lower costs for weight-loss drugs produced…...
Medicaid beneficiary braces as pilot program shutters
9+ mon, 2+ week ago (904+ words) Montiara Brown of Greenville resident, seen here at a 2024 Medicaid expansion event with her son, Messiah, was a part of the state's Healthy Opportunities Pilot program. A pilot program that provided non-medical financial aid to Medicaid recipients was effectively shuttered…...