HealthPayerIntelligence News

HHS Will Provide Technical Assistance to States Addressing Homelessness

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are increasing access to federal programs and resources that address homelessness in eight...

Medicare Advantage Intake Surveys May Draw Insights, But Not Always

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New Medicare Advantage plan members can self-report their health literacy status during the enrollment process, but may not be as responsive in an enrollment survey of perceived healthcare...

KLAS Report Reveals Top-Performing Vendors for Payer Services

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Using technology to assist with payer operations can help streamline workflows and relieve administrative burden. The 2024 Best in KLAS Software & Services report highlights the top-performing...

How Do Payers Cover COVID-19 Vaccines, Treatments, and Tests Post-PHE?

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After the public health emergency (PHE) ended, many federal regulations that facilitated access to COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and tests expired. While some policies may still apply, coverage...

Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy Loss Tied to Higher Out-of-Pocket Costs

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Beneficiaries who temporarily lost their Medicare Part D low-income subsidy experienced higher out-of-pocket drug costs and fewer prescription fills, a study published in JAMA Health Forum...

HCSC Announces $3.3B Cigna Medicare Business Acquisition

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HCSC, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, intends to seal the acquisition of Cigna’s Medicare businesses for $3.3 billion, the payer announced. The purchase...

Lawmakers Lobby for Payment and Policy Stability in Medicare Advantage

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A bipartisan group of United States Senators has urged CMS to ensure payment and policy stability in Medicare Advantage as the agency considers program updates for 2025. The letter to CMS...

CMS Proposes 3.7% Increase in Medicare Advantage Plan Payments

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Medicare Advantage plan payments will increase by 3.7 percent or $16 billion in 2025, CMS proposed in the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Advance Notice for the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D...

How Affordability Challenges Reveal Care Disparities for ESI Members

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Employees in employer-sponsored health plans face significant care disparities based on income, sexual orientation, and race that influence health outcomes for each group, a report from Morgan Health...

No Surprises Act Prevented 10M Surprise Medical Bills, But IDR Use Grows

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The No Surprises Act (NSA) helped prevent 10.1 million surprise medical bills in the first nine months of 2023, according to a survey from AHIP and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). The...

HHS Seeks Stakeholder Input to Improve Medicare Advantage Transparency

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HHS has issued a request for information (RFI) to help improve data-sharing and transparency in the Medicare Advantage. Over half of all Medicare beneficiaries are enrolled in Medicare Advantage,...

UnitedHealth Group Saw Revenue and Enrollment Growth in 2023

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UnitedHealth Group saw revenue growth of over 14 percent in 2023, while adding 1.7 million new consumers to its Medicare and commercial offerings, executives shared during the UnitedHealth Group Fourth...

OOP Costs Greater for Cancer Patients in High-Deductible Health Plans

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Patients with cancer enrolled in high-deductible health plans had higher out-of-pocket medical costs compared to those in traditional health plans, according to a study published in JAMA...

UnitedHealthcare Platform Improves Member Access to Well-being Programs

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UnitedHealthcare has launched a platform to facilitate member access to health and well-being programs and lower costs for employers. The UHC Hub offers a network of more than 20 health and well-being...

Underserved MA Beneficiaries Opt for Plans with Supplemental Benefits

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Black Medicare Advantage beneficiaries and those with lower income or educational attainment were more likely to choose health plans that include supplement benefits, such as dental and vision...

CMS Finalizes Payer Requirements to Streamline Prior Authorization

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CMS has finalized requirements for payers to streamline the prior authorization process and improve the electronic exchange of health information to help limit patient care disruptions. The CMS...

States Leverage Waivers To Support Medicaid Redetermination

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States flocked toward ex parte renewals and contact information update waivers to support Medicaid redetermination processes after the coronavirus public health emergency ended, a KFF brief found. For...

NY Medicaid Section 1115 Waiver Amendment Improves Access to Care

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CMS has approved an amendment to New York State’s Medicaid section 1115 waiver that will address health disparities and improve access to primary and behavioral healthcare, Governor Kathy Hochul...

How One Payer Tackled the No Surprises Act Provider Directory Rule

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Brian Marsella, president of Health Payment Systems (HPS) and Paymedix, was accustomed to the challenges of maintaining provider directories when he joined HPS and Paymedix in 2022. But two years into...

Elevance Health Lawsuit Slams Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Calculation

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Elevance Health has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), alleging its methodology for determining Medicare Advantage star ratings is unlawful. The payer and its...