Out-of-Network Price Gouging Still Plagues Coronavirus Testing
Price gouging of coronavirus tests continues to drive healthcare spending higher as out-of-network providers charge up to three times the actual cost of the test, according to recent data from...How Proficiency in Speaking English Impacts Healthcare Spending
Whether or not a member can speak English fluently may influence their healthcare spending, a recent Health Affairs study uncovered. From 1999 to 2018, researchers estimated that the number of...Medicare Supplemental Coverage Tied to Fewer Cost-Related Hurdles
Medicare Advantage beneficiaries experience higher rates of problems related to healthcare spending compared to traditional Medicare beneficiaries who have Medicare supplemental coverage, according to...51% Emergency Ground Ambulance Rides Result in Surprise Billing
Ground ambulance rides, which were excluded from the No Surprises Act, continue to contribute to surprise billing in the US, a Peterson-Kaiser Family Foundation brief found. Experts analyzed 2018...87% of Eligible Seniors Do Not Receive Lung Cancer Screenings
Seniors who do not have coverage for lung cancer screenings as a preventive service are less likely to receive the screening, a recent study from Epic Health Research Network (EHRN) found. EHRN...UHC Temporarily Reverses Emergency Department Coverage Policy
UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has announced it will delay its recent protocol change regarding emergency department (ED) claims and coverage, after receiving backlash from providers and health organizations...Wellness Programs May Not Significantly Impact Healthcare Spending
Wellness programs may influence health behaviors, but demonstrated little impact on healthcare spending, health outcomes, or employment outcomes, a study published in Health Affairs uncovered. It has...Care Deferrals, Digital Tools Will Shape 2022 Medical Cost Trend
The medical cost trend for 2022 may not be as high as expected, but it is still higher than the trend from the past few years with the exception of 2021, the PwC Health Research Institute found in...Largest Share of Premium Dollar Goes Toward Prescription Drugs
The majority of the average healthcare premium dollar goes toward prescription drugs and outpatient and inpatient hospital costs, according to AHIP’s most recent research. AHIP looked at 30...UHC Changes Emergency Department Claims Evaluation Protocols
Editor's Note: UHC has delayed implementation of this policy. Find out more here. UnitedHealthcare (UHC) announced in a network bulletin that it will be changing some of its methods around...BCBSOK, OUHP Settle Dispute, Work Toward Long-Term Contract
After months of negotiations, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma (BCBSOK) and OU Health Physicians (OUHP) settled their dispute and have agreed upon a contract that will keep the provider...ARP Boosted Funding for Home, Community-Based Services, SDOH
The American Rescue Plan boosted the federal matching rate (FMAP) for Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS), thereby increasing federal spending on social determinants of health, according...FFS Medicare May Boast Lower Cost Barriers than Private Medicare
Adults ages 65 and older with traditional Medicare boasted similar access to care and a lower rate of cost barriers to care when compared with privately-insured seniors between the ages of 50 and 64, a...Sponsored Article