Private Payers News

Employer Sponsored Health Plan Costs Expected to Increase in 2023

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As employer-sponsored health plan costs are expected to rise over the next three years, employers plan to implement new programs and policies to improve affordability, according to a survey from Willis...

NCQA Shares Health Plan Performance Ratings Ahead of Open Enrollment

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The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has released its 2022 Health Plan Ratings, revealing that most plans earned three stars or higher for overall health plan performance. Each year,...

Large Employers Aim to Redirect Healthcare Spending, Boost Quality

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Purchaser Business Group on Health (PBGH) has announced a series of goals to help large employers redirect healthcare spending and improve care quality for its members over the next five...

Anthem Grants $150K to Support Substance Use Disorder Services

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The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation (Anthem) has provided a three-year grant to the Chris Atwood Foundation to help increase access to stable housing for individuals with substance use...

CVS Health: How Educators, Parents Factor Into Adolescent Mental Health

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Adolescents are more likely to approach educators about mental health concerns than they are to approach their parents, but parents are more likely to initiate conversations about mental health than...

HCSC Employs Virtual Care To Expand Access to Primary Care Services

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Ahead of 2023 open enrollment, Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) announced that it will make its virtual care options available to midsize and large employers in two new states in 2023. The...

Most of Premium Dollar Used for Prescription Drugs, Medical Services

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Almost 83 cents of the average healthcare premium dollar goes towards prescription drugs and medical services, including inpatient and outpatient costs, emergency room costs, and doctor visits,...

Trends in 2021 Employer Sponsored Health Plan Costs, Coverage

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Employer-sponsored health plan costs rose in 2021, but access to employer-sponsored insurance also increased as more private-sector businesses offered coverage, according to a report from the State...

Medicare Advantage Plan Quality Varies by Premium Cost

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Premium costs may not always be representative of Medicare Advantage plan quality, as high-quality plans were found at every premium level, a study published in JAMA Health Forum found. Healthcare...

Senator Looks Into Deceptive Marketing by Medicare Advantage Plans

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Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has inquired about potentially deceptive marketing practices by Medicare Advantage plans that exploit seniors and people with...

Employer Sponsored Health Plans Will Prioritize Mental Health in 2023

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Large employers plan to expand mental health and virtual care offerings in their 2023 employer-sponsored health plans, but concerns about healthcare costs and health equity persist, according to a...

How Medicare Advantage Enrollment Has Grown, Diversified in 10 Years

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Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown in the last decade largely due to an influx of Black, Hispanic, and low-income beneficiaries, a research letter published in the JAMA Health Forum found. Before...

Medicare Advantage Member Satisfaction Soars, Mental Health Coverage Lags

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Medicare Advantage member satisfaction increased in 2022, but coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services is lagging, according to the JD Power 2022 US Medicare Advantage Study. The...

How Payers Are Increasing Access to Behavioral, Mental Healthcare Services

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Payers are offering providers and consumers a broad range of services and supports related to mental healthcare and are taking steps to increase access to mental healthcare, according to a survey...

Judge Finalizes Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Settlement

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Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has settled its antitrust litigation related to its practice of allegedly reducing competition between BCBS plans. “Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and Blue...

Cigna + Oscar Extends Small Business Health Plan to Philadelphia

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Cigna and Oscar Health will be extending their small business health plan footprint into Philadelphia, increasing access to care for small business owners and employees. During the pandemic, many...

Humana Plans to Acquire Medicaid Managed Care Organization

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Humana has announced its plan to acquire all of the assets of Inclusa; a Wisconsin-based Medicaid managed care organization. Inclusa provides long-term care coverage to over 16,000 older adults and...

Payer Fuses Family, Maternal Care Through Virtual Care, Care Management

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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network have partnered with Maven Clinic to combine family-building and maternal care support through virtual care and care management...

UHC Rebrands Self-Funded Health Plan, Focus on Price Transparency

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UnitedHealthcare has announced that it has rebranded its self-funded health plan option, which will now be called Surest but which will maintain its focus on price transparency and...

UnitedHealthcare Grants Address Social Determinants of Health, Care Access

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To reduce the impact of social determinants of health, UnitedHealthcare provided several grants through its Empowering Health program to improve the prevalence and quality of resources in 11...