Labor, administrative costs drive US healthcare spending far beyond other nations

The report found the U.S. pays more for healthcare than other high-income countries, but has the lowest percentage of insured people, the lowest life expectancy and the highest infant mortality rate.

By Les Masterson • March 13, 2018

Cigna launches Amazon Alexa skill to increase health literacy

The move comes months after Mayo Clinic launched a health-related voice control that aimed to assist people with first aid advice.

By David Lim • March 13, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Payer/provider relationships

As M&A intensifies and companies embrace more holistic and value-based care models, partnerships have become more closely intertwined.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Drug spending growth to come solely from specialty meds, report says

Developed markets will shell out more than $300 billion for the often complex, expensive treatments this year, according to new estimates from IQVIA.

By Jacob Bell • March 13, 2018

Restoring CSR funds with no reforms may do more harm

The individual market endured an end to cost-sharing reduction payments, but reviving them without more changes could threaten stability, a new report said.  

By Les Masterson • March 12, 2018

GOP actions may spur huge ACA premium hikes

Premiums could skyrocket by more than 90% in some states over the next three years, according to a report by Covered California.

By Les Masterson • March 12, 2018

Bundled payments favor certain hospitals, analysis shows

Hospitals that achieved savings in the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement program tended to be larger, nonprofit and high-volume.

By Meg Bryant • March 9, 2018

Too soon to tell if health-in-all-policies approach improves equity, study finds

The connection between health-in-all-policies and health equity tends to be strategic and issue-dependent, according to a Health Affairs report.

By Meg Bryant • March 9, 2018

Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment proposal causes alarm

The American Hospital Association and other groups are concerned about the plan to use more patient encounter data when calculating risk scores.

By Les Masterson • March 9, 2018

CMS denies Idaho bid to sell plans not compliant with ACA

Agency head Seema Verma said that despite the denial, the state could meaningfully implement many of the same goals legally through short-term, limited-duration plans. 

By David Lim • March 9, 2018

VisitPay, J.P. Morgan partner in new patient financing initiative

Patients are paying a greater portion of their healthcare costs, which is making providers look to third-party specialists to offer financial solutions. 

By Les Masterson • March 8, 2018

Cigna acquiring Express Scripts in $67B deal

It's the latest in vertical integration across the industry, after regulators blocked horizontal tie-ups in recent years.

By Shannon Muchmore • March 8, 2018

UnitedHealth Group plans more scrutiny of ED claims

The payer will review emergency claims with the most serious conditions and reduce or deny any incorrect claims it finds.

By Les Masterson • March 8, 2018

Roadmap to reduce disparities needed in value-based care

A Health Affairs paper recommends tying health equity to payment incentives. 

By Meg Bryant • March 8, 2018

Gottlieb takes aim at payers, pharmas for blocking biosimilars

The FDA chief lambasted PBMs, insurers and branded drugmakers for allegedly blocking market entry of the copycat biologics.

By Lisa LaMotta , David Lim • March 8, 2018

Out-of-pocket healthcare costs up 11% in 2017

Highest out-of-pocket cost estimates were for orthopedics, plastic surgery, urology and neurology.  

By Les Masterson • March 7, 2018

Insurers, hospitals slam Trump admin's association health plan proposal

America’s Health Insurance Plans argued the proposal could increase the risk of fraud and insolvency for consumers.

By David Lim • March 7, 2018

Report underscores value in value-based care programs

UnitedHealthcare said ACOs serving employer-sponsored plan beneficiaries outperformed non-ACOs on 87% of quality measures tracked in 2017.

By Meg Bryant • March 6, 2018

CMS floats $30M for QPP measures development

Areas for measure development include safety, care coordination, population health and prevention.

By Meg Bryant • March 6, 2018

State efforts to impose individual mandate going nowhere

Six states and Washington, D.C., have all proposed measures to bring back the individual mandate penalty for health insurance, but so far no legislature has done so.  

By Les Masterson • March 6, 2018

HIMSS18: CMS chief touts EHR, PHR overhaul

Seema Verma said the agency is planning a "complete overhaul" of meaningful use standards for hospitals, but provided few details.

By Kim Dixon • March 6, 2018

Azar says HHS could intervene to 'uncomfortable degree' to achieve value

Speaking at an FAH conference, Azar emphasized giving consumers greater control over their health data and encouraged price transparency from both payers and providers.

By David Lim • March 6, 2018

Centene to buy Florida primary care provider

The St. Louis-based payer will acquire Community Medical Group, which serves more than 70,000 patients in Miami-Dade County.

By Shannon Muchmore • March 6, 2018

UnitedHealthcare to use rebates to lower drug costs for patients

The major insurer plans to begin routing savings from drugmaker rebates directly to some consumers in a bid to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription medicines.

By Ned Pagliarulo • March 6, 2018

Arkansas gets Medicaid work requirement

The state has not yet won approval for a part of the proposal to change the income requirement for Medicaid to 100% of the federal poverty level instead of 138% of FPL.

By Les Masterson • March 5, 2018

Geisinger reports net income increase despite issues with ACA health plan

Geisinger Health Plan lost out on $11 million when the Trump administration put a halt to cost-sharing reduction payments last year.

By Les Masterson • March 5, 2018