Math gaffe resulted in $133M Medicare overpayment in Massachusetts

Nantucket Cottage Hospital overstated wages and wage-related costs by $232,365, HHS' Office of Inspector General found.

By Jeff Byers • March 15, 2017

HSA providers stand to benefit under Republican-led healthcare reform

There will be more than 27 million active HSAs with upwards of $53 billion in total assets by the end of next year, according to Devinir Research.

By Luke Gale • March 15, 2017

UPMC sets sights on central PA health system

Blue Cross and Highmark, which dominate the Harrisburg market, could see new competition from UPMC’s health insurance plan. 

By Meg Bryant • March 14, 2017

DOJ presses on against Anthem-Cigna appeal

"Anthem had no real plan to achieve" the medical cost savings it claimed the combined company would create, according to the new brief filed with the Court of Appeals.

By Ana Mulero • March 14, 2017

Higher physician spending not associated with lower admission rates

To reduce wasteful healthcare spending, policies targeting both physicians and hospitals may be more effective than solely focusing on hospitals, researchers suggest.

By Jeff Byers • March 13, 2017

Children's Minnesota, Blue Cross contract dispute could affect 70,000

The dispute stems from Blue Cross' demands the hospital system agree to discounts for patients covered by the state’s Medicaid program.

By Meg Bryant • March 10, 2017

Payers of the future will need to play nice with providers for the patient's sake

Changing market dynamics around consumerism and big data is shaping five new insurer models, PricewaterhouseCoopers finds.

By Jeff Byers • March 9, 2017

Corporate leadership at Humana goes on stock selling spree

Humana executives sell thousands of their shares  – so far totaling $83 million – as Congress considers a new Republican healthcare reform plan.

By Luke Gale • March 8, 2017

Negative reactions roll in for Republican ACA replacement bill

Members of the House Freedom Caucus said at a press conference that they plan to introduce the original ACA repeal bill from 2015 this week.

By Jeff Byers • March 7, 2017

3 Republican concepts for replacing the ACA — and what they mean

Republicans are scrambling to quell fears as they act on their long-held promise to repeal the ACA. But the plans put forward would do little for those with high healthcare needs and low or moderate incomes. 

By Shannon Muchmore • March 7, 2017

Study: Telehealth use could drive up costs

Average annual spending on acute respiratory illness rose $45 per telehealth user largely due to new utilization, RAND researchers concluded in a new study published in Health Affairs. 

By Meg Bryant • March 7, 2017

Humana shaves jobs in realignment

The cuts will not affect the size of Humana’s Louisville headquarters. 

By Meg Bryant • March 3, 2017

GOP expected to introduce ACA repeal bill this week

A draft of the bill dated February 24 was leaked on Friday following Sen. Rand Paul’s quest on Thursday for the document.

By Shannon Muchmore • March 3, 2017

Cigna reverses course, says Anthem merger should be approved

Cigna now agrees the court decision that blocked its $54 billion merger with Anthem should be reversed after the U.S. Court of Appeals granted the motion to expedite the appeal process. 

By Ana Mulero • March 3, 2017

CDC: Patients with multiple chronic conditions face barriers to healthcare

While fewer patients with multiple chronic conditions are delaying care for reasons related to cost, more are delaying care for other reasons. 

By Luke Gale • March 2, 2017

Report predicts 6% increase in healthcare costs in 2017

Employers are looking beyond cost-sharing to solve increases as the Cadillac tax faces repeal and workers struggle to pay for health plans with high deductibles. 

By Valerie Bolden-Barrett • March 1, 2017

Growing attention on surprise medical bills highlights need for legislative action

Surprise medical bills have caught the attention of journalists and researchers. As more and more information becomes available, it seems there is a growing appetite for federal legislation to address the problem. 

By Luke Gale • March 1, 2017

Three priorities for Seema Verma as she nears CMS confirmation

ChenMed's Dr. Jeffrey Kang believes Verma could strengthen Medicare Advantage in part by increasing access to seniors with low incomes.

By Dr. Jeffrey Kang • Feb. 28, 2017

Study: Hip, knee implants cost insurers twice as much as hospitals

The difference between what hospitals and insurers pay for such implants totaled about $425 million, researchers at the Boston Children's Hospital found.

By Jeff Byers • Feb. 28, 2017

Tenet Healthcare suffers revenue loss, readies for policy changes

"We've also significantly increased the proportion of our earnings that come from businesses that are far less reliant on government programs than the core hospital business," Tenet CEO Trevor Fetter said

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 28, 2017

Trump meeting with insurers, governors as repeal effects weighed

The president is reportedly scheduled to meet Monday separately with governors concerned over Medicaid funding and insurers in the wake of a GOP-leaked ACA repeal draft bill.

By Jeff Byers • Feb. 24, 2017

Cigna announces new CFO, promotes other execs

The company's current chief financial officer, Thomas McCarthy, will retire this summer. 

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 24, 2017

CMS extends non-ACA compliant plans to end of 2018

The federal agency is leaving it up to the states to decide whether the individual and small group insurance policies can be renewed.

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 23, 2017

Aetna and Humana adjust their capital after failed merger

One payer has sold $73.8 million in shares, while the other has repurchased shares amounting to $3.3 billion.

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 23, 2017

Samsung wades into digital health services

At HIMSS17, the electronics company announced it has partnered with American Well with the goal of expanding telehealth services and with T-Mobile to launch an IoT solution for senior care.

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 22, 2017