Employers are reevaluating health benefits amid tight labor market, survey finds

Improving affordability, providing virtual care and boosting mental health offerings will be top priorities for U.S. employers over the next two years, according to a Willis Towers Watson report.

By Susan Kelly • April 27, 2022

Biden admin drops challenge to Texas Medicaid waiver

The state's main hospital lobby called the waiver's survival, which was also praised by Republicans late last week, a relief.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 25, 2022

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

Humana to sell majority stake in Kindred hospice arm to PE firm for $2.8B

The divestiture doesn't come as a surprise, as the payer expressed its intent to sell a majority stake in Kindred's hospice and community care arms when it finished snapping up the homecare company last year.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 22, 2022

Drug price hikes moderate as rebates rise, report finds

List prices for branded medicines rose by nearly 5% last year, according to Iqvia, a figure that fell to 1% after accounting for rebates and discounts.

By Ned Pagliarulo • April 21, 2022

House Democrats urge Biden admin to curtail short-term plan access

The HHS is facing increasing pressure to limit enrollment in the cheap yet skimpy plans, which aren't required to comply with consumer protections under the Affordable Care Act.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 20, 2022

Traveling Kaiser members get access to Cigna providers under new deal

Under the five-year agreement, Kaiser members will be responsible for the cost-sharing within their plan, and not have to pay out-of-network rates for visiting Cigna providers outside of the eight states covered by Kaiser.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 20, 2022

Surprise billing arbitration portal opens to payers, providers after delay

As a last resort, the No Surprises Act allows payers and providers to resolve payment disputes using arbitration. The online site that initiates the process is now open. 

By Samantha Liss • April 19, 2022

Hospitals massively mark up cancer therapy prices for private insurance patients, JAMA study finds

Researchers also found that most National Cancer Institute-designated facilities did not publicly disclose payer-specific prices for cancer therapies as required by federal price transparency regulations.

By Hailey Mensik • April 19, 2022

End of Medicaid continuous coverage may leave millions of children uninsured, analysis finds

Children are at highest risk in Texas, Florida and Georgia when states resume checking Medicaid eligibility after the public health emergency expires, Georgetown University researchers found.

By Susan Kelly • April 19, 2022

Bright Health exits 6 states amid financial, operational woes

Bright, which went public in June last year, wants to refocus on growth in markets where it can have a bigger impact. The seven-year-old startup lost almost $1.2 billion in 2021.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 18, 2022

UnitedHealth expects to 'successfully overcome' DOJ challenge to Change acquisition

The company is bullish on completing its controversial acquisition of data analytics firm Change Healthcare, despite legal action from the Department of Justice to block the deal.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 14, 2022

ACA marketplace premiums decline for third consecutive year, Urban Institute finds

The marketplace is bucking the trend of sustained premium increases for job-based coverage, which provides insurance to a majority of nonelderly Americans.

By Samantha Liss • April 13, 2022

Medicare finalizes policy limiting coverage of Biogen Alzheimer's drug

Treatment with Aduhelm would only be covered for patients enrolled in a clinical trial under the policy, which largely follows a draft proposal released in January.

By Jonathan Gardner • Updated April 7, 2022

Centene's former longtime leader Michael Neidorff dies

Neidorff transformed the St. Louis-based insurer into a formidable player in the healthcare sector during his 26 years at the helm.

By Samantha Liss • April 8, 2022

Biden proposes rule to fix ACA's 'family glitch'

The new regulation could help an estimated 200,000 uninsured people in the U.S. gain coverage, while 1 million could benefit from less expensive plans.

By Susan Kelly • April 6, 2022

CAR-T treatment moves earlier as FDA widens approval of Gilead's Yescarta

There are some obstacles to use. Yescarta is expensive, priced by Gilead at $373,000 per patient. Treatment is now widely covered by insurance, but the cost can still present hurdles for patients, depending on their coverage plans.

By Ned Pagliarulo • April 6, 2022

Facing opposition, Mass General Brigham pulls back surgery center plans

Although the system has withdrawn a proposal for three suburban surgery centers, it did secure recommendations for conditional approval for two other large-scale projects.

By Samantha Liss • April 5, 2022

Medicare Advantage plans will see 8.5% revenue bump in 2023

CMS is not changing the risk adjustment calculation, which is meant to compensate plans for treating sicker patients. That's despite calls for an overhaul in the wake of allegations of abuse of the system.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 5, 2022

Hospital E/M visit charges continued to rise in 2020, Fair Health finds

Meanwhile, the percentage of claims for telehealth shot up from just 0.22% of all claims in 2019 to about 15% in 2020, as COVID-19 restrictions set in and patients worried of virus transmission.

By Shannon Muchmore • March 30, 2022

Centene hit with $9M fine in Florida

Florida is freezing enrollment in Centene's plans, according to a March 17 letter sent to the CEO of the Florida division, the Sunshine State Health Plan.

By Samantha Liss • March 30, 2022

UnitedHealth to buy home health business LHC for $5.4B

A growing number of health insurers, private equity companies and hospitals are snapping up home health and hospice practices, with hopes for a substantial ROI.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 30, 2022

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic

Hospitals overhauled their operations in COVID-19's early days. Now, two years into the pandemic, they are looking ahead at the future of their business, including revenue diversification and workforce stability.

March 29, 2022

Record 14.5M Americans signed up for ACA coverage this year

But the generous subsidies that contributed to the increase in enrollment are temporary and set to expire at the end of the year absent congressional action.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 24, 2022

Centene appoints London as CEO, succeeding longtime leader Neidorff

Sarah London specializes in data and technology and has quickly ascended the ranks at Centene, most recently rising to vice chairperson.

By Samantha Liss • March 23, 2022

Labor union health fund targets hospital prices, looks to form purchasing coalition

If successful, the coalition would bring together New York City's largest public employee union and the United Federation of Teachers. Together the group would represent about 540,000 people.

By Samantha Liss • March 22, 2022