Biden Administration Finalizes Rule Curbing Use of Short-Term Health Plans
The new regulation reverses a Trump-era policy that expanded access to health plans with fewer benefits than those sold on the Affordable Care Act ’s marketplaces. (Source: NYT)
Source: NYT - March 28, 2024 Category: American Health Authors: Noah Weiland Tags: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) Biden, Joseph R Jr Health Insurance and Managed Care Trump, Donald J Regulation and Deregulation of Industry Consumer Protection United States Politics and Government Source Type: news

Biden is announcing a new rule to protect consumers who purchase short-term health insurance plans
President Joe Biden is announcing new steps to protect consumers who buy short-term health insurance plans that critics say amount to junk (Source: ABC News: Health)
Source: ABC News: Health - March 28, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Health Source Type: news

Corporate bull is on the rise. Here ’s how to sniff it out
Even by marketing standards, the positioning seemed too rich by half. In mid-January, Manulife announced that its health insurance policyholders would henceforth be required to source about 260 specialized medicines for various chronic conditions exclusively through Loblaw-owned pharmacies,…#manulife #loblaw #shoppersdrugmart #jargon #wjvandusen #ianmccarthy #sheffield #harryfrankfurt #frankfurt #donaldtrump (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - March 27, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Public Inspection: CMS: Medicaid Program: Streamlining the Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program Application, Eligibility Determination, Enrollment, and Renewal Processes
Pre-publication notice of final rule from the Centers for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS) making changes to simplify the eligibility and enrollment processes in Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Basic Health Program. This rule aligns enrollment and renewal requirements for most individuals in Medicaid; creates timeliness requirements for redeterminations of eligibility; makes transitions between programs easier; eliminates access barriers for children enrolled in CHIP by prohibiting premium lock-out periods, benefit limitations, and waiting periods; and modernizes recordkeeping requirement...
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 27, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

Census Bureau: Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; The American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Survey (PRCS)
The U.S. Census Bureau is providing an additional 30 days for comments on proposed revisions to the American Community Survey (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Survey. Changes cover household roster, educational attainment, health insurance coverage, disability, and labor force questions. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice. (Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center)
Source: Federal Register updates via the Rural Assistance Center - March 25, 2024 Category: Rural Health Source Type: news

How the Health Insurance Industry is Using Disinformation to Take Over and Defraud Medicare
Most Americans have never heard of the Better Medicare Alliance[1] – a Washington, D.C. think tank and front group for big health insurers such as UnitedHealth, Aetna, and Humana. Also, the 2023 Super Bowl TV audience didn’t know who paid for a commercial at halftime claiming that President Biden…#medicare #unitedhealth #aetna #humana #superbowltv #medicareadvantage #are3 #traditionalmedicare #ffsmedicare #bidenadministrations (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - March 24, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

How Health Insurance ‘Prior Authorization’ Works. And How To Fix It
Health insurers increasingly use prior authorization to review care decisions. This leads to delays and administrative burden. Policy fixes are addressing the problem. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - March 23, 2024 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Jesse Pines, Contributor Tags: Healthcare /healthcare Innovation /innovation standard Source Type: news

Using public funds or facilities for gender-affirming care banned by GOP-led Idaho Legislature
Lawmakers in Idaho have passed a bill to ban the use of any public funds for gender-affirming care, including for state employees using work health insurance and for adults covered by Medicaid (Source: ABC News: Health)
Source: ABC News: Health - March 22, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Health Source Type: news

Germany's Health Insurance Could Cover Wegovy for Strokes, Heart Conditions, Agency Says Germany's Health Insurance Could Cover Wegovy for Strokes, Heart Conditions, Agency Says
Germany ' s public health insurance scheme can cover certain patients with a risk of heart disease or strokes to take the weight-loss Wegovy drug, a big boost for Novo...Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines)
Source: Medscape Cardiology Headlines - March 22, 2024 Category: Cardiology Tags: Diabetes & Endocrinology Source Type: news

The World ’s Most Expensive Drug Is Now a $4.25 Million Gene Therapy
A new gene therapy for an ultra-rare disease will have a wholesale cost of $4.25 million, making it the world’s most expensive drug. The one-time treatment, Lenmeldy, won U.S. regulatory approval on Monday to correct the underlying cause of a hereditary condition called early-onset metachromatic leukodystrophy, or MLD. MLD is a fatal disease in which infants sometimes start to lose the ability to walk and talk. Orchard Therapeutics said the drug’s price “reflects its clinical, economic and societal value” in a statement Wednesday.  [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Read Mo...
Source: TIME: Health - March 21, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Gerry Smith/Bloomberg Tags: Uncategorized healthscienceclimate wire Source Type: news

California doctors struggle to treat Medicaid patients because state rates haven ’t kept up
When Hunter Morgan bought an optometry practice in Southern California three years ago, one of the first things he did was start seeing patients who use Medicaid — the government-funded health insurance program for low-income people. The previous owners had not accepted patients on Medicaid, which…#huntermorgan #southerncalifornia #medicaid #encinitas #sandiego #gavinnewsom #legislature #medical #nt #newsom (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - March 21, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

California Wants to Pay Doctors More Money to See Medicaid Patients
(MedPage Today) -- SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- When Hunter Morgan, OD, bought an optometry practice in Southern California 3 years ago, one of the first things he did was start seeing patients who use Medicaid -- the government-funded health insurance... (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)
Source: MedPage Today Public Health - March 21, 2024 Category: American Health Source Type: news

Understanding Health Insurance: Deductibles vs. Out-of-Pocket Expenses
When it comes to health insurance, two terms often cause a lot of confusion: deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. Both are about the money you pay for your healthcare, but they work in different ways. Imagine you have a piggy bank specifically for your health care costs. The rules for when and…#crowdhealthcom #keydifferences #crowdhealth (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - March 20, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Hacked health care giant makes progress in recovery, but concerns for small clinics remain
The health insurance billing system in the United States is stabilizing following an unprecedented cyberattack on a key company last month, but smaller health clinics may still need help to ensure they can stay in business, senior Biden administration officials said Monday after meeting with…#changehealthcares #changehealthcare #unitedhealthgroup #aha #colorado #oregon #hhs (Source: Reuters: Health)
Source: Reuters: Health - March 18, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Idaho considers a ban on using public funds or facilities for gender-affirming care
Idaho lawmakers are expected to vote on a bill that would ban the use of any public funds for gender-affirming care, including for state employees using work health insurance and for adults covered by Medicaid (Source: ABC News: Health)
Source: ABC News: Health - March 18, 2024 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Health Source Type: news