Lauren Crawford Shaver, executive director of the Partnership for America’s Health Care Future, said she believes it is less likely that an expansion of government-run health care will happen this year, given the focus on pandemic relief in Washington.
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When it comes to health care, it’s possible that the U.S. can have it all: a system in which universal coverage is affordable in a free market where carriers and brokers compete for business.
Mr. Becerra, a lawyer and former congressman, relied heavily on his personal story as the son of Mexican immigrants to Sacramento in pleading his case for confirmation before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. “I understand the enormous challenges before us and our solemn responsibility to faithfully steward this agency that touches…
Frustration with the current health care system is opening the door for a gradual broadening of our current public programs, NAHU’s CEO said at the association’s virtual Capitol Conference on Monday.
RADNOR, Pa. (BUSINESS WIRE), February 18, 2021 – COVID-19 has altered almost every aspect of daily life, yet a positive…
By the end of March, Pfizer and Moderna expect to have provided the U.S. government with a total of 220 million vaccine doses, up from the roughly 75 million shipped so far. “We do believe we're on track,” Moderna President Stephen Hoge said, outlining ways the company has ramped up production.“ We think we're at a very good spot.”. Looking ahead to summer, Pfizer and Moderna…
Of the major health care issues in Washington, lowering the cost of prescription drugs is the issue that enjoys the most bipartisan support, at least ideologically, a political consultant said.
Former President Trump attacked the ACA over the past four years and Republican leaders in Congress and several states tried to dismantle it since it was passed a decade ago. Biden and Congress will have the opportunity to improve ACA. In the short term, the ACA is likely to be beefed up as part of the COVID-relief bill moving through Congress.
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is providing rebates totaling $48.2 million to customers who bought individual policies for 2019, company officials said Monday. The checks, averaging $367 a person, reflect the pre-COVID era. Newark- based Horizon is the state's biggest health insurance company, with 3.4 million members.
The public option “would destabilize current insurance markets by creating an unlevel playing field,” says Chris Hartmann, NAHU vice president of congressional affairs. “This would have the devastating effect of closing hospitals.”
–The COVID-19 Pandemic is leaving a majority of Americans frustrated, fatigued and fearful of losing their health insurance, this according to a new healthinsurance.com national survey of 1,000 U.S. adults. The survey asked Americans about getting vaccinated, mask wearing, pandemic fatigue, health insurance, employment and future travel plans.
PORTLAND, Oregon, Feb. 19– Oregon Health and Science University issued the following news release:. If Affordable Care Act protections for pre-existing condition coverage are no longer available, the coronavirus pandemic would leave many Americans- a disproportionate number of whom are people of color- without health insurance, a new Oregon Health& Science…
Compensation rose between 8% and 14% year-over-year from 2019 to 2020. This was higher than the 3% increase in total revenue for these companies during that same period.
The Saver’s Credit is a non-refundable tax credit that may be applied up to the first $2,000 of voluntary contributions an eligible worker makes to a 401(k), 403(b) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan, a traditional or Roth IRA, or an ABLE account.
—President Joe Biden has picked a former Obama administration official to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. If confirmed by the Senate, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure would be the first Black woman to head CMS, which has under its umbrella Medicare, Medicaid, children’ s health insurance and the Affordable Care Act, better known as“ Obamacare.” The…
Twenty-one states have state-based marketplaces and at least two— Colorado and Washington— are known to be pursuing public option programs. Instead of using the health law's federal marketplace to provide insurance to people who don't get coverage through jobs or government plans, Wisconsin would spend $2.1 million to start its own marketplace, initially…
Georgia did not expand its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, as everyone knows. Since the Affordable Care Act was passed, Georgia has increased its Medicaid rolls by almost the same number of people projected under expansion. It is true that Georgia has not raised the income ceiling for Medicaid to 138% of the federal poverty level, as envisioned in…
–Callan, a leading institutional investment consulting firm, announced the results of its 2021 Defined Contribution Survey. The survey, which Callan conducted online in September and October 2020, incorporates responses from 93 large DC plan sponsors, including Callan clients and other organizations. “The world is changing dramatically, and our annual…
California could pay insurance company Blue Shield up to $15 million for expenses as it helps the state increase and accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations under a contract the Newsom administration released Monday afternoon. That doesn’t include staff time, which Blue Shield will provide for free, according to the contract.
But residents of one state– Idaho– don't know yet if they'll get that chance. Idaho is one of 14 states which operates its own marketplace. Vermont announced that its special enrollment period will start Tuesday, leaving Idaho as the holdout.
As of Dec. 27, 2021, federal law will require health insurance agents and brokers to disclose all commissions to current clients as well as prospects.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, the federal budget act passed by Congress and signed by then-President Donald Trump on Jan. 3, contains a section aimed at commission transparency in health insurance. The law requires health insurance agents and brokers to detail their services as well as their direct and indirect commissions to current and potential clients.
Millions of Americans have another three months to buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, beginning Monday, after President Joe Biden reopened the enrollment window to sign up for coverage. The Biden administration wants to spend $50 million for ACA outreach and education efforts.
These bills, sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats in a half-dozen states, are a response to consumers’ intensified demand for action on drug prices as prospects for solutions from Congress remain highly uncertain.
Top aide Melissa DeRosa told lawmakers the data was delayed because officials worried that the information was“ going to be used against us” by the Trump administration's Department of Justice. The new salvos from Republicans and Cuomo's fellow Democrats mark a stark turnaround from early days of the pandemic, when Cuomo's daily briefings helped cement a…
Feb. 12— Several months after Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente provided free help to Gov. Blue Shield and Kaiser are not supposed to profit from the arrangement, according to intent letters released by the administration. State officials have refused to answer specific questions about what Blue Shield and Kaiser's specific roles will be in the vaccination…
Feb. 12— The state of Illinois will reopen the Affordable Care Act marketplace Monday as part of a national effort to help people get health insurance coverage during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Pritzker said in a news release that providing this service now helps to make sure that more people in Illinois are covered as the pandemic continues to rage…
BETHESDA, MD.- President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. will have enough supply of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the summer to inoculate 300 million Americans. He toured the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory that created the COVID-19 vaccine now manufactured by Moderna and being rolled out in the U.S. and other countries. Biden announced on Thursday that…
Employer-based coverage will continue to dominate the health insurance landscape in 2021. But the individual health care exchange could gain ground as more workers become freelancers and independent contractors. That was one of 10 trends in health insurance and voluntary benefits discussed during a recent webinar by Aite Group.
Health care today is expensive. A Senate bill in the house proposes a family of four with an income of $60 K would pay about $5 K. That same family now pays upwards of $20 K in premiums, co-pays, deductibles-the out-of-pocket bills that insurance won't cover.
Roche, an Indianapolis- based medical supply company, and Humana, a Louisville- based health insurer, paid $12.5 million to settle a lawsuit after a whistleblower accused them of defrauding a government insurance program, according to a news release. The whistleblower accused Humana, which administers the Medicare program, and Roche of arranging a deal where…
Indiana has been hard at work getting the COVID-19 vaccine to Hoosiers using an age-based approach for eligibility. Progressing in this way through age groups makes good sense- once Indiana has vaccinated Hoosiers age 60 and above, we will have vaccinated only a little more than 20% of our population, but we will have vaccinated those Hoosiers who have…
Legislative Democrats on Thursday unveiled their long-awaited health insurance proposal expanding state government’ s role and establishing a tax on insurers to finance subsidies to reduce skyrocketing costs. “Overwhelmingly, people in Connecticut are demanding affordable coverage, not by replacing the existing insurance landscape,” said Sen.
The move is in line with President Joe Biden's decision to reopen the federal marketplace, healthcare.gov, as part of his COVID-19 relief efforts. New Jersey's marketplace, Get Covered NJ, will also remain open through May 15. Close to 338,000 Pennsylvania residents signed up for coverage during Pennie's regular enrollment period.
Laura Kelly has been pushing for years for Medicaid expansion in Kansas, a priority that has faced pushback from state Republicans who argued it would cost too much. It would kill two birds with one stone, as Kansas remains one of the few states to not expand Medicaid or legalize medical marijuana. In terms of cost, the state would promise reinsurance— insurance for…
Feb. 2— The state Insurance Commissioner's Office has fined OneShare Health $150,000 and is prohibiting the company from selling insurance in the state of Washington. OneShare Health fails to meet the legal definition of a health care sharing ministry. Previously, OneShare Health went under names such as Kingdom HealthShare Ministries LLC and Unity…
Food banks are busier than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. AP Photo/ Charlie Neibergall. Food banks are getting a boost from the relief packages that Congress approved in 2020 and huge donations from some of the richest Americans. Mary’ s Food Bank Alliance in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1967. Van Hengel went on to establish a national umbrella group of food banks and…
PORTLAND, Ore. — Feb. 2, 2021 — According to an updated study released today, nearly half (46%) of full-time American…
Feb. 2— When the coronavirus pandemic hit Florida last March, healthcare spending already made up about a third of the state budget. Now, with thousands out of work and thousands more dealing with the prolonged health consequences of COVID-19, Florida has seen its expensive Medicaid program get even pricier. This allowed Florida to pull down hundreds of millions…
In previous legislation for Medicaid expansion, the state share of costs would have been paid for by a re-insurance program and a Medicaid expansion surcharge from Kansas hospitals. On the marijuana front, the bill calls for an advisory committee with appointments made by the governor, legislative leadership and chaired by the Secretary of the Department of…
A racial gap has opened up in the nation's COVID-19 vaccination drive, with Black Americans in many places lagging behind whites in receiving shots, an Associated Press analysis shows. For example, in North Carolina, Black people make up 22% of the population and 26% of the health care workforce but only 11% of the vaccine recipients so far. Black, Hispanic and…
The registration portal, HealthCare.gov, serving three dozen states, will reopen from Feb. 15 to May 15 under an executive order Mr. Biden signed Thursday. Free-market advocates said the moves missed the mark, though Mr. Biden argued that he had to“ undo the damage that Trump has done.”. “There’ s nothing new that we’ re doing here other than restoring the Affordable Care…
Matt Eyles, president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans, said that his organization wants to assist the administration in its goals of COVID-19 relief and economic recovery, while calling for health equity in America’s communities.
A Supreme Court decision on Trump's final legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act is expected this year. The White House had no comment on Biden's expected order, but the two people familiar with the plan said the new enrollment period would not go into effect immediately. Instead, the White House wants to provide time for the Department of Health and Human…
President Joe Biden is expected to take executive action as early as Thursday to reopen the Affordable Care Act marketplaces as well as to lower the barriers to enroll in Medicaid.
NEW YORK, N.Y., January 26, 2021 – Managing workplace leave of absence has historically been a challenge for employers, and…
President Biden now faces major challenges in accomplishing his health care agenda; among the biggest will be bridging partisan divides in both Congress and the nation at large. Even with the Democrats' newfound majority in the Senate- the result of victories by the Rev. “With razor-thin Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate and many other…
In 1978, Johnny Hale began honing the skills needed to become a flight nurse and one day land his dream job on the air medical team for Erlanger's Life Force air ambulance program. Growing up in North Georgia, Hale learned that Erlanger— the Chattanooga- based public hospital and academic medical center— was “the place to be” for trauma care. Then, on Sept. 24, 2020, the…
Tate Reeves and Speaker of the House Philip Gunn oppose expansion of the Medicaid program, but Lt. Reeves, Gunn and Hosemann are all Republicans. In a recent editorial board interview with the Daily Journal, Hosemann said he has looked at how Arkansas expanded Medicaid by using a modified version of the Affordable Care Act provisions.
When COVID-19 first swarmed the United States, one health insurer called some customers with a question: Do you have enough to eat? Oscar Health wanted to know if people had adequate food for the next couple weeks and how they planned to stay stocked up while hunkering down at home.
Steve Pompei had a surprising answer when asked how the COVID-19 pandemic affected his Santa Fe- based home remodeling business in 2020.. For Desiree Aragon, an Albuquerque resident and former waitress, the pandemic brought unemployment, a move across the country and back, and the end to a dream she had just started to build. Pompei's and Aragon's stories are just…
–Roughly half of U.S. employees want more help from their employers to save for retirement, balance their work and life issues, and get the most value from their employee benefits, according to research from the Global Benefits Attitudes Survey by Willis Towers Watson.
A day after being sworn in, President Joe Biden is rolling out a national strategy to fight COVID-19, reopen the nation’s schools and restart the U.S. economy. —Establishes a federal COVID-19 response team to coordinate efforts across agencies and restores a White House team on global health risks.
Biden is also depending on Congress to provide $1.9 trillion for economic relief and COVID-19 response. According to data through January 20 from Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths in the U.S. rose over the past two weeks from 2,677.3 on January 6 to 3,054.1 on Wednesday. More than 400,000 people in the U.S. have died from…
A warning from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office says fraudsters, who pretend they're calling from a doctor's office, an insurance company or vaccine center, are targeting residents, especially senior citizens. “We live in a world where scammers will try anything to get your personal information, medical information, and even your life’ s savings using…
Despite a chaotic rollout plagued by busy phone lines, crashing websites and a limited supply controlled by the federal government, Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees told a Senate panel last week that “the vaccine is our path forward” in fighting COVID-19. “The Department of Health plan calls for a decentralized effort,” Division of Emergency Management…
Monthly premiums for high-deductible plans can run $1,500 to $3,000- bad enough in good times but devastating when you're unemployed. And the Kaiser Family Foundation says the total has almost certainly grown since then. “They don't realize qualification is based solely on income, not assets,” says Emily Gee, a health economist at the Center for American…
In the final days of President Donald Trump's tenure, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agreed Friday to extend for 10 years Texas' health care safety net for uninsured residents. But a few months after the signing of the Texas waiver, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling gutted the Medicaid expansion portion of the sweeping federal health law.
Evolent Health of Arlington, Va., launched True Health in January 2018. The company announced Wednesday it was selling its New Mexico subsidiary to Bright Health of Minneapolis. “While Evolent is relinquishing ownership, he added, it is entering into a management service agreement with Bright Health to continue providing claims and payment services for True…
Under the plan, Georgia would be the first state to bypass the HealthCare.gov website and instead offer federally subsidized health insurance through private agents. The lawsuit claims the move to private brokers and insurers would decrease enrollment, shift consumers to junk insurance plans.
More Americans are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine but they may still face a wait for their first shot even as supplies increase. Drugstore pharmacists are now doling out the shots in many states, and sports arenas and fairgrounds are planning big clinics. Florida and Georgia and Washington, D.C., had already started doing this.
