Breaking News in Healthcare Reform
Snippets of news & commentary with a special focus on
health policy, Medicare for All & California
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“The Affordable Care Act requires insurance plans to provide specified benefits, but it doesn’t eliminate the copays and deductibles that patients must pay.”
Study: Health Insurance Doesn’t Create Equal Access
Insurance Newsnet | October 24, 2022
“Health insurers aren’t enthusiastic about adding a maximum out-of-pocket to traditional Medicare, which would make the program more appealing and as a result could lead to people dropping their Medicare Advantage and Medigap plans.”
Medicare Is Going to Cap Patients’ Spending On Drugs. But There’s No Such Limit for Hospital or Doctor Bills
Stat | Bob Herman | October 21, 2022
“Unmitigated greed of private health insurers and drug companies is a major driver of inequality in our society. Medicare for All is a long-overdue prescription for our ailing healthcare system.”
Medicare for All, a Timely Prescription
Democracy Now! | Amy Goodman & Denis Moynihan | October 20, 2022
“…people are often stuck with massive bills for medical care that is rightfully covered under their plans, forcing them to pay out-of-pocket or challenge the insurer under complicated and frustrating appeals processes handled by the company itself.”
Critics Say Insurance Companies Deny Medical Claims to Make Billions in Profit
Truthout | Mike Ludwig | October 20, 2022
“More than 40 million people across the U.S. are currently receiving SNAP benefits and around 90 million are on Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).”
‘Imminent Danger’: Millions Set to Lose Medicaid, Food Benefits Once Public Health Emergency Ends
Common Dreams | Jake Johnson | October 19, 2022
“The new CMS proposal would require Medicare to pay outright for dental exams and all procedures necessary to eradicate oral infections prior to any organ transplant surgery or cardiac valve procedure….”
Proposed Rule Would Expand Dental Coverage Under Medicare
UPI | October 19, 2022
“This year, employers may again ask their workers to pay up, given the softening economy and recent health trend surveys. Willis Towers Watson, an insurance advisory firm, found that three-quarters of health insurers believe their customers’ bad habits and overuse of the medical system are driving up costs.”
Health Insurance Prices Set for Takeoff
Politico | Grace Scullion, Ben Leonard, Ruth Reader | October 18, 2022
“Insulin prices in the United States are far higher than in other nations. Moreover, pharmaceutical firms have increased insulin prices year upon year, even for products that remain unchanged.”
‘A Policy Failure’: 1.3 Million US Adults With Diabetes Ration Insulin Due to High Cost
Common Dreams | Jake Johnson | October 18, 2022
“In addition to depleting more quickly the trust fund that finances hospital care in traditional Medicare, MA overpayments also swell the federal deficit and drive up costs for beneficiaries, who pay for 25% of the cost for Medicare’s ‘Part B’ coverage.”
Growth of Private Medicare Plans Clouded by Payment Questions
Bloomberg Law | Tony Pugh | October 18, 2022
“According to the government’s lawsuit, Cigna structured home visits for the primary purpose of capturing and recording lucrative diagnosis codes that would significantly increase the monthly capitated payments it received from CMS.”
Cigna Received Millions of Medicare Dollars Based on Invalid Diagnoses, Lawsuit Claims
ABC News | Aaron Katersky | October 17, 2022
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