A patient, a polyp and a $40 co-pay: What does a doctor do when the patient walks out?
When does my responsibility end and his begins?
Comcast: Build healthcare innovation on ‘reality,’ not existing system
To Shawn Leavitt, senior vice president of global benefits for Comcast and NBCUniversal, current attempts to rein in healthcare spending are not working.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Friend or foe? Hospitals that help patients pay premiums could drive up prices for everyone
Low-income consumers struggling to pay their premiums may soon be able to get help from their local hospital or United Way. Some hospitals in New York, Florida and Wisconsin are exploring ways to help individuals and families pay their share of the costs of government-subsidized policies purchased though the health law’s marketplaces – at least […]
Employer-sponsored health insurance gets ‘skinny’ as 16% of firms offer bare-bones plans
Nearly one company in six in a new survey from a major employer group plans to offer health coverage that doesn’t meet the Affordable Care Act’s requirements for value and affordability. Many thought such low-benefit “skinny plans” would be history once the health law was fully implemented this year. Instead, 16 percent of large employers in a […]
Tennessee’s largest health insurer used its monopoly to do the opposite of what you’d expect
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The dominion of Tennessee’s largest health insurer is reflected in its headquarters’ lofty perch above the city, atop a hill that during the Civil War was lined with Union cannons to repel Confederate troops. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has used its position to establish a similarly firm foothold in the first year […]
Good news for Californians: 2015 will bring lower health insurance premium hikes
After years of double-digit rate hikes in health insurance premiums, California will see average increases of 4.2 percent in 2015 for people who purchase insurance through the Covered California exchange, the state’s Obamacare marketplace. It’s good news for consumers, but two of the top insurance officials in the state disagree about why it’s happening. Covered California’s executive director […]
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A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Arkansas may become the next state to make Medicare members contribute to HSAs
If all goes according to plan, next year many Arkansas Medicaid beneficiaries will be required to make monthly contributions to so-called Health Independence Accounts. Those that don’t may have to pay more of the cost of their medical services, and in some cases may be refused services. Supporters say it will help nudge beneficiaries toward […]
Florida Blue is under ‘tremendous financial pressure.’ Translation? Rate hikes for members
Florida Blue, the state’s dominant health insurer, snagged more than one in three consumers on the health law’s exchange, but many could face rate hikes as the carrier struggles with an influx of older and sicker enrollees, said the company’s top executive. Several factors could drive up rates next year —including a paucity of younger […]
Three healthcare trends that will become painfully obvious to patients in 2014
As we enter the New Year, I like to reflect on where we've been and where we're heading in medicine. By far and away, this is the most tumultuous time I have ever experienced in health care. Doctors and nurses appear stressed and downtrodden, administrators are running scared, desperate to seem "value-added," and patients are scrambling to get seen in these last two days of 2013. It's strange
Buying health insurance for 364 days could save hundreds of dollars in premiums
What a difference a day makes. Consumers who buy a health insurance policy good for only 364 days might save hundreds of dollars in premiums, but they could also find themselves without important benefits and charged a penalty for not having insurance next year. Under the health care law, in January most issuers have to start […]
BioLabs Pegasus Park Cultivates Life Science Ecosystem
Gabby Everett, the site director for BioLabs Pegasus Park, offered a tour of the space and shared some examples of why early-stage life science companies should choose North Texas.