Insurance

Higher telemedicine adoption among Medicare beneficiaries was associated with a slight increase in total visits but a reduction in certain low-value tests and related spending.

The Trump administration argues that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr can overrule the US Preventive Services Task Force to determine the preventive services covered under the Affordable Care Act.

Among hospitalized patients with traumatic brain injury, Medicaid fee-for-service was associated with longer hospital stays than private insurance and Medicaid managed care organizations.

President Donald J. Trump pushed for significant health care changes during his first month back in office, through executive orders affecting managed care, drug pricing, and clinical trial diversity guidance.

The House budget includes cutting $880 billion from programs under the House Energy and Commerce Committee's jurisdiction, which include Medicaid.

Comparing plans with similar characteristics, such as size, geographic location, or demographics served, allows for more meaningful insights and improvement opportunities.

For this retrospective study, the authors examined data on more than 3 million screening mammographies for more than 1 million female patients; of the screenings, 23.6% had abnormal results and only 6.7% were recommended for biopsy.

The number of psychiatrists submitting more than 10 claims to Medicare Part B decreased by 16.8% from 2014 to 2022.

This analysis demonstrated significant variability in medical policy determinations and evidence cited for clinically relevant pharmacogenetic tests among major US health insurers and laboratory benefit managers.

During the unwinding of continuous Medicaid provisions, 8.7% of pediatric patients at community-based health organizations became uninsured, with higher rates among older children, females, and those with chronic medical conditions.

Relying on veteran survey responses and novel actuarial data, the authors examine the relationship between benefit value and reliance on the Veterans Health Administration.

This week, Robert F. Kennedy Jr sat before the Senate for 2 separate hearings, to decide the fate of his confirmation as secretary of HHS.

Medicare Advantage enrollees, particularly Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander decedents, use less end-of-life home health care than those enrolled in traditional Medicare.

The high cost of incretin mimetics for weight management limits insurance coverage and potentiates variation in utilization management strategies to control near-term spending.

President Donald Trump's initial executive orders target previous efforts to reduce health care costs, pandemic preparedness, and international partnerships, showing a stark contrast to the Biden administration.

Experts suggest that most Americans will not experience immediate changes in their out-of-pocket health care expenses.

Insurer-pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) firms control most of the Medicare Part D market, steering patients to their pharmacies through network exclusions and targeted marketing.

Semaglutide (Ozempic) is 1 of 15 medications that will be included in yearly price negotiations between Medicare and manufacturers.

Including a telephone component in Medicare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey administration continues to be valuable because telephone responses comprise a substantial portion of responses for several underserved groups.

There is limited awareness and utilization of supplemental benefits among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, with cost-sharing and out-of-pocket spending playing key roles, a new study has found.

Altruism values for treatments of rare, severe pediatric diseases have not been estimated. This study found the altruism value for a hypothetical new Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment to be $80 per year.

ACA enrollment rate hits a milestone, though IRA subsidies may not extend beyond 2025; network adequacy standards fail to translate into efficient access to mental health care for Medicaid enrollees; research examines racial disparities in postpartum hypertension and vaccine uptake.

The authors used medical loss ratio forms to assess trends in premiums, medical claims, administrative costs, quality improvement, and margins in the large group insurer market.

Record numbers have enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage as open enrollment continues through January 15, 2025.

Quantitative Medicaid managed care network adequacy standards were not associated with improved mental health (MH) care access among adults and those with MH conditions.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) can cause serious maternal complications, but data on the burden of OUD in pregnancy is severely lacking and more evidence-based solutions are needed.

Cochair of our recent Institute for Value-Based Medicine® event hosted with NYU Langone Health, Oscar B. Lahoud, MD, speaks on his hoped-for top health care priorities under the incoming administration.

The health care provisions include key reforms targeting pharmacy benefit managers, extensions of Medicare telehealth flexibilities, and measures aimed at combating the opioid crisis and preparing for future pandemics.

A new report from The Commonwealth Fund compares trends in health plan spending and employee costs for 2014 through 2023 between small and large businesses, taking into account plan premiums, employee contributions, and deductibles. It also highlights that although small firms do not even have to offer health benefits, large firms are required to do so by the Affordable Care Act.