Congress is planning to use a $1.4 trillion package of two must-pass spending bills to repeal Obamacare taxes, raise the age for tobacco purchases to 21 and extend the U.S. Export-Import Bank for seven years, according to legislation released Monday. The negotiations continued up until the last minute on the bills, which needs to pass… Continue reading Spending Bill Includes Repeal of ObamaCare Taxes, Flood & Terrorism Extensions
Tag: health insurance
Patients, Insurers Seen as Biggest Winners in Surprise Medical Bill Deal
Congress is closing in on a deal that could shield patients from surprise medical bills, eliminating a source of frustration for Americans who face unexpected charges from emergency care and other procedures. The question for the health-care industry is whether that fix might have broader implications for overall medical prices. The new proposal advanced last… Continue reading Patients, Insurers Seen as Biggest Winners in Surprise Medical Bill Deal
More Uninsured People, Faster Growth in Health-Care Spending Due to ACA Tax: Report Says
More Americans are going without health coverage and the pace of spending on health care nationally is rising in part because of an Affordable Care Act tax on insurers, Trump administration officials said Thursday. A federal report from actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services documented trends that are likely to further fuel… Continue reading More Uninsured People, Faster Growth in Health-Care Spending Due to ACA Tax: Report Says
Hospital Groups File Lawsuit to Block Trump’s Price Transparency Rule
Hospital groups have challenged the Trump administration’s rule that requires hospitals to be more transparent about prices they charge patients for healthcare services, according to a lawsuit filed on Wednesday. The plaintiffs, including the nonprofit American Hospital Association (AHA), are looking to block the rule issued last month mandating hospitals to publish on the internet… Continue reading Hospital Groups File Lawsuit to Block Trump’s Price Transparency Rule
Willis Towers Watson Announces New Leaders for its North American Retirement, and Health and Benefits Businesses
Willis Towers Watson, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, today announced two leadership appointments for its Human Capital and Benefits business segment, promoting Mike Archer to lead its North American Retirement business and co-lead its global Retirement business, and Eric McMurray to lead its North American Health and Benefits (H&B) business and co-lead… Continue reading Willis Towers Watson Announces New Leaders for its North American Retirement, and Health and Benefits Businesses
Google Counts on Fitbit to Make Imprint in Health Market
Behind Google’s $2.1 billion deal for wearables maker Fitbit Inc. is a dream of the search giant to become a major player in health data after a failed attempt to establish a foothold in it several years ago. Big technology companies have long been tantalized by the promise of devices like smartwatches and wireless earbuds… Continue reading Google Counts on Fitbit to Make Imprint in Health Market
UnitedHealth Raises Profit View as Revenue from Pharmacy Benefits Grows
UnitedHealth Group Inc on Tuesday raised its 2019 earnings forecast for the third time this year, bolstered by higher revenue at its unit that manages pharmacy benefits as well as its core health insurance business. Shares of the company, which also beat Wall Street profit estimates for the quarter, rose 2.9% to $227 in premarket… Continue reading UnitedHealth Raises Profit View as Revenue from Pharmacy Benefits Grows
With Health Care Costs Projected to Rise Another 5% in 2020, Employers Look to New Strategies to Control Costs
Curbing the cost of health care and increasing its affordability remain the top priorities for almost all employers over the next three years (93%), according to the 24th annual Best Practices in Health Care Employer Survey by Willis Towers Watson, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company. Yet nearly two in three (63%) employers… Continue reading With Health Care Costs Projected to Rise Another 5% in 2020, Employers Look to New Strategies to Control Costs
About 25% of Total U.S. Health Care Spending Is Waste: Study
In a Special Communication published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers from Humana Inc. and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine estimated the cost of waste in the United States (U.S.) health system. The study found that approximately 25 percent of health care spending can be characterized as waste –… Continue reading About 25% of Total U.S. Health Care Spending Is Waste: Study
Cost of Employer-Provided Health Coverage Passes $20,000 a Year
The average total cost of employer-provided health coverage passed $20,000 for a family plan this year, according to a new survey, a landmark that will likely resonate politically as health care has become an early focus of the presidential campaign. Annual premiums rose 5% to hit $20,576 for an employer-provided family plan in 2019, according… Continue reading Cost of Employer-Provided Health Coverage Passes $20,000 a Year