05/16/2012
A Milliman study finds that the average annual health care costs for a family of four with an employer-sponsored preferred provider plan is $20,728, a 6.9% increase from 2011. The study found that workers on average pay about 41% of those costs. Los Angeles Times, CQ HealthBeat.
05/15/2012
Tomorrow, a Senate panel is scheduled to mark up legislation that would extend certain health benefits to domestic partners of gay and lesbian federal employees. Meanwhile, more companies are offering health benefits to workers' domestic partners. Washington Times et al.
05/08/2012
Health care leaders in Sacramento County are concerned about the lack of primary care services available to low-income and uninsured residents. The county once operated six public clinics but now runs only one, while not-for-profit community clinics are scarce. Sacramento Bee.
05/02/2012
A report by House Republicans contends that the largest U.S. companies could save billions of dollars by dropping coverage and shifting workers into the federal health reform law's insurance exchanges. Democrats called the report's predictions "cynical." The Hill's "Healthwatch" et al.
04/30/2012
An estimated 36 million to 112 million U.S. adults have pre-existing conditions -- such as diabetes, hypertension and mental health disorders -- that could lead health insurers to deny coverage, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. America's Health Insurance Plans downplayed the report, saying that the number of individuals with pre-existing conditions who are uninsured is low. The Hill's "Healthwatch," Modern Healthcare.
04/27/2012
A report by Republicans on a House committee finds that certain companies on President Obama's jobs council expect the federal health reform law to increase their health care costs, which could lead them to drop health coverage for employees. Wall Street Journal et al.
04/26/2012
WellPoint -- the second-largest insurer in the U.S. -- has reported an 8% drop in first-quarter profits. The company said lower enrollment and rising health care costs contributed to the loss, in addition to higher-than-expected claims from a Medicare plan. Los Angeles Times.
04/25/2012
A 2009 health insurance settlement required insurers to underwrite a new database that collects bills from insurers to calculate "usual and customary charges" for procedures in a given region. However, insurers were not required to use the database to calculate payments for out-of-network care and instead have used a calculation method based on Medicare rates that often results in lower provider reimbursements and higher patient costs. New York Times.
04/23/2012
State lawmakers will vote this week on a bill that would reduce insurer payments to hospitals that admit too many out-of-network, privately insured patients. The bill follows reports of aggressive billing practices by Prime Healthcare. California Watch.
04/23/2012
The Senate this week will hold a hearing on a bill that would limit health plans known as stop-loss policies for small businesses. The bill would ban stop-loss coverage below $95,000 for each worker to equalize risk among small businesses that self-insure. Los Angeles Times.
04/19/2012
A Commonwealth Fund survey finds that more than 25% of U.S. residents ages 19 to 64 had gaps in insurance coverage at some point last year, and nearly 70% of those residents had been uninsured for one year or longer. Los Angeles Times et al.
04/19/2012
Planned rate reductions by two medical malpractice insurers will save policyholders nearly $4 million annually, according to the Department of Insurance. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones called for reductions after reviewing the companies' rate filings. Healthcare Finance News.
04/18/2012
UnitedHealthcare has agreed to a settlement with the state Department of Insurance to provide immediate coverage of applied behavioral analysis for people with autism. Many insurers have argued that the treatment is not a medical service. Sacramento Business Journal.
04/17/2012
CalPERS officials say the agency has improved services after months of delayed claims processing resulting from the launch of a new computer system. A new staff assessment shows that CalPERS has helped more employers use the new system correctly. Sacramento Bee.
04/16/2012
It is difficult for California residents to determine the cost of common medical procedures. Although hospitals are required by law to publish average charges for certain procedures, the prices often are not what patients actually pay. Los Angeles Times.