Health insurance in the United States

New Analysis Of California Hospitals Shows Private Insurers Pay More Than Double What Medicare Does For Similar Services

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Monday, May 20, 2019
Healthcare reform in the United States, Health, Articles, Federal assistance in the United States, Liberalism in the United States, Medicare, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Contents, Health insurance in the United States, Two-tier healthcare

However, the West Health and RAND studies clearly demonstrate that hospitals continue to price-gouge self-insured employer plans."

Key Points: 
  • However, the West Health and RAND studies clearly demonstrate that hospitals continue to price-gouge self-insured employer plans."
  • Using financial data hospitals submitted to the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, researchers compared what private insurers and Medicare paid for hospital services.
  • The ratio of private insurance to Medicare payments is substantially higher than the 209 percent average at some hospitals.
  • These factors can result in hospitals being able to extract higher payments from private insurers.

Pacific Prime Releases New Report on the State of Health Insurance

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Monday, May 20, 2019
Health, Professional services, Consulting, Human resources, Insurance, General Health, Service industries, Finance, Health insurance in the United States, Insurance, Types of insurance, Aetna, CVS Health, Bupa, Cigna, Health insurance

Pacific Prime, a global employee benefits and insurance brokerage, today announced the launch of their new report on the International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) landscape.

Key Points: 
  • Pacific Prime, a global employee benefits and insurance brokerage, today announced the launch of their new report on the International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI) landscape.
  • As the industry's first-ever report that provides a macro snapshot of global trends, changes, and challenges facing individuals and businesses, the State of Health Insurance Report 2018-2019 seeks to simplify insurance for buyers so they can make more informed purchasing decisions.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190519005008/en/
    Pacific Prime's State of Health Insurance Report Infographic (Graphic: Business Wire)
    Pacific Prime's latest global report utilizes insights from their team of consultants, as well as representatives from insurance providers Aetna, Bupa Global, and Cigna.
  • The free-to-download State of Health Insurance 2018-2019 study highlights the following key themes and findings:
    The most important changes to the global insurance landscape in recent years include increased regulation (e.g.

American College of Surgeons opposes the "Stop Surprise Medical Bills" legislation introduced by Senator Cassidy and the bipartisan Senate working group

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Thursday, May 16, 2019
Health insurance in the United States, Healthcare in the United States, Medical billing

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Today, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced its opposition to the legislation introduced by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) titled "Stop Surprise Medical Bills."

Key Points: 
  • WASHINGTON, May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Today, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) announced its opposition to the legislation introduced by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) titled "Stop Surprise Medical Bills."
  • In setting payment rates for out-of-network physicians, the legislation uses insurer-dictated median in-network rates as the amount the plan pays the physician.
  • While the American College of Surgeons supports an arbitration process, this legislation allows the health plans to include the costs of arbitration as part of "medical care costs" in their medical loss ratio.
  • The American College of Surgeons is committed to working with Congress to develop legislation that would address the important issue of surprise medical billing.

AmeriLife White Paper Highlights MACRA-Driven Opportunities for Medicare Supplement Carriers, Agents and Clients

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Thursday, May 16, 2019
Economy, Finance, Money, Healthcare reform in the United States, Health insurance in the United States, Federal assistance in the United States, Medicare, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Medigap, Annuity, Insurance

CLEARWATER, Fla., May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AmeriLife Group, LLC ("AmeriLife"), a national leader in developing, marketing and distributing annuity, life and health insurance solutions, today released a study highlighting the opportunities being created across the Medicare Supplement industry by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (known as MACRA 2020).

Key Points: 
  • CLEARWATER, Fla., May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AmeriLife Group, LLC ("AmeriLife"), a national leader in developing, marketing and distributing annuity, life and health insurance solutions, today released a study highlighting the opportunities being created across the Medicare Supplement industry by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (known as MACRA 2020).
  • And so it will be when MACRA takes effect in January."
  • "Together with the larger demographic changes that continue to roll through the Medicare market," they said, "MACRA will create new opportunities for well-positioned insurance carriers and agents and for the millions of individuals who: (1) are already covered by Medicare, or (2) will become Medicare eligible during the next few years."
  • AmeriLife and its more than 75 insurance carrier partners offer value and quality to insurance agents, advisors and their customers.

Premera and Providence St. Joseph Health Announce New Contract

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Thursday, May 16, 2019
Articles, Health insurance in the United States, Premera Blue Cross, Public health, Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, Wash, Divine providence

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash. and RENTON, Wash., May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Premera Blue Cross and Providence St. Joseph Healthtoday announced a new contract that ensures Premera members will retain in-network access to one of the nation's largest health systemsProvidence St. Joseph Healththrough 2024.

Key Points: 
  • MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, Wash. and RENTON, Wash., May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Premera Blue Cross and Providence St. Joseph Healthtoday announced a new contract that ensures Premera members will retain in-network access to one of the nation's largest health systemsProvidence St. Joseph Healththrough 2024.
  • The new contract places Providence St. Joseph Health as one of the leading choices for Premera customers who purchase their health insurance on the state's individual market.
  • The Centers of Excellence designation recognizes Providence St. Joseph Health as a leader in meeting high-quality standards established by the Bree Collaborative, a partnership of public and private health care stakeholders working to improve health care in Washington state.
  • Providence St. Joseph Health is a national, not-for-profit Catholic health system comprising a diverse family of organizations and driven by a belief that health is a human right.

6-Hour Virtual Seminar on Texting & E-mail with Patients - Meeting Patient Requests Within HIPAA Rules (31 May, 2019 - 11:00 EDT) - ResearchAndMarkets.com

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Thursday, May 16, 2019
Technology, Internet, Health, Professional services, Insurance, General Health, Health, Health Economics, Articles, Resource-based relative value scale, Health insurance in the United States, Healthcare in the United States, Medical billing, Capitation, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Text messaging, Relative value unit

The "6-Hour Virtual Seminar on Texting and E-mail with Patients - Meeting Patient Requests within the HIPAA Rules" webinar has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Key Points: 
  • The "6-Hour Virtual Seminar on Texting and E-mail with Patients - Meeting Patient Requests within the HIPAA Rules" webinar has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
  • This course covers the fundamentals of medical billing, coding, and reimbursement by explaining how all of these components work together.
  • Emphasis will be placed on the practical application of the latest industry knowledge and standards, with the goal of helping those who work with medical claims and claims data stay ahead of the game.
  • Participants will learn about the following:
    This course is organized into three sections:
    Process by which a claim is generated, from registration through discharge, and the role that each department plays in that process
    Physician fee schedules and fee maximums, RBRVS, RVUs and capitation
    View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190516005793/en/

Geneia President Heather Lavoie Delivers UNH Manchester Commencement Address

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Thursday, May 16, 2019
Bloomfield, Connecticut, Cigna, Health insurance in the United States, University of New Hampshire at Manchester, University of New Hampshire, Companies, Economy of the United States, Service industries

MANCHESTER, N.H., May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Geneia , a healthcare analytic solutions and services company that is simplifying the evolution to value-based care, announced today its President, Heather Lavoie, will address students, parents and faculty at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester's 34th annual commencement ceremony.

Key Points: 
  • MANCHESTER, N.H., May 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Geneia , a healthcare analytic solutions and services company that is simplifying the evolution to value-based care, announced today its President, Heather Lavoie, will address students, parents and faculty at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester's 34th annual commencement ceremony.
  • Previous to Geneia, Lavoie co-founded and served as vice president of product development, delivery and engineering for Choicelinx Corporation, through its successful exit to CIGNA Health Care.
  • UNH Manchester's commencement is May 16, 2019 at 6:00 pm at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Manchester.
  • Geneia LLC is a healthcare analytic solutions and services company that focuses on improving systems to support personalized, patient-centered care.

Cigna Commits $140,000 to Methodist and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Foundations to Expand Community Health and Well-being Services

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Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Practice Management, Health, Hospitals, Mental health, Oncology, Philanthropy, Professional services, Children, Parenting, Insurance, Teens, Other Philanthropy, Construction & Property, Residential Building & Real Estate, Consumer, Family, Foundation, Managed care, Health insurance in the United States, Bloomfield, Connecticut, Cigna, Le bonheur, Bonheur, Heal.com, Companies, Service industries, Finance, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital

Cigna and the Cigna Foundation are contributing $140,000 to the Methodist Healthcare Foundation and the Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital Foundation in Memphis to expand the availability of housing for families with critically ill children, and improve access to behavioral health care.

Key Points: 
  • Cigna and the Cigna Foundation are contributing $140,000 to the Methodist Healthcare Foundation and the Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital Foundation in Memphis to expand the availability of housing for families with critically ill children, and improve access to behavioral health care.
  • This generous support from Cigna and the Cigna Foundation will help further our commitment to providing quality, patient-centered care to our patients and families at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, said Michael Ugwueke, president and CEO, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.
  • Cigna and the Cigna Foundation have worked closely with Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare since 2005.
  • Cigna is proud to support Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and their efforts to expand the essential services they provide to the community, said Greg Allen, MidSouth market president, Cigna.

Nationwide's CareMatters® II makes long-term care coverage more accessible

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Monday, May 13, 2019
Articles, Economy, Health, Elderly care, Types of insurance, Health care, Long-term care, Medical terminology, Insurance, Life insurance, Health insurance in the United States, Long-term care insurance

CareMatters II is LTC coverage linked to a universal life insurance policy, so benefits are paid whether you need LTC or not.

Key Points: 
  • CareMatters II is LTC coverage linked to a universal life insurance policy, so benefits are paid whether you need LTC or not.
  • CareMatters II offers more features with competitive pricing and, like the original CareMatters, offers cash indemnity long-term care benefits that help clients pay for their care the way they want it: in a familiar environment, be it in their home or in their community.
  • Adding the pay to age 65 and pay to age 100 options will make LTC coverage more accessible to more clients.
  • You can add an optional Inflation Protection Rider to your Nationwide CareMatters II policy for an additional cost to protect against rising LTC costs.

The Permanente Federation Announces New Chief Legal Officer

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 13, 2019
Healthcare in the United States, Health in the United States, States of the United States, Henry J. Kaiser, Health insurance in the United States, Healthcare in California, Kaiser Permanente, Non-profit organizations based in California

OAKLAND, Calif., May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --The Permanente Federation today announced that Katherine Robinson Saral will join the company as chief legal officer effective May 29, 2019.

Key Points: 
  • OAKLAND, Calif., May 13, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --The Permanente Federation today announced that Katherine Robinson Saral will join the company as chief legal officer effective May 29, 2019.
  • The Permanente Federation is the national leadership and consulting organization for the eight Permanente Medical Groups (PMGs), which with Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Hospitals (KFHP/H) comprise Kaiser Permanente.
  • Saral will transition from her current role as senior counsel with the KFHP/H Legal Department to join the Federation Leadership Team, leading both the legal and compliance portfolios for The Permanente Federation LLC, Permanente Advantage, and The Permanente Foundation.
  • The Permanente Federation LLC (the Federation) is the national leadership and consulting organization for the eight Permanente Medical Groups (PMGs), which, together with the Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, comprise Kaiser Permanente.