Universal healthcare

Harvard Pilgrim Takes Further Action in Providing Broad COVID-19 Relief with $32 Million in Premium Credits to Employer Groups and Medicare Supplement Members

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Health, Articles, Health Economics, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Universal healthcare, Medicare, Single-payer healthcare, Wellesley, Massachusetts

WELLESLEY, Mass., June 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced today that it will be providing $32 million in premium credits to all its fully-insured employer groups, as well as to Medicare Supplement members.

Key Points: 
  • WELLESLEY, Mass., June 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced today that it will be providing $32 million in premium credits to all its fully-insured employer groups, as well as to Medicare Supplement members.
  • Harvard Pilgrim is awaiting regulatory approval for this action in Connecticut which it expects to receive shortly.
  • "Harvard Pilgrim's commitment to our members, customers, communities and provider partners has never been stronger," said Michael Carson, president and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
  • To support the provider community, Harvard Pilgrim provided over $40 million in financial advances to providers throughout the region.

Mark Farrah Associates Assessed Private-Sector Health Insurance Benefits

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 28, 2020
Managed care, Banking, Other Health, General Health, Professional services, Healthcare reform, Other Professional Services, Insurance, Practice Management, Finance, Health, Public policy, Government, Consulting, Articles, Health, Health Economics, Universal healthcare, Federal assistance in the United States, Healthcare reform in the United States, Medicare, Employee benefits, Health insurance, Single-payer healthcare

Mark Farrah Associates (MFA), www.markfarrah.com , presents a high-level overview of health benefit insights gleaned from MFAs new 5500 Employer Health Plus product.

Key Points: 
  • Mark Farrah Associates (MFA), www.markfarrah.com , presents a high-level overview of health benefit insights gleaned from MFAs new 5500 Employer Health Plus product.
  • Observations obtained from 5500 Employer Health Plus are based on 62,281 employers that indicated they had active health benefit contracts as of their most recent filings.
  • MFAs 5500 Employer Health Plus has been designed to simplify the analysis of employer health & welfare benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability and other benefits.
  • Committed to simplifying analysis of health insurance business, our products include Health Coverage Portal , Medicare Business Online , Medicare Benefits Analyzer , County Health Coverage , Health Plans USA and 5500 Employer Health Plus .

New poll shows almost universal support for including long-term care under Canada Health Act

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Canada Health Act, Universal healthcare, National Union of Public and General Employees, Culture of Canada, Health, Articles

86 per cent of Canadians are in favour of bringing long-term care facilities under the Canada Health Act.

Key Points: 
  • 86 per cent of Canadians are in favour of bringing long-term care facilities under the Canada Health Act.
  • And theysee the federal government playing a significant role in fixing our system of health care."
  • "Moving long-term care under the Canada Health Act will provide Canadians with thenational standards and public accountabilitythat has been lacking for decades," said Brown.
  • NUPGE first issued a letter to the Prime Minister on April 17, 2020 calling on the federal government to extend the provisions of the Canada Health Act to include long-term care.

The Covid-19 Pandemic

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Articles, Health, Health Economics, Global health, Healthcare reform, Publicly funded health care, Single-payer healthcare, Universal healthcare, Pandemic, Health care in the United States

More than seven in ten Americans (71%) report being satisfied with how the American healthcare system is working during the coronavirus pandemic including 26% who are very satisfied while only 28% are dissatisfied.

Key Points: 
  • More than seven in ten Americans (71%) report being satisfied with how the American healthcare system is working during the coronavirus pandemic including 26% who are very satisfied while only 28% are dissatisfied.
  • While few Americans are dissatisfied with how the healthcare system is working during the pandemic, those who are predominantly cite sources of non-preparedness for their attitudes.
  • The coronavirus pandemic may be influencing Americans support for a single-payer healthcare system.
  • Majorities of Democrats (68%) and independents (57%) would prefer a single-payer system in the midst of the pandemic, but nearly three-quarters (72%) of Republicans would rather have a system based primarily on private insurance.

State of Massachusetts Partners with Doctor On Demand to Provide Free Virtual COVID-19 Related Care to Uninsured Residents and Medicaid Members During the Pandemic

Retrieved on: 
Friday, April 24, 2020
Health, Technology, Other Health, Telecommunications, Managed care, General Health, Articles, Healthcare reform in the United States, Health, Healthcare in Massachusetts, Massachusetts health care reform, Mitt Romney, Universal healthcare, Telehealth, Health insurance coverage in the United States, Medicaid, Health insurance

Doctor On Demand, the nations leading virtual care provider, this week launched a partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide free virtual medical visits to Massachusetts residents without health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Points: 
  • Doctor On Demand, the nations leading virtual care provider, this week launched a partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide free virtual medical visits to Massachusetts residents without health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Doctor On Demand will support uninsured residents who have questions about COVID-19 symptoms or have been identified as needing telehealth care through the states COVID-19 contact tracing efforts.
  • This partnership follows a previously-announced agreement with MassHealth, the state of Massachusetts administrator of Medicaid and childrens health insurance programs, to offer free virtual COVID-19 related visits to the States 1.8 million members.
  • "MassHealth is excited to announce this partnership with Doctor On Demand to provide medical support to our members and uninsured residents seeking guidance on COVID-19 symptoms or risk factors."

BioIQ Announces COVID-19 Suite of Solutions for Health Plans, Employers and Government Agencies

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
111th United States Congress, Health Economics, Universal healthcare, Health, Internal Revenue Code, Internal Revenue Service, Articles

The company's COVID-19 solution enables health plans, employers and government agencies to quickly and seamlessly provide access to information and testing resources to at-risk individuals, including front-line responders, healthcare providers and people working in critical infrastructure.

Key Points: 
  • The company's COVID-19 solution enables health plans, employers and government agencies to quickly and seamlessly provide access to information and testing resources to at-risk individuals, including front-line responders, healthcare providers and people working in critical infrastructure.
  • In partnership with health plans, employers and government agencies, the program is offered at no cost to consumers through provisions enacted during the crisis.
  • BioIQ is actively working with community leaders, public health officials, employers and health plans to assess critical needs and prioritize populations for the rollout of COVID-19 programming.
  • BioIQ's COVID-19 response program is being offered in collaboration with health plans, employers and government agencies who will determine specific testing access and coverage throughout the program.

Health Insurance Leader Fran Soistman Joins Innovaccer's Board of Advisors

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Health Economics, Health, Articles, Universal healthcare, Healthcare reform in the United States, Service industries, Healthcare reform, Publicly funded health care, Single-payer healthcare, Artificial intelligence in healthcare

Fran Soistman will assist Innovaccer advance the vision of connected care and enhance its foothold in the payer market.

Key Points: 
  • Fran Soistman will assist Innovaccer advance the vision of connected care and enhance its foothold in the payer market.
  • His expertise in enabling growth for insurance businesses will be crucial to forge better payer-provider relationships to achieve care outcomes and contain rising healthcare costs.
  • Fran brings nearly four decades of experience in insurance growth-planning and managed care.
  • Innovaccer's Data Activation Platform has been successfully implemented in healthcare institutions, government organizations, and corporate enterprises including Catholic Health Initiatives, MercyOne, Orlando Health, Hartford Healthcare, and Stratifi Health.

MedicareCompareUSA Warns Hospitals and Physicians to Plan Now for “Painful Payer Disruptions”

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Professional services, Health, Insurance, Practice Management, Consulting, General Health, Articles, Health, Health Economics, Healthcare reform in the United States, Universal healthcare, Federal assistance in the United States, Medicare, Single-payer healthcare

One of the healthcare industrys leading authorities on securing and protecting the patient-provider relationship is warning Americas hospitals and physicians to have a plan and strategy in place to combat painful market disruptions when payer contracts change.

Key Points: 
  • One of the healthcare industrys leading authorities on securing and protecting the patient-provider relationship is warning Americas hospitals and physicians to have a plan and strategy in place to combat painful market disruptions when payer contracts change.
  • Its time for hospitals and physicians to level the playing field by deploying effective communications and insurance counseling support as a way to protect patient relationships.
  • Based on this road-tested experience, Lenderman offers eight tips to providers committed to retaining Medicare patients when health plan disruptions occur.
  • Make sure that all 65+ patients understand that most hospitals and physicians do not contract and accept all insurance options.

Blue Shield of California Supports Federal Interoperability Rules That Help Bring U.S. Healthcare System into the Digital Age

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 9, 2020
Health, Articles, Federal assistance in the United States, Healthcare reform in the United States, Presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, Health insurance in the United States, Blue Shield of California, Universal healthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Medicare, Medicaid, Single-payer healthcare

Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends that is sustainably affordable.

Key Points: 
  • Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends that is sustainably affordable.
  • Blue Shield of California is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association with over 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $20 billion in annual revenue.
  • Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates providehealth, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California.
  • The company has contributed more than $500 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002 to have an impact on California communities.

Assessing Health Insurance Market Share at the County Level

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Insurance, Hospitals, Finance, Banking, Professional services, Other Health, Managed care, General Health, Health, Other Professional Services, Articles, Service industries, Health, Healthcare reform in the United States, Universal healthcare, Health Economics, Federal assistance in the United States, Medicare, Health insurance, Insurance, Single-payer healthcare, Health care systems by country, Mark Farrah Associates (MFA)

MFA maintains reasonable estimates of health plan membership by county in the County Health Coverage product.

Key Points: 
  • MFA maintains reasonable estimates of health plan membership by county in the County Health Coverage product.
  • County Health Coverage provides reliable estimates of health insurance enrollment and market share by county, company and state.
  • Committed to simplifying analysis of health insurance business, our products include Medicare Business Online, Medicare Benefits Analyzer, Health Coverage Portal, County Health Coverage, and Health Plans USA.
  • Mark Farrah Associates maintains financial data as well as enrollment and market share for the health insurance industry in its subscription-based Health Coverage Portal.