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News flash: your health insurer thinks it knows more than your doctor

“Not medically necessary.” Says who…a doctor? No…an insurance company. And the insurance company here isn’t just any insurance company: we’re talking about UnitedHealthcare, the largest insurance company in the country. A company… Read More

The one where Blue Cross Blue Shield Association calls the kettle black

Almost anyone can relate to or identify with the terms, ‘projection’ and ‘deflection’ — the experience of projecting your thoughts, feelings, and insecurities onto another person, and deflecting the blame away from… Read More

Why is insulin so expensive? California alleges manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers are gaming the system

Let’s be real: Insulin is already expensive. A 2021 RAND report found that insulin costs approximately 10 times more for Americans than it does in other countries. So, we don’t need drug… Read More

Wait…high-deductible plans prove dangerous for patients? No way!

Chronic conditions, such as diabetes, require management, care, and medications. When insurers create hurdles that directly or indirectly block access to care, those patients suffer. And apparently, that’s exactly what’s happening across… Read More

Despite millions in settlements, Centene’s doing just fine

In case you’re not up to speed on the drama, managed care organization Centene is no stranger to legal settlements. We call it ‘managed care mischief’ — when a private company is… Read More

What good are medical advances if insurance won’t pay for them?

We’ve come a long way in modern medicine, especially when it comes to HIV care. In the mid-90s, life expectancy at age 20 for HIV-infected individuals was just 39 years old. Today,… Read More

TennCare’s convenient self-congratulations

To get a job done right, it’s often better to take care of it yourself. But that’s not necessarily the case for many states when it comes to health insurance coverage for… Read More

No surprises here: Another suit alleges insurers have the upper hand in claims disputes

Maybe in 2023, the federal government will employ a fair way to settle billing disputes between hospitals and insurance companies. But with the Texas Medical Association (TMA) filing its third lawsuit this… Read More

A deep dive into the risks of the UnitedHealth and Change Healthcare merger

What if there was an opportunity to make the biggest health insurance conglomerate in the United States even more powerful by equipping them with boatloads of sensitive health data? Imagine no more.… Read More

Sugar and spice, not everything’s nice…

It’s the holiday season, a time for peace and goodwill, right? Well, not quite. Because it’s also the season for contract negotiations, err . . . disputes. And it looks like insurers… Read More

It’s another legal loss for UnitedHealthcare

It’s another loss for UnitedHealthcare (United) in its ongoing legal battle with TeamHealth. The Tennessee-based emergency physician company has filed a total of ten lawsuits against UnitedHealth Group, but its most recent… Read More

Insurance competition keeps weakening

It’s ironic, isn’t it? When hospitals, who are on the verge of closure following a brutal pandemic, decide that partnering with other providers is the only way to keep their doors open,… Read More

Is it just us, or are claim denials on the rise?

Over the past year, hospitals across the nation have experienced a rise in denied medical claims from insurance companies. According to a recent article in Modern Healthcare, approximately 67% of healthcare leaders… Read More

News flash: North Carolinians don’t trust their health insurance provider.

According to a recent poll conducted by Raleigh-based Meredith College, most North Carolinians don’t believe their health insurance provider has their best interest in mind. For some of you, this might seem… Read More

This year, insurers are pulling record-breaking profits. Next year, you’ll pay them even more.

Brace yourself: Health insurance prices will be higher next year. Word on Wall Street is that health insurance companies are set to raise prices next year faster than medical costs are increasing,… Read More

Who will fight the insatiable Medicare Advantage ‘cash monster’?

According to a recent article in the New York Times, by next year, half of Medicare beneficiaries will have a privately operated Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. Seems innocuous enough. But wait, there’s… Read More

Insurers keep winning as the healthcare profit gap widens

That payor-provider gap? It’s becoming an abyss. At this point, it’s clear that the U.S. healthcare system is simply breaking down — with billions of dollars being funneled toward insurance company shareholders,… Read More

Anthem is heading to court (again)

The artist formerly known as ‘Anthem’ can’t escape its legal woes. You may remember back in 2020 when the health insurer paid $594 million toward the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association antitrust… Read More

Humana goes on a primary care spending spree

It’s been a while since we’ve talked about Humana. But this one is big. According to a September 2022 article in Fierce Healthcare, Humana is pumping $500 million into primary care clinics,… Read More

Break out your umbrella — we’ve got a payer forecast ahead.

Showers are forthcoming. Maybe even thunderstorms, by the look of it. According to a recent article in Becker’s Payer Issues, UnitedHealth Group (UHG) reported third-quarter revenue growth in the double digits across… Read More

Put up your dukes. Insurers are coming out swinging.

Contract negotiations are nothing new – hospitals and insurance companies renegotiate their rates for services regularly. But the trend of the last few years is upped aggression from payors, where networks are… Read More

More people are covered by health insurance – but health insurance covers less

Here’s the good news: The number of Americans with health insurance is hitting historic highs. And the bad news: The health insurance itself is inadequate. According to recent findings from the Commonwealth… Read More

Can the feds finally make mental health parity a reality? Here’s hoping…

The future of mental health coverage parity remains uncertain, according to a recent article from Axios. But it’s not for lack of trying. For the upcoming legislative session in February, the Senate… Read More

Another way insurance regulation benefits health insurers — not patients

We’ve written many times about how profitable Medicare Advantage plans have been for insurance companies. In part, it seems because they are excellent at taking regulations intended to benefit consumers and managing… Read More

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Insurer policies limit coverage and disrupt patient care, while producing record profits for corporate shareholders. Stay informed with the Un-covered newsletter.