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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.
Evidence
All the proof that payors are putting wealth over health.
The truth behind hospital costs: rural areas bear the brunt
Health insurers must face the facts — and admit their role in increased rural hospital closures.
A ‘game of chicken’ in North Carolina? Doesn’t look like fun to us
A recent article in WUNC North Carolina Public Radio calls a contract dispute between WakeMed and UnitedHealthcare ‘a game of chicken.’ But is this a fair fight?
The latest victim of health insurance roadblocks? HIV prevention.
A recent Axios article highlights the hoops patients have to jump through to access PrEP, the essential HIV prevention medication, in spite of federal rules
Patients over profit: How rural maternity units are barely hanging on
Losing a maternity unit is not just bad for the health of OB-GYN patients, but for the health of the hospital. Can rural hospitals safely deliver babies when reimbursements keep dropping?
Reading between the lines in the latest hospital/health plan split
The separation of a Maine hospital from one of the nation’s biggest health insurers speaks to an overarching pattern: the unending blame game of health insurers.
The good times may be coming to an end for UnitedHealth Group
Yet another lawsuit for this Big Insurer over its subsidiaries’ sketchy Medicaid behavior, this time in laid-back Louisiana
Health plans put the squeeze on Medicare Advantage
For health insurers, the Medicare Advantage (MA) cup is definitely not half empty. In fact, the cups runneth over as insurance companies seem to squeeze as much as they can from the… Read More
Pretty pandemic pennies for BCBSNC
The pandemic’s been kind to BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBCNS), according to 2021 financial reports. Revenue? Up. Profits? Up. Executive bonuses? Well, up, of course, to the tune of an extra… Read More
Certain telehealth coverage is ending for NC Medicaid patients – are private insurance plans next?
The increased use of telehealth is one of the few good things to come from the pandemic. Telehealth has enabled thousands of patients across the country to access their doctor from the… Read More
A slap on the wrist for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia, Inc.
Imagine the scandal of your local hospital getting charged $5 million for failing to treat patients in emergencies or your supermarket being fined $5 million for failing to report a salmonella outbreak… Read More
Partnerships mean survival for small hospitals
There’s a narrative going around – one that’s repeated mostly by big health insurers and the politicians in their pockets. The story is small hospitals are being swallowed up by big hospitals. And… Read More
Why does UnitedHealthcare seem to have such trouble covering mental healthcare?
On the heels of a traumatic, COVID-ridden three years, overdoses have spiked, and substance abuse disorders are rising. And despite being federally required to cover mental healthcare at the same level as… Read More
Another coverage “error” for BlueCross BlueShield
Health insurance is a tricky business. In most lines of work, you can’t just say one thing and then do another. But as it turns out, if you’re a big enough insurance… Read More
UnitedHealth Group wants to talk healthcare “realities.” We’re game.
If healthcare were real estate, UnitedHealth Group owns the whole block. They just don’t want you to know that. According to a March 17th article in the Minnesota newspaper The Star Tribune,… Read More
When we break out the Monopoly board, health insurers come to mind
Big Health Insurer continues to speed around the Monopoly board – passing GO, speeding past Park Place, and disengaging the brakes towards their intended win. We covered the continued rise of concentrated… Read More
Insurers claim hospitals are in it for the money – is it projection, or deflection?
Health insurance companies would like you to believe that hospitals – despite being filled with folks dedicated to saving lives – are not on the side of patients. They’d like you to believe that… Read More
For BCBSNC, COVID costs are up – but so are profits
If anyone in healthcare could say they actually benefited from COVID-19, it was health insurance companies. Don’t get us wrong – there were bills for health plans to pay. According to a… Read More
North Carolina hospitals save lives—but who’s going to save theirs?
North Carolina is known for many things: gorgeous mountains, delicious barbecue, and college basketball. But in December, North Carolina was recognized for something not-as-exciting: The state came in third on the list… Read More
Did a recent ruling in the Lone Star State embolden BCBSNC’s abuse of the No Surprises Act?
What’s that old phrase? “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”? As it turns out, the No Surprises Act is living proof that, no matter how much the federal government… Read More
Fiery words from Northside Hospital: Anthem decision defies ‘logic and sensitivity’
Ooh, those are fightin’ words! Northside Hospital held nothing back in a recent statement on its efforts to stay in-network with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. The hospital has been battling with… Read More
UnitedHealthcare officially walks back controversial ER policy
What’s that saying? When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging? Looks like UnitedHealthcare (United) finally caught wise that attempting to implement stricter criteria for emergency services was ditch-digging at its finest. In… Read More
Will insurer investments make behavioral healthcare easier – or harder – to access?
Telebehavioral health has become critical in providing global access to mental and behavioral health services. While telebehavioral health is not new by any means, it’s experienced an explosion of growth since the… Read More
What’s the strategy behind Cigna’s investment plays?
Welcome to the Players Club…of insurers, that is, and the alliances and partnerships are only getting more complex. Per a recent article in Axios, Cigna has invested $750 million into Bright Health,… Read More
Our Un-covered hero of the month: Insurance fighter Jackie Fox
If there was a good egg in the Un-covered world, it would be law professor Jackie Fox, who takes on patients’ insurance battles for fun – and wins. Kaiser Health News’ podcast… Read More