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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.
All the proof that payors are putting wealth over health.
Provider Relief Funds (PRF) have allowed many of North Carolina’s hospitals to continue operating when they otherwise would have buckled under the burden of COVID-19. Unfortunately, North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell doesn’t… Read More
If you’ve been reading Un-covered for a while, you’re probably well aware that health insurers have been extremely profitable in the last few years. Even so, new information continues to demonstrate just… Read More
Has a health insurer actually seen the harm their restrictive policies cause for patients? According to a recent article in Fierce Healthcare, Aetna is coming to terms with the fact that last… Read More
Dale Folwell, North Carolina’s Treasurer, recently commissioned and endorsed the findings of a one-sided, short-sighted report. Its title, ‘North Carolina Hospital Systems Enjoyed Record Profits During Pandemic,’ smells of click-bait. It’s curious… Read More
It’s been a while since we’ve done a good ‘ole update in our series, Managed Care Mischief. But not to worry — we’re back and headed to New Mexico, where Centene, known… Read More
Benjamin Franklin once said, “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Well, apparently, not true for Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS). According to a new report from STAT News, many BCBS plans… Read More
It’s no secret that consumer prices are high. (Hello, gasoline.) But whether it’s housing, utilities, or food, costs across the board are continuing to rise. In fact, at 8.6%, inflation is the… Read More
According to a recent article in Fierce Healthcare, in late May the American Hospital Association (AHA) published a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) pleading for an investigation “into commercial payers… Read More
Drumroll, please. Because later this month, Anthem will become … wait for it: ‘Elevance Health.’ This is the health insurance company’s second rebrand in a decade, and you’re not alone in wondering… Read More
Let’s face it: the only reason we buy generic goods is to save money. (And when it comes to healthcare, there’s a lot that inevitably needs to be saved.) This is especially… Read More
How much more evidence do we need? You don’t have to go far to find examples of health insurance companies denying coverage or making it exceedingly difficult to access in-network care. Maybe… Read More
Are insurer contract disputes ‘business as usual’? A recent Becker’s Payer Issues article rounds up eight recent disputes between health plans and hospitals — from Maine to Mississippi, Colorado to Georgia, and… Read More
We’ve been sounding the alarm for quite some time now: Rural hospitals struggled before COVID-19. They barely held on during the pandemic. And if private health plans continue to slash reimbursements, rural… Read More
An unfortunate reality in this country is that many Americans struggle to access and pay for healthcare. The reasons are varied, and different stakeholders cast blame differently: Hospital prices. Decreased Medicaid reimbursement.… Read More
Break out the popcorn for this one. According to a recent article in HealthLeaders, UnitedHealthcare has found itself in yet another legal battle. United is no stranger to being sued and at… Read More
Health insurers must face the facts — and admit their role in increased rural hospital closures.
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?
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
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?
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.
Yet another lawsuit for this Big Insurer over its subsidiaries’ sketchy Medicaid behavior, this time in laid-back Louisiana
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
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
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
Insurer policies limit coverage and disrupt patient care, while producing record profits for corporate shareholders. Stay informed with the Un-covered newsletter.