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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.
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
UnitedHealthcare’s tactics aren’t so bright in the Sunshine State
It’s time to roll out the insurer red carpet – straight to court! According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, UnitedHealthcare (United) recently shelled out more than $4.7 million to UF… Read More
The Three Worst Insurance Trends of 2021
Insurance companies sure found plenty of creative ways to make money in 2021. Some we expected, some were new, and many made it harder for patients to access the healthcare services they… Read More
Centene and the settlement saga
“Centene” and “settlement” are two words that have come up so many times this year, we can’t even count. And it’s not stopping yet. Another million-dollar settlement is on the table for… Read More
More insurers caught underpaying COVID-19 claims – here’s looking at you, Anthem
A few weeks ago, we shared that after providers – namely, pediatricians – complained that the insurer was paying them substantially below market rate to administer COVID-19 vaccines, UnitedHealthcare agreed to reprocess its COVID-19… Read More
Seeing beyond the peak of UnitedHealthcare’s revenues
No mountain is too high when it comes to revenue expectations for UnitedHealthcare. 2020 was good, 2021 was better, and in 2022, we can’t even see the peak yet. Per a recent… Read More
Humana pats itself on the back in new report
“Home health” has been a buzzword for years, even more so during the pandemic. It’s also been an investment focus for many health insurers – most notably, Humana. But two recent stories… Read More
The (first) jury is in, and UnitedHealthcare takes the hit
The jury has deliberated; the gavel has landed, and an insurance company is forced to face the repercussions of its actions. According to a recent article in Modern Healthcare, Tennessee-based emergency physician company… Read More