It’s an unusual step for HHS, given the plan year has already begun, and comes just days before a CMS deadline to issue a draft decision that will shape Aduhelm coverage nationwide.
The insurer has now settled with at least five states, paying out more than $236 million. It’s possible more settlements are on the horizon, as Centene has set aside $1.1 billion for future payments.
The decrease was seen in all U.S. regions except the Northeast, which was particularly slammed with COVID-19 cases and rising hospital admissions during the fall and winter months, Fair Health found.
The key question in both cases is whether the agencies enacting federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates — OSHA and CMS — had the authority to do so, or whether that power falls to the states.
Competition for members was “very aggressive” as Humana’s competitors came in with lower-priced plans and spent more on marketing to attract customers away, CEO Bruce Broussard said.
CMS is looking to hold Medicare Advantage plans to a higher standard as their rolls swell, targeting their networks, marketing practices and spending; while improving dual-eligible and Part D costs and patient input.
The multibillion-dollar buy is medtech’s first major deal of 2022, following a spending spree in the sector last year. Stryker’s stock price was slightly down Thursday, but Vocera’s rose by nearly 27%.
“The grave danger that led to issuance of the emergency temporary standard not only remains, but has dramatically increased with the omicron variant and current surge in infections and hospitalizations,” National Nurses United said.
The union gives NorthShore a footprint in the region’s western suburbs with the addition of two general acute hospitals and one focused on behavioral health.
Merging care navigation, including digital touchpoints, into primary care isn’t an entirely new idea, especially as more players turn to primary care models to tamp down on health costs and improve preventative care.