Page 7 - Jack Hoadley News Today

Insurers are using the federal ban on surprise out-of-network bills as a negotiating tactic with in-network providers, who see this as a harbinger of lower payments.

The agency’s inspector general found that private Medicare Advantage plans denied 18% of claims allowed under Medicare rules —often because of the insurers’ errors in processing claims.

A government watchdog report found private Medicare plans rejected 18% of requests and claims that traditional government-run Medicare allowed.

Results of a survey found that a sizeable percentage of people were charged for vaccines, testing, and COVID-19 related treatment, even though they assumed it was free of charge.

The Biden administration is exploring ways for Medicare beneficiaries to get over-the-counter, at-home COVID-19 tests for free.

Florida is among roughly a dozen states that CMS determined can use their own billing resolution rules in lieu of those under the federal No Surprises Act.

Most Medicare beneficiaries don’t compare plans during open enrollment season, and may be paying more, or accepting more restrictions, than they should.

Most Medicare beneficiaries don’t compare plans during open enrollment season, and may be paying more, or accepting more restrictions, than they should.

Not mentioned in the ad: The insurance agency— dubbed Carefree Insurance Services— that runs the help centers is a subsidiary of CVS Health, and its brokers may have an incentive to steer people toward specific plans, such as the Medicare Advantage plans sold by Aetna, which CVS also owns. And in an increasingly consolidated health-care market, relationships like...

Laws to curb surprise medical bills might be inflating healthcare costs Michael Ollove, Stateline New state laws designed to protect patients from being hit with steep out-of-network medical bills may contribute to higher healthcare costs and premiums, some researchers warn. Lawmakers and advocates who pushed for surprise billing laws say the measures have protected consumers from some of the most egregious bills, which can climb into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. But some researchers r...