The Biden Administration announced, on August 29, the first ten prescription drugs that will be subject to Medicare price negotiations. The Inflation Reduction Act allows the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to work directly with drug manufacturers to improve the affordability of high-cost name-brand drugs. The ten Medicare Part D …
As a result of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare can directly negotiate prices of prescription drugs covered under Medicare Part B or Part D. The initial guidance on the Medicare Drug Negotiation Program was released this past March and requested public comment on its key program elements. Since then, …
On September 27, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2023 Medicare Part A and B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts. Additionally, the 2023 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts were also announced. Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible Physician, outpatient hospital, certain hospital health …
The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law by President Biden on August 16, 2022. The primary function of the law is to combat inflation and reduce carbon emissions; however, the law contains reforms that will affect health coverage. Medicare Changes Most of the health reforms in the Inflation Reduction …
Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens are no longer limiting customers on the maximum number of rapid over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 tests that may be purchased at one time. Previously, CVS only allowed six tests to be purchased at once and at Walgreens, only four. Due to an increase in supply, these …
On November 12, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Medicare Part A and B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts. The 2022 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts were also announced. Medicare Part B Premium and Deductible Physician, outpatient hospital, certain hospital health services, …
Annually, Medicare Part D requires group health plan sponsors to disclose to those eligible for Medicare Part D and to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether the health plan’s prescription drug coverage is creditable. The start date of the annual enrollment period for Medicare Part D is …
As in-person appointments have been replaced with video conferences and other virtual mediums, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has launched Right2You, a virtual care benefit that aims to assist the approximate 48 million people in the U.S. living with hearing loss. The initiative builds on the home-delivered hearing healthcare model developed by UnitedHealthcare …
From payments to policies, to prescriptions and rising healthcare costs, the outcome of the 2020 presidential election will influence the future of the U.S. healthcare system. As we approach the 2020 presidential election, healthcare is definitely top of mind for Americans. According to a recent poll by the Kaiser Family …
As of October 7th, hospitals will have 14 weeks to comply with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) requirement of including data elements about influenza patients to their daily COVID-19 reporting. According to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Seema Verma, hospitals will be receiving …
On September 13, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to lower drug costs for Medicare recipients. The action comes nearly two months after the President signed a separate order, which directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take necessary steps to deliver lower …
On July 24, 2020, President Donald Trump signed four executive orders directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take the necessary steps to deliver lower costs on prescription drugs for American patients, including insulin and epinephrine. The executive orders issued by the President include: Lowering Prices for …
Health insurance companies are taking action to ensure members have coverage for and access to needed testing as the new coronavirus strain, COVID-19, continues to spread across the United States. Carriers such as Aetna, Independence Blue Cross, Highmark, and Cigna are actively monitoring the spread of the virus; and diligently …
Group health plan sponsors who provide prescription drug coverage to individuals who are eligible for coverage under Medicare Part D, are required to complete an online disclosure form with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The plan sponsor must complete the online disclosure within 60 days after the …
Each year, Medicare Part D requires group health plan sponsors to disclose to individuals who are eligible for Medicare Part D and to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) whether the health plan’s prescription drug coverage is creditable. Plan sponsors must provide the annual disclosure notice to Medicare-eligible …
