Reimbursement

People with hepatitis C who sought prescriptions for highly effective but pricey new drugs were significantly more likely to get turned down if they had Medicaid coverage than if they were insured by Medicare or private commercial policies, a recent study found.

A new report by The Commonwealth Fund has found that a quarter of working-age adults struggle to pay for their healthcare in 2015 in the wake of rising deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.

Many primary care practitioners will be a little poorer next year because of the expiration of a health law program that has been paying them a 10 percent bonus for caring for Medicare patients.

In the last five years, 57 rural hospitals in the United States have closed, according to data from the Rural Health Research Program at the University of North Carolina. Others have declared bankruptcy, like the Mendocino Coast District Hospital.

A new report by The Commonwealth Fund has found that a quarter of working-age adults struggle to pay for their healthcare in 2015 in the wake of rising deductibles and out-of-pocket costs.

As beneficiaries explore options during the current Medicare enrollment period, there are only 227 such plans from which they can choose next year, 20 percent fewer than this year, and the lowest number since the drug benefit was added to Medicare in 2006, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

As beneficiaries explore options during the current Medicare enrollment period, there are only 227 such plans from which they can choose next year, 20 percent fewer than this year, and the lowest number since the drug benefit was added to Medicare in 2006, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

UnitedHealth Group may exit the insurance exchange market, as the deterioration in product performance has weakened its financial outlook, the company said in an earnings update released Thursday.

Many said they anticipate the federal government will act to forestall widespread departures, particularly because continued withdrawals could be politically explosive during an election year.

A selloff of UnitedHealth Group stock on Friday pushed other major healthcare stocks lower following the insurer's warning that it may exit the Obamacare marketplace exchange business.