Tag:

Medical Costs

Latest Headlines

Latest Headlines

Insurer initiatives temper rising healthcare costs

Insurers' initiatives, including increasing the use of consumer-directed health plans, better educating consumers and shifting away from fee-for-service payments, will help prevent healthcare costs from jumping by double-digit percentages, according to a new study from the PwC Health Research Institute.

Medical costs are everyone's responsibility (including mine)

It's an all too common scenario--patient sees doctor, doctor recommends test, patient undergoes test, patient receives expensive bill for test. And this time it happened to me. I visited my...

Study: Medical claims costs to jump 32% by 2017

By 2017, insurers will be spending an average of 32 percent more for their individual members' medical claims, according to a new study from the Society of Actuaries.

AHIP: Hospital prices drive up healthcare costs

A new study from America's Health Insurance Plans finds that hospital prices have been growing amid increased provider consolidation.

Do Medicare Advantage plans cater to healthier members?

New research continues to support claims that insurers administering Medicare Advantage plans are "cherry picking" members to lower their coverage costs while still receiving the same government-provided funds to administer the program.

Insurers deter elective early deliveries

Health insurers are trying to curb medical costs and reduce excessive care by deterring hospitals and doctors from performing elective surgeries, including early deliveries and unnecessary cesarean sections.

Will flu season increase insurance claims, costs?

Insurers most likely to be affected by the flu season's early start include Humana, Centene and Coventry, which all have larger market shares in states where the virus already is prevalent.

Insurers positioned to curb medical spending growth

Health spending rates are only expected to increase a historical low 7.5 percent by 2013, and that growth is even lower--only 5.5 percent--when changes in insurance benefits, including higher deductibles and copays, are considered.

Insurers pressured to reveal more pricing information

Health insurers are getting increasing pressure from employers, attempting to reduce their own expenses, to make healthcare pricing methods more transparent, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Payers doing the right thing to prevent heart disease

Every now and then health insurance-related news comes across my desk that I'm so excited and hopeful about. Tuesday was one of those days. What happened? The Department of Health & Human