Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Doctors Voice Concern Over Change To Cigna, Aetna Reimbursement Policies
The CT Mirror: Why New Cigna, Aetna Billing Policy Is Causing Alarm In CT Doctors
Physicians in Connecticut and around the country are sounding the alarm about a new policy by insurers they say could lead to lost revenue and increased administrative burden for providers, but confusion persists about how the policy will be enacted. On July 1, Cigna announced an update to its reimbursement policy. (Golvala and Carlesso, 9/24)
Becker's Hospital Review: Gaps In Hospital Charity Care Can Leave Patients With Surprise Bills: Report
While hospital financial assistance programs help protect low-income patients from overwhelming medical costs, a loophole in the system has left many with unexpected bills, even when they qualify for “full” coverage of hospital charges, CBS News reported Sept. 22. Nonprofit hospitals are required to provide free or discounted care to patients who are eligible to ensure their tax-exempt status. While for-profit hospitals are not required to offer financial assistance to patients in need, they often do. (Ashley, 9/23)
KFF Health News: She Had A Broken Arm, No Insurance — And A $97,000 Bill
As soon as she fell, Deborah Buttgereit knew she couldn’t avoid going to the hospital. “I could hear the bones moving around in my elbow,” said Buttgereit, who was 60 when she slipped on a patch of ice in December outside her apartment in Bozeman, Montana. Emergency room scans showed she had fractured her left arm near the joint. Doctors told her she needed surgery to repair it. (Houghton, 9/24)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
Zach Dyer reads the week’s news: Some independent rural hospitals are joining forces to try to survive, and public health guidance on head lice at school clashes with parents’ preferences. (9/23)
In pharmaceutical industry news —
FiercePharma: Lilly Reveals Plans For $6.5B API Production Facility In Texas
Eli Lilly has revealed the location of the second of its four large-scale manufacturing facilities that it plans to build in the U.S., selecting Houston as home to a $6.5 billion plant that will produce active pharmaceutical ingredients for oral drugs. Lilly will build the newly announced plant at Generation Park in Houston. The location is not a surprise. In May, a government listing of state incentive applications detailed Lilly’s interest in purchasing 236 acres on the massive campus, which is 20 minutes northeast of downtown Houston. (Dunleavy, 9/23)
