Medicare Advantage health insurance plans don’t have many mental wellness services

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A new study shows plan holders are struggling to find psychiatrists within their networks. New research findings are showing that people who are covered by private sector Medicare Advantage health insurance plans are struggling to find psychiatrists and other mental wellness services within their networks. As a result, people with private Medicare coverage might not be getting the care they require. Over half the counties studied by the researchers did not have a psychiatrist within a Medicare Advantage health insurance plan. That plan is the counterpart in the private sector…

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Most Americans with health insurance have experienced problems

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Almost 60 percent of covered individuals have struggled with their plans in the last year. A nationwide survey has revealed that almost 60 percent of Americans with health insurance have experienced a problem with their plan within the last year. The research conducted an evaluation of healthcare coverage among adult Americans with plans. Among the problems health insurance customers have faced within the last year have included challenges in finding an in-network provider, denied claims, and denied or delayed care that required an insurer’s prior authorization. According to the researchers…

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More than half of US adults with health insurance struggle with their plan

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People with poor of fair mental health faced the highest challenges with their coverage. Over half of insured adults in the United States are facing struggles with their health insurance, according to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation survey. The survey results showed struggles in everything from payment discrepancies to limited mental healthcare coverage. The online survey was conducted this year between February 21 and March 14. It involved the participation of 3,605 adults who are covered by employer-sponsored health insurance plans, Medicaid, Medicare, a Military plan, or Affordable Care Act…

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US government intends to take $4.7 billion from health insurance companies

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A new Medicare regulation will aggressively audit Advantage plans for indications of overbilling. The Biden administration has announced a new rule designed to crack down in Medicare private plans that have allowed insurance companies to overcharge the US government. The regulation is seeking a more aggressive approach to auditing the Medicare Advantage program’s plans. The Medicare Advantage program enrolls almost 50 percent of all the beneficiaries of Medicare. According to the Biden administration, it is expecting to recoup as much as $4.7 billion from insurance companies that have overcharged the…

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Humana is leaving Colorado’s small business health insurance market

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The insurer has announced that it will be exiting the employer group marketplace within 18 months. Small business health insurance provider Humana has announced that it will be stepping out of the state’s employer group market within the next 18 months. The announcement was first made in a letter the insurer issued to brokers and agents in the state. While the letter was a formal announcement to the brokers and agents who sell Humana’s health insurance policies, at the time this article was written, the insurer had yet to officially…

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Health care costs propelled skyward by labor, inflation, and insurance rates

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There are several factors all contributing to the rising cost associated with medical services and products. Consumer prices are rising across the country, but it hasn’t been specifically determined how much higher health care costs will be headed skyward and how quickly. Product and labor costs alike have been rapidly climbing throughout the United States. With consumer prices climbing as they are, health care expenses are expected to go with them, which will send insurance rates upward in 2023 as well. According to a presentation by the Kaiser Family Foundation,…

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New States Add Medicare Supplement Birthday Rules

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Insurance agents competing to sell Medicare Supplement insurance in five states can now capitalize on rules benefiting Medicare beneficiaries.  According to the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance (AAMSI), the five states include California, Illinois, Oregon, Nevada and Idaho. “Medicare insurance agents now face a daunting task of competing with the millions of dollars being spent on television ads featuring celebrity spokespeople,” explains Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance.  “Survival of the independent Medicare insurance agent will depend on the ability to take advantage of…

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