Americans are losing a vast array of people and programs dedicated to keeping them healthy. State and local health departments responsible for invisible but critical work such as inspecting restaurants, monitoring wastewater for new and harmful germs, responding to outbreaks before they get too big — and a host of other tasks to protect both individuals and communities — are being hollowed out.
CVS and Express Scripts have asked a federal judge to block a law prohibiting pharmacy benefit managers from owning or operating pharmacies in Arkansas, challenging the first such restriction enacted by a state. The lawsuits come a little over a month after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the legislation restricting pharmacy benefit managers, also known as PBMs, which run prescription drug coverage for big clients that include health insurers and employers that provide coverage.
As some health insurance companies have come under fire for allegedly using computer systems to shoot down claims, an Arizona law will soon make the practice illegal in the Grand Canyon State.
St. Luke's has joined a handful of hospitals suing one of the largest health insurance networks in the country. The class action lawsuit is accusing Blue Cross Blue Shield of not paying market rates for services. This is not the first time Blue Cross Blue Shield has faced a lawsuit like this. Last year, after years of litigation the company agreed to a $2.8-billion settlement in a federal court in Alabama. However, not every state agreed to the settlement; Pennsylvania being one of them.
Congressional Republicans may be looking to cut billions of dollars from Medicaid funding to cover an extension of President Donald Trump's 2017 tax breaks. Though Medicare is the primary health insurance provider for senior adults, it's Medicaid that pays for nursing home coverage and other long-term care.
President Donald Trump's favorite celebrity doctor is standing behind his new boss on an issue that has sparked opposition even among some Republicans. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Trump-appointed CMS administrator, wouldn't concede in an interview with POLITICO'S newest podcast that the budget megabill passed by the House will cut Medicaid.