Trinity County's only hospital, which opened just 14 months ago, will close this week as Texas continues to struggle to keep their rural hospitals afloat. On April 18, the Mid Coast Medical Center announced it would be closing down its operations in Trinity on Friday, citing financial concerns. They gave just a week's notice to the local hospital board, which fought to keep the hospital operating since doors opened in February 2024. The closest hospitals to Trinity are about 30 miles away.
An attempt by Republican lawmakers to roll back the federal government's share of Medicaid expansion could result in tens of thousands of additional deaths. The analysis by the left-leaning Centers for American Progress found that about 34,200 more people would die annually if the federal government reduced its current 90% match for the expansion costs and states responded by dropping their Medicaid expansions.
A majority of the Supreme Court appeared inclined Monday to reject a conservative challenge to Obamacare, leaving in place the federal government's authority to require insurers to cover everything from depression screenings to HIV prevention drugs at no cost to patients. And, in an odd twist, it was the Trump administration defending the health law that the president has spent more than a decade excoriating.
Justices today heard oral arguments on the constitutionality of the federal task force that decides which preventive services should be covered. The Trump administration, defending the task force, argued that HHS has appropriate oversight over its members and recommendations. But lawyers for Christian-owned companies challenging the mandate argued that the task force is unconstitutionally imposing coverage requirements because its members aren't politically appointed.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the state's largest commercial health insurer, is rolling back its coverage of pricey GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss. The insurer says it would continue covering GLP-1 medication for subscribers with diabetes. Employers that provide their workers with health insurance can also choose to pay extra if they'd like to include GLP-1 for weight loss coverage in their health plans — or opt out entirely.
As Cigna fights off a lawsuit claiming it systematically denied patients coverage, the health insurance giant just paid departing EVP Eric Palmer $10 million in severance.