Today it was announced that since the No Surprises Act went into effect at the beginning of the year, Americans haveavoided more than 2 million surprise bills. The law protects patients from most surprise medical bills and removes them from the middle of negotiations between providers and insurers when it comes to disputes on what should be paid. That’s the good news.
The use of emergency rooms for primary care services is decreasing, thanks to Medicaid managed care. A recent report by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) shows a 15.5% decrease in the number of potentially preventable emergency room visits in Texas Medicaid and CHIP programs. This is great news for both Medicaid members and taxpayers. Utilizing preventative and standard care before conditions become emergencies leads to better health outcomes and to less costly care.
Can driving just a few miles save a patient thousands of dollars? If they’re in the market for health care, the answer is yes. In Dallas, according to a recent article in D Magazine, the cost of a gallbladder removal surgery can range from $5,000 to $35,000. And rarely are prices posted online—even though they’re supposed to be.
Download PDFBy Jessica Lynch As the public health emergency winds down, millions risk losing Medicaid coverage, not because they no longer qualify but because they get caught in the redetermination process once continuous coverage ends. However, one population faces continual risk for interrupted coverage — pregnant Texas women. When a member loses their Medicaid benefits…
Download PDFby Jamie Dudensing and Alicia Pierce A recently announced change to the administration of the Affordable Care Act will expand access to affordable health insurance for an estimated 5 million Americans. In Texas, it could provide options for more than 600,000 of the state’s uninsured. Currently, individuals qualify for subsidies even if they have…
The Texas Association of Health Plans (TAHP), the statewide trade association representing commercial and public health plans operating in Texas, including all Medicaid managed care organizations that manage the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), today issued the following statement urging Congress to act immediately to reauthorize CHIP or risk 380,000 Texas children losing their health care coverage. As of Oct. 1, Congress allowed CHIP to expire by failing to reauthorize funding for the program by the Sept. 30 deadline. CHIP provides low-cost health coverage to roughly 9 million children across the country.
oday, the Texas Association of Health Plans, sent the below letter on behalf of all health plans operating in Texas, to U.S. Senators and Representatives of the Texas Congressional delegation urging them to act swiftly to delay the onerous Health Insurance Tax. A copy of the letter can also be found here.
It’s been more than a week since Harvey ravaged the Texas Coast and left Houston — the nation’s fourth-largest city — grappling with unprecedented flooding. Do you need help? Or do you want to help those in need? Check out the resources below.
The Texas Association of Health Plans (TAHP), the statewide trade association representing commercial and public health plans operating in Texas, today shared a growing list of its members’ efforts to assist Texans who were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. TAHP members serve more than 17 million people in Texas, and more than 50,000 of their employees call Texas home. Health plans and related entities in Texas are responding to the storm, both in the form of donations to relief efforts and also in offering 24-hour hotlines, free consultations with telemedicine physicians, assistance with emergency prescription refills and medical equipment, and more.