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…
Download PDFBy: Madeleine Richter-Atkinson, Jamie Dudensing Social isolation, defined as having few relationships or infrequent social contact, was a common experience in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis. But even now, many Texans, including around 25% of the elderly, experience social isolation as a barrier to staying healthy. Experts agree that as much as 80% of a person’s health is…
For many of the five million uninsured Texans, our state’s health care safety net is their routine source of health care and final life line. Although critically important for these Texans, it’s worth asking, “why is a safety net the first and only option for so many Texans?” Proponents of safety net only policies fail to realize that safety net care should be a last resort, not a plan for a healthy Texas.
As we near the January 1, 2022 start date of the wildly popular new law to end the egregious practice of surprise medical bills, debate over the details has heated up. Following the release of interim final rules in October, the same physicians that initially fought to preserve the practice of sending patients unexpected bills are now complaining over the details of how they’ll be paid.
Experts agree that as much as 80% of a person’s health is determined by factors outside of direct medical care, including where they are born, grow, live, and work. To encourage better outcomes, health plans are working in communities to help address social barriers to good health, including the need for access to reliable and affordable transportation.