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Monthly Archives: October 2019
CALIFORNIA GROUP HEALTH PLANS CHANGES
Calif. health care law could lead to workforce changes
A new law in California will require companies to reclassify some independent contractors as full-time employees eligible for benefits and could lead to workforce changes, experts say. However, some full-time contractors could lose hours and be switched to part-time status, while small companies may choose to completely drop health coverage.
Kaiser Health News (10/7)
FLEXIBILITY FOR MA PLANS
Executive order on Medicare calls for flexibility for MA plans
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing HHS to develop regulations that will allow Medicare Advantage plans to offer new plan designs to incentivize value, expand use of telehealth in Medicare and align payments for fee-for-service Medicare with those for MA and commercial plans, among other measures. Speaking at a Florida retirement community, Trump said proposals from some Democrats to expand Medicare to all Americans would destroy the existing program, take away choice and hurt current beneficiaries.
Reuters (10/3), Healthcare Finance (10/3)
EXECUTIVE ORDER TO IMPROVE MEDICARE
Trump to issue executive order aimed at strengthening Medicare
Administration officials said President Donald Trump would announce an executive order aimed at strengthening the Medicare program during a visit to a Florida retirement community Thursday. The executive order will encourage Medicare to increase use of telehealth services to reduce health care costs, direct government agencies to enable new plan pricing tools to incentivize high-value care in Medicare Advantage and align payments for traditional Medicare with those for MA plans, sources said.
Reuters (10/3)