How Hospice Care Can Transform the End-of-Life Experience
When someone we love is facing the final stage of life, it’s normal to feel scared, confused, or even helpless. Many people don’t know what to do or where to turn. That’s where hospice care comes in. Hospice care offers more than just medical help—it brings comfort, dignity, and support to patients and their families […]
Compassionate Home Health Care Services: Your Trusted Guide to Wellness
Health challenges are often unexpected but a natural part of life. When facing health concerns, many people feel uncomfortable leaving the comfort of their homes. This is where home healthcare services come in as a valuable alternative to traditional hospital care. These services provide individuals with professional care in a familiar setting, prioritizing their comfort, […]
The Compassionate Path: Understanding the Importance of Hospice Care
Facing the end of life is a challenging journey for the individual and their loved ones. Hospice care steps in to make this journey as comfortable and dignified as possible, providing support when it’s needed most. Based in Ozark, MO, our hospice care offers compassionate services tailored to the needs of each patient and their […]
The Complex Landscape of Medicare Advantage Reform
Medicare Advantage’s Rapid Growth and Its Implications Medicare Advantage has seen rapid growth in recent years, now covering nearly half of all U.S. seniors. The program offers lower premiums, additional benefits, and perks like gym memberships, making it an attractive option for many. However, this growth has also brought significant challenges, including widespread fraud, overbilling, […]
Advocates Push for Accountability in Medicare Advantage
The History and Challenges of Medicare Advantage Medicare Advantage, introduced as a privatized alternative to traditional Medicare, has grown rapidly, now covering nearly half of all U.S. seniors. Despite its popularity, the program has faced significant challenges, including fraud, overbilling, and care denials. For years, advocates have raised concerns about these issues, but their efforts […]
Medicare Advantage: Profits Over Patient Care
The Financial Model Behind Medicare Advantage Medicare Advantage has been promoted as a cost-effective alternative to traditional Medicare, offering lower premiums and additional perks. However, the program’s financial model incentivizes insurers to prioritize profits over patient care. Operating on a capitated payment system, insurers receive fixed payments per enrollee, adjusted for risk, which encourages “upcoding” […]
The Influence of Insurance Lobbyists on Medicare Advantage
Proposed Reforms and Industry Pushback In early 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed reforms to address fraud and abuse within Medicare Advantage, focusing on curbing “upcoding” and reducing denials of care. These changes aimed to protect taxpayer dollars and improve patient care. However, the insurance industry quickly rallied against these reforms, […]
The Pharmaceutical Power Play: How Insurance Giants are Dominating the Drug Market
In recent years, the largest U.S. health insurers have extended their influence into the pharmaceutical industry by acquiring pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies, significantly altering the healthcare landscape. PBMs act as intermediaries between drug manufacturers, pharmacies, and health insurers, playing a crucial role in determining drug prices and coverage. Major mergers, such as CVS’s acquisition […]
The Hidden Costs of Insurance: How Americans Are Paying More for Less Coverage
As profits for the largest U.S. health insurers have surged, many Americans are finding that they are paying more for health insurance that offers less protection. Over the past decade, deductibles have increased by over 150%, and out-of-pocket maximums have risen significantly, from $12,700 in 2014 to $17,400 in 2021 for family coverage. These increases […]
The Shift from Private to Public: How Big Insurance is Capitalizing on Government Programs
In the past 12 years, the landscape of the American health insurance industry has shifted significantly, with the six largest insurers—Anthem, Centene, Cigna, CVS/Aetna, Humana, and UnitedHealth—moving away from private commercial health plans and increasingly focusing on government-funded programs. Between 2010 and 2021, commercial health plan enrollments grew only modestly from 84.9 million to 91.3 […]
