Health care industry
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough has rejected a proposed provision in the 2026 budget bill that would have limited states' use of healthcare provider taxes to obtain more funding for Medicaid services. The proposal, which was aimed at reducing Medicaid costs, would have required states to either generate more tax
Health care industry
Holidaymakers planning a trip to Europe are being urged to obtain a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which grants access to free or reduced-cost healthcare while overseas. The GHIC, now available in place of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), is a must-have for travellers, as it enables them
Health care industry
The NHS is advising UK residents to apply for the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) at least 15 days before their intended European travel dates. This free document grants access to free or reduced-cost healthcare while overseas, covering state-provided healthcare services in most European nations, including emergencies, ongoing or
Health care industry
Advocates for low-income and disabled individuals are sounding the alarm as Senate Republicans push to drastically cut funding for Medicaid, the public health insurance program that covers 71 million Americans. The proposal, part of the Republican-led Senate's version of the "big beautiful bill," would make historic
Health care industry
Following the killing of a top health insurance executive that sparked anger over medical care denials, the industry has announced that it will take action to streamline and simplify the prior authorization process. Dozens of health insurers covering 257 million people, including UnitedHealthcare, CVS Health's Aetna, Cigna, Humana,
Associations
As part of its mission to make healthcare more accessible and affordable, Blue Shield of California announced a series of improvements to the prior authorization process, aligning with national insurance providers to make the process faster, more seamless, and less burdensome for healthcare providers and patients. The company aims to
Legislative bills
U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA-04) have introduced the Bicycle Commuter Act of 2025, bicameral legislation that aims to reinstate and modernize the Bicycle Benefit Subsidy Program's non-taxable bicycle commuter benefit. This legislation seeks to encourage more Americans to bike to
Legislative bills
Representative Sharice Davids (KS-3) has reintroduced her Empowering Parents' Healthcare Choices Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at cutting insurer red tape, avoiding surprise medical bills, and giving parents decision-making power over their infant's health care. The bill, co-led by Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO-08), seeks to address the
Legislative bills
U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) have jointly introduced the Strengthening Benefit Plans Act of 2025. This legislation aims to allow overfunded 401(H) retiree pension accounts to be transferred to help pay for active healthcare
Legislative bills
U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and U.S. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) and Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) introduced the Maternal and Infant Syphilis Prevention Act to protect pregnant mothers and infants from congenital syphilis, a preventable and treatable disease. The bill aims to provide
Legislative bills
A new analysis of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" reveals that 13,000 South Dakotans would lose Medicaid coverage and the state would face a $931 million funding cut by 2034 if the bill is passed in its current form. The budget reconciliation bill aims to reduce
Legislative bills
The proposed Medicaid bill pushed by Republicans suggests significant cuts to the health insurance program for lower-income Americans, contradicting President Donald Trump's claims that it would only target "waste, fraud, and abuse." The president's assertion that the bill wouldn't change Medicaid is
