Month: January 2025

January 29, 2025

Nona Tepper  

Promising signs for “public option” health plans sold on state health insurance exchanges spell bad news for providers, who say they’re squeezed by low reimbursements.

Colorado and Washington are the only states that have government-sponsored — but privately administered — public options on their marketplaces. Nevada is set to join them soon and other states may follow. Public option enrollment climbed on Connect for Health Colorado and Washington Healthplanfinder during the open enrollment period that ended Jan. 15, the states reported.

January 22, 2025

Nona Tepper  

Healthcare providers say insurance companies are innovating new ways to make it harder to get paid.

Physicians, hospitals and other providers have always complained of low rates, delayed payments and the usual red tape. But rules insurers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, UnitedHealthcare and Elevance Health have recently announced may be a new battleground in the age-old fight between the two camps.

Health insurance companies justify utilization management and claims review as crucial to constraining healthcare spending and ensuring that patients receive appropriate care.

January 15, 2025

Bridget Early   

The Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing a rule in the Biden administration’s final days that would establish a special registration process for remote prescribing of certain drugs.

On Wednesday, the DEA released a proposed rule that would set up a special registration process for remote prescribing of Schedule II-V controlled substances such as Xanax, Vicodin and Adderall. It also released a final rule for its 2023 proposal that sets up a special registration process for remote prescribing of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.

January 07, 2025

Lauren Dubinsky  

Stryker plans to acquire Inari Medical in a deal valued at $4.9 billion and designed to strength its position in the peripheral vascular market.

The deal, announced Monday and approved by both companies’ boards, is expected to close by the end of the first quarter. Stryker will purchase Inari’s common stock for $80 per share. 

Inari Medical’s product portfolio includes medical devices that treat pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, in-stent thrombosis and arteriovenous fistula. Stryker said the products are “highly complementary” to its neurovascular business.