Health Headlines for Tuesday, April 4
Republican Health Proposal Would Undermine Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions
New York Times
Throughout the debate to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, President Trump and Republican congressional leaders have insisted they would retain a crucial, popular part of the health law: the promise that people can buy insurance even if they’ve had illnesses in the past.
U.S. raises Medicare payments to insurers by 0.45 percent in 2018
Reuters
The U.S. government on Monday slightly improved its final payment rate for health insurers who offer Medicare Advantage plans for older people and the disabled, settling on an increase of 0.45 percent on average for 2018.
Rochester health organizations join campaign for increased colon cancer screenings
Penfield Post
The American Cancer Society and Excellus BlueCross BlueShield recently joined more than a dozen other health and business groups in pledging to achieve an 80 percent colon cancer screening rate in Rochester by 2018.
Experts urge huge expansion of online therapy for mental illness
Reuters
A “massive and growing” mental health burden across the world can only be tackled successfully with a major expansion of online psychiatric resources such as virtual clinics and web-based psychotherapies, specialists said on Tuesday.
United Healthcare completes purchase of Syracuse-based Pomco
Syracuse Post Standard
United Healthcare Group has completed its acquisition of Pomco, an insurance administrator that employs approximately 400 people in Syracuse’s Eastwood section.
NYU Langone VP reveals plans for new Bay Ridge site
Brookly Daily Eagle
A new health care center to be located in a former New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) building in Bay Ridge should be ready to open before the end of the year, according to a top official at NYU Langone Health Systems, who spoke to the Brooklyn Eagle about the ambitious plans for the site.