Health Headlines for Monday, August 8
State approves largest insurance rate increase since start of Obamacare
Politico
The Cuomo administration on Friday announced that health insurance rates on the individual market would increase by a weighted average of 16.6 percent, the largest individual market hike since the Affordable Care Act began in 2014.
Making the Case for Step Therapy
Time Warner Cable News
As doctor and patient groups push for the step therapy bill to be signed into law, others are calling on Governor Cuomo to veto it.
Cyber breach impacts BlueCross BlueShield members
Buffalo Business First
The service provider who issues healthcare ID cards for a number insurance plans including BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York has reported a cyber breach where some information may have been hacked.
New Medicare Law to Notify Patients of Loophole in Nursing Home Coverage
New York Times
In November, after a bad fall, 85-year-old Elizabeth Cannon was taken to a hospital outside Philadelphia for six and a half days of “observation,” followed by nearly five months at a nearby nursing home for rehabilitation and skilled nursing care. The cost: more than $40,000.
Half of Americans now know an opioid addict: Column
USA Today
Nearly half of all Americans know someone addicted to prescription painkillers. State lawmakers have responded forcefully, passing dozens of laws to tackle the problem.