Filter News by State
State News
Rhode Island Health Care Premiums Among Highest in Nation
Rhode Island has some of the highest commercial healthcare premiums paid by families and
employers in the country, reports Providence Now. The findings, from a Rhode Island Business
Group on Health report, indicate that, between 2012 and 2022, health insurance premium costs
in the state increased from 23 percent to 28 percent of median household income, leading to the
state having the 13th most expensive premiums in the nation. Notably, medical claims and
pharmaceutical costs represent nearly 88 percent of insurers' expenses, highlighting the need
for collaborative strategies to align health care stakeholders and contain costs. The report calls
on the state to focus on reducing hospital costs, which account for a significant portion of
medical expenses covered by premiums.
Indiana Requires Notification for Health Care Mergers
Indiana will require health care entities to notify the state of mergers and acquisitions effective
July 1, 2024, according to the National Law Review. Health care entities with total assets of at
least $10 million dollars must provide notice at least 90 days prior to the merger or acquisition,
including written notice to the office of the Attorney General (AG). The AG will then review the
information and analyze in writing any antitrust concerns with the transaction. The change
comes following recommendations by the state’s Health Care Oversight Task Force, which
highlighted the role market consolidation plays in driving up health care costs. Notably, the
dollar threshold is lower than other states with similar statutes and applies to a wider range of
health care entities, including private equity firms.
Department of Public Health Launches Health Equity Plan to Address Racism as a Serious Public Health Threat
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) has launched a strategic plan to
advance racial equity in all the work DPH undertakes and oversees, providing an action-
oriented roadmap to address underlying concerns that have perpetuated health inequities
across the state. The Strategic Plan to Advance Racial Equity is a call for action and
accountability to address the systemic inequities faced by people who identify as Black,
Indigenous, Latino and/or Asian or Pacific Islander, seeking to acknowledge, transform, and
improve the public health outcomes of all people in Massachusetts. The plan calls for
implementing a data equity framework, supporting a racial equity training series for staff, and
establishing a racial equity staff survey to enable staff to fully participate.
Survey Highlights Kansans’ Concerns about Health Care Affordability, Hunger
A survey conducted by Perry Undem on behalf of the Kansas Common Sense Fund reveals
widespread concerns among Kansans regarding health care affordability, reports the Kansas
Reflector. The survey revealed widespread concerns surrounding rural hospital closures and the
high cost of health care, in addition to bipartisan support for Medicaid expansion. Additionally,
there is strong support for government action to improve access to healthy food, expand
childcare programs, and provide tax credits for childcare expenses. Governor Laura Kelly has
proposed measures to address childcare shortages and health care affordability, but faces
opposition from lawmakers attempting to relax childcare regulations.
Washington Expands Authority of Health Care Cost Transparency Board
Washington State has expanded the authority of its Health Care Cost Transparency Board,
according to Northwest Health Law Advocates. Under its original duties, the Board may require
data collection from payers and providers to annually calculate total health care expenditures
and cost growth, establish a cost growth benchmark, and analyze the impact of cost drivers on
health care spending. Washington passed legislation that expands the categories of data and
cost drivers the Board may use in its analyses, and directs the Board to conduct a study of costs
from nonprofit providers and payers not included in total health care expenditures. The Board
may also require certain providers that frequently exceed the cost growth benchmark without
reasonable justification submit a performance improvement plan or pay a civil fine.
Health Care Costs in Mass. Rose Sharply Again in 2022
A new report finds health care spending in Massachusetts increased 5.8 percent in 2022, well
above the state’s 3.1 percent benchmark, reports WBUR. The growth rate represents the
largest one-year jump since measurement began in 2012, aside from pandemic anomalies. The
2022 growth was below both the rate of growth in the Massachusetts economy broadly and for
regional inflation, but outpaced growth in both national wages and salaries and national health
care spending. The largest contributors to the 2022 expenditure increases were pharmacy
spending and non-claims payments. Hospital services accounted for the greatest share of
2022's total health care spending, with outpatient spending increasing 5 percent from 2021 and
inpatient spending declining 1.4 percent.
Mississippi Allows Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Medicaid Enrollees
Mississippi will pay for a pregnant patients’ outpatient medical care for up to 60 days while their
Medicaid applications are being evaluated, according to the Associated Press. Effective July 1,
this ensures that patients have access to prenatal care immediately. The move comes after a
report from the State Department of Health found that Black infants in Mississippi were nearly
twice as likely as white infants to die over the past decade.
Report Highlights Racial Inequities in New Jersey Health Care
A new report commissioned by the state highlights the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on
Black and Latino communities across New Jersey, reports NJ Spotlight News. Structural
inequities, including lack of access to essential resources and environmental injustices, are
cited as key contributors to the disparities in morbidity and mortality within these communities.
The state faces challenges in addressing these systemic issues, but there is a call for legislative
action to promote health equity and prepare for future crises.
Illinois Immigrant Coverage Program Changes Eligibility Rules
Illinois has altered eligibility guidelines for the state-funded health insurance programs Health
Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors, reports the Chicago
Tribune. To reduce program costs, the state modified eligibility rules to stop offering benefits to
those who have green cards but have not yet completed a 5-year waiting period, with the
intention of moving those residents to Marketplace plans. The rule change is estimated to affect
roughly 6,000 residents.
Colorado Leads on Medical Debt Protections, Even as Health Care Costs Remain ‘Out of Control’
Colorado lawmakers have advanced several policies in recent years to lessen the burden of
medical debt, reports Colorado Newsline. One such policy removes medical debt from
consumer credit reports, impacting an estimated 700,000 residents. Another recent law caps the
allowable interest on the debt to 3 percent and aims to ensure transparency with consumers.
About 11 percent of Coloradans have medical debt in collections, with a median amount of
$693.
HEALTHCARE VALUE HUB
The Healthcare Value Hub can help you find free, timely information about policies and practices to achieve health systems that are equitable, affordable, and focused on the goals and needs of the people the system is meant to serve.
Share
Follow
