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According to a report from medical news site Medscape, Michigan physicians received a modest increase in pay in 2023, but it was still below the national average. The average total compensation for Michigan physicians was $360,000, compared to the Midwest average of $404,000. The lower compensation in Michigan may be due to the state's competitive healthcare market, which has more community health and hospital systems compared to neighboring states. However, Michigan is considered one of the most affordable states for healthcare, with lower costs for medical services and health insurance premiums. The increase in compensation for doctors in the state was driven by gains in primary care physicians, while medical specialists saw a decline in compensation. Additionally, there are pay disparities based on gender and race, with male physicians earning more than their female peers and white physicians earning more than Black physicians. [Extracted from the article]

Contract agreements The agreement stipulates a 3.5% salary increase in the contract's first year and 3% in each of the following two years, as well as a $1,500 bonus to be paid out in January. Members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East reached tentative three-year contract agreements last week with the operators of 249 nursing homes in the metropolitan area, just in time to avert a 24-hour strike planned for Dec. 1. [Extracted from the article]

The cost of pharmaceuticals and the prices providers charge for health care - which can vary greatly across the country - are responsible for the majority of the growth in health care costs every year, she said. As health care costs continue to rise, Americans with employer-sponsored health coverage are spending more of their income, on average, on premium contributions and deductibles, a trend that has continued for well over the past decade, according to the latest report from the Commonwealth Fund. [Extracted from the article]

An interview with Michael McGuire, chief executive officer (CEO) of health insurer UnitedHealthcare, is presented. McGuire explains why health insurance premiums are rising faster than wages. He also discusses how employers can limit costs by promoting a healthier lifestyle and the impact of hospital consolidations on the health insurance company.

Blues companies provide health insurance to more than 100 million people, including 6 million members covered by the Michigan Blues. Employers, individuals and other claimants insured by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan over the last decade stand to split up to $125 million as part of a $2.67 billion proposed antitrust settlement agreement that the national Blue Cross association and its 36 member plans have signed off on. General Motors Co., one of the Michigan Blues' largest self-funded customers, has threatened for years to take their business elsewhere because of the Blues' high administrative costs. [Extracted from the article]

Here's something hospitals would prefer you didn't know: The average price private insurers pay for a major hip replacement surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Streeterville is $39,897 - 32 percent more than the average price of the same procedure at Amita Health St. Joseph Hospital 3 miles away in Lakeview. They also must use a "consumer-friendly" format to disclose prices for 300 services that patients can schedule in advance, or offer a tool that uses patients' insurance information to estimate out-of-pocket costs. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on the plans of health insurance companies in New York to increase their premium rates. Topics discussed include the companies' claim that the state has kept rates low, the increasing cost of health care, and premium rate increases proposed by UnitedHealthcare, Fidelis Care and MetroPlus.

FEDERAL Small Business Administration (SBA) - The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $349 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses. - The SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan covers small business operating expenses after a declared disaster. - The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation is allowing employers to delay installment payments due to COVID-19 hardship. [Extracted from the article]

This article reports on the addition of New York to U.S. states with the power to reject proposed health insurance premium hikes as the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) plans to release 250 million U.S. dollars to boost insurance oversight. A bill signed by New York Governor David Peterson in June 2010 enables insurance regulators to review and reject proposed premium increases that are unreasonable, excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. The expanded oversight of New York has been praised by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The article focuses on the hearings to be conducted by the U.S. Congress to question and make health insurance companies justify their plan to increase their premiums in 2010. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admits that the scrutiny over the rate hike is in line with the health care reform bill. Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oregon had requested to raise its rate for individuals by 20%. It is said that the largest proposed hike is the 39% of Anthem Blue Cross of California, which will be postpone until May 2010.

The article reports on the increase in employer health care costs in New York City since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Topics discussed include the increase in employer premiums for single-person coverage by 5.4 percent annually from 2010 to 2015, the regional characteristics of the country's health care market, and the growing number of local employers who are shifting expenses to employees through high-deductible plans.

This section offers news briefs on Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. New York City (NYC) residents now have nine carriers to choose from and the average premium for individual insurance will rise in 16.6 percent in 2017. New York's individual insurance market looked radically different before the ACA prompted the creation of New York State of Health marketplace. The fate of ACA will be affected by the results of the November 8, 2016 presidential election in the U.S.

The article focuses on Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer's characterization of the problem of the economically decaying upstate New York. The economy has shown a downward trend in the metropolitan area but much of the Hudson Valley has prospered. The laws of economics cannot be reversed, nor can one change the fundamental trend lines. Spitzer's plans include paring property taxes and reducing the cost of energy and of premiums on health and liability insurance.

Several graphs and tables are presented that show statistics about insurers and managed care in the U.S. in 2005, including changes in health insurance premiums, enrollment in Medicare Advantage Plans, and the 20 largest health insurers.

The article reports on the concerns of the American Medical Association over the impact of consolidation among health insurers on health care providers. The reduction in the number of competing health plans could negatively impact efficiency in the healthcare system. The reimbursements of managed-care providers have suffered in markets where the competition declined. Susan Pisano, spokeswoman for America's Health Insurance Plans, stresses that high premiums and medical costs reflect a vigorous competition among health plans.

Focuses on the findings of surveys on employer healthcare costs released in the U.S. in September 2005. Decline in the number of employers offering health insurance to workers according to the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust; Significance of government insurance programs; Growth rate in premiums; Partnership of small business to purchase health insurance.

Reports on the pooling of the purchasing powers of employers who are member of the Affordable Health Care Coalition to provide uninsured workers access to lower-cost health insurance in the U.S. in 2005. Plan of the coalition on insurance premiums; Reasons behind an increase in insurance premiums paid by employers; Views of Jeff McGuiness, president of the HR Policy Association, on the effort of the coalition.

Reports on the dispute among politicians over the increase in Medicare Part B premiums health coverage in the U.S. Response of Democratic senators to the increase; Factors that contribute to the premium increase; Introduction of legislation that would limit the increase in 2005.

Presents data on the status of managed care and insurers' plans in the U.S as of December 2003. Percentage of workers covered by health plan enrollment; Decrease in the number of enrollees and hospitals owning health plans; Changes in the health insurance premiums from 1999 to 2004; Largest national managed-care organizations as of June 2003; Number of blues plans as of June 2003.

Blue Cross Blue Shield plans scattered across the country are joining forces to battle nationwide health insurers. Twenty-four of the association's 36 Blues companies - including Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois - are participating in the program. [Extracted from the article]

The article highlights the problem of high health insurance premiums and high out-of-pocket costs in Ohio. It notes a report from the Commonwealth Fund according to which several Ohioans with employer-sponsored health insurance has high premium contributions relative to their income. Topics discussed include views of Eric Krieg, president of Fairlawn-based Risk International Benefits Advisors; and views of Sara Collins, vice president at the Commonwealth Fund.

The article focuses on various deals in the healthcare sector which were evidence of moving away from paying for health care through fee-for-service basis. Topics include a deal by North Shore-LIJ Health System that covers Humana Medicare Advantage members, the launch of the OMNIA Health Alliance which aims to provide affordable insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, and comments from Howard Gold of North Shore-LIJ.

The article focuses on the efforts of insurance companies in New York to enroll the younger population in health plans in the second year of implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. It attributes the difficulty of enrolling young people to non-native English speakers who do not understand health insurance and expensive premiums. The target of insurers to reach immigrants and New Yorkers who had been insured through the health plan Freelancers Union is discussed.

Forecasts insurance premium increases in 1999 for small businesses providing healthcare plans in the United States. Reasons small businesses were affected by insurance rate increases in 1998; Annual insurance rate in October 1998; Why small businesses are less attractive to health plans.

The article reports on the decline of enrollments in the individual health insurance market in Michigan in 2018, but insurers have reported significant increases in small-group policies marketed to employers. Topics include the reason for the growth of small group enrollment according to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan's Rick Notter, the percent of people in Michigan who signed for the Obamacare exchange in 2018, and an increase in Michigan exchange premiums for individual health insurance.

The article describes the response to the announcement in July 2013 of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration that individual health-insurance premiums offered through the state exchange to launch in October 2013 would be at least 50 percent cheaper than what some New Yorkers currently pay. Groups supporting the Affordable Care Act celebrated the news while critics of the law fought back. The implications of lower premiums for insurers and the quality of healthcare are also tackled.

The article discusses double-digit increases in student health insurance premiums at New York University (NYU), Columbia, and the City University of New York (CUNY). NYU students face a 33% hike while Columbia students look to 11% rise in basic health plan costs aside from health services fees close to 1,000 U.S. dollars, as both schools require mandated purchase of health care. It notes that CUNY does not require the purchase of health insurance and that students pay nearly twice as much.

The article reports on the disputed leadership election in the New York State Nurses Association which plunged contract negotiation at biggest hospitals in chaos in New York. It notes that a strike at New York-Presbyterian Hospital was staged after management wants nurses to pay more for their health insurance premiums. It states that dissatisfied members have voted board leaders out of the office which infects contract negotiation involving the arbitration decision that sided the management.

The article discusses a debate about a provision in the health care law that specifies how much of the health insurance premiums should be allocated to group and individual coverage in the U.S. The insurers are accused of negotiating with the legislators to reduce the requirements for the medical loss ratio (MLR). The MLR puts a limit on the administrative expenses, premiums and profits of the insurers.

The article discusses how federal stimulus funding has limited the increase in uncompensated medical care costs in the U.S. during the financial crisis. The federal government provided support in various ways including paying a higher percentage of Medicaid budgets, offering subsidies for unemployed workers to pay their health insurance premiums and offering more money for federally qualified health centers. It relates how the decline in undocumented worker population benefited hospitals during the recession.

This article looks at the role of the U.S. insurance industry in passing health care reform legislation in the U.S. In February 2010, Anthem Blue Cross announced that it will to raise premiums for individual insurance plans by 25% or 39%. Officials in the administration of President Barack Obama argued that insurers could not be trusted to hold down costs amid efforts by the administration for reform legislation. Insurers also backpedaled in March and claim that they would comply with the regulations that government will issue on children's insurance.

The article discusses price increases on health insurance premiums in the U.S. It states that various firms such as Anthem Blue Cross of California have raised theirs by up to 39%. Further, a number have reported higher profit margins as of the end of 2009, such as WellPoint, despite the financial recession in the country. This has prompted various U.S. lawmakers, including President Barack H. Obama himself, to decry such raises and point out the need for health care reform. Anthem claims, however, that the increases are well within industry standards.

The article reports on the move of the U.S. Congress to prolong a 65% premium subsidy for a health insurance scheme under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) until February 28, 2010. Assistant secretary Phyllis Borzi of the Labor Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration asserted that the new law would increase the potential of several unemployed citizens and their families to afford and maintain their health coverage. Health insurers cited the rise in the volume of enrollees on COBRA in the second half of last year.

The article reprots that Colorado will discontinue its rate banding experiment which allowed insurers to charge small businesses varied premiums based on the health status of their workers. The experiment was part of the HB 1355 law signed by Governor Bill Ritter in 2007. Rebecca Weiss, director of governmental relations for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado, stated that the banding worked because it attracted new business and encouraged healthier people to have insurances because of discounts.

The article presents statistics related to health insurance and managed care in the U.S., including changes in health insurance premiums, percentage of insurance companies offering consumer-driven health plans and enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Rate hikes targeted," in the February 27, 2006 issue, and another article related to middle class in New York published in the February 6, 2006 issue.

Presents news briefs on medical care in the U.S. as of June 2005. Approval of the annual increase in health maintenance organization premiums for 2006 by the California Public Employees' Retirement System; Appointment of Richard Afable as president and CEO of Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, California; Percentage of doctors-in-training who experienced periods of sleep deprivation according to a survey conducted by the American Medical Association.

Comments on the efforts of health care organizations to help uninsured individuals in the U.S. Significance of the launch of the Cover the Uninsured Week campaign; Expected increase in the number of uninsured individuals by 2013, according to a report published in the periodical "Health Affairs"; Implication of the increase in health insurance premiums.

Presents statistics on insurance companies and managed care in the U.S. as of December 20, 2004. Health maintenance and preferred-provider organization penetration by state as of January 2004; Trend in the cost of health insurance premiums; Decrease in the nationwide health maintenance organization enrollment.

Comments on the efforts of the U.S. administration to cover-up Medicare premium increases. Reason behind the early announcement of such increases; Provisions of a drug benefit law; Suggestions for the healthcare industry.

Forecasts the increase in medicare premiums for physician office in the U.S. in 2005. Factors that contribute to the increase in healthcare premiums; Information on Medicare Rights Center; Provision of the Medicare Modernization Act; Opinion of patient advocates on the increase in premium rates.

Presents updates on issues and events related to the U.S. health insurance industry as of August 2004. Decision by United Healthcare Insurance Co. and Travelers Insurance Co. to settle a civil whistleblower case filed against them for allegedly falsifying expense reports to obtain higher reimbursement and performance incentives; Increase in the cost of group health insurance for an individual coverage in the country; Information on the financial performance of Cigna Corp. for the second quarter of 2004.

Deals with a report issued by the U.S. General Accounting Office on health insurance scams in the country. Comment from Mila Kofman, assistant research professor at Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute, on insurance premiums for uninsured individuals made by insurers; Information on the federal legislation on exemption for association health plans; Discussion on criminal indictments of offenders.

Presents information on a report released jointly by the American Hospital Association and the Federation of American Hospitals that argues health plan premium rates are growing faster that healthcare costs in the U.S. Contributors to premium increases; Improvement in the underwriting cycle according to the report.

Deals with the result of a study released by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Chicago on health plans. Portion of health-plan premiums that will pay medical claims; Decline in the percentage of premiums earmarked for medical claims; Increase of pretax profits as a percentage of premium revenue.

Comments on the increasing number of citizens in the U.S. with no health insurance coverage. Percentage of the population with no health insurance coverage; Efforts made by lawmakers to address the problem; Barrier to expanded health coverage; Factors that contributed to rising health insurance premiums; Number of states that have passed bills creating mandates to study the cost impact of health insurance.

The article analyzes the stability of the U.S. employer-sponsored health insurance market as of October 2017. According to a survey from the nonprofit Kaiser Health Foundation, health insurance premiums have increased on the fledgling Obamacare exchanges. According to Pat Perry, president of human resources services organization ERC, the market has been a safe haven despite the decisions of major insurers to abandon the Obamacare marketplaces, including Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.