How is HIPAA Enforced and Will Congress Expand it?

Health data privacy

In today’s digital age, the protection of sensitive health information has become a priority for Congress. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a federal law enacted in 1996, has long been the cornerstone of health data privacy in the United States. HIPAA sets the national standards for health data privacy and security, ensuring […]

Examining Health Insurance Coverage Disparities by Race and Ethnicity

Health data privacy

 The KFF report on Health Coverage by Race and Ethnicity underscores the crucial role of health insurance coverage in accessing healthcare services and mitigating excessive medical expenses. This blog post summarizes the report’s findings. Persistent Disparities in Coverage The KFF report reveals that disparities in coverage have been entrenched over time and, in some instances, […]

What Happened, What You Missed: October 16-20, 2023

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KFF Survey: Family Premiums in Employer Plans Up 7% The average annual family premium for employer-sponsored coverage jumped 7% this year to reach nearly $24,000, according to the annual Employer Health Benefits Survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF).  The largely inflation-driven increase comes after a few years where family premiums for employer-sponsored plans generally remained stagnant.  While employers […]

What Happened, What You Missed: September 11-15, 2023

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2022 Uninsurance Rate Drops amid Concerns about Underinsurance The uninsured rate in the US dropped from 8.3% in 2021 to 7.9% in 2022, according to the US Census Bureau.  Overall, 27 states saw their uninured rates decline, while Maine was the sole state to see its uninsured rate increase.  Per the Census Bureau, the increase in […]

What Happened, What You Missed: April 4-8

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Administration Proposes Fix to ACA “Family Glitch” On Tuesday, the Treasury Department (USDT) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a proposed rule to create a minimum value for family member of employees who are eligible for premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The rule aims to fix the “family glitch,” an ACA loophole […]

Why Feelings Are Mixed on the New Surprise Billing Rule

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The administration’s latest interim final rule to implement the No Surprises Act dropped on September 30.  Here’s a look at the various reactions from stakeholders and why they are mixed. What does it say?  The rule outlines a baseball-style, independent dispute resolution (IDR) process for settling payment disputes between out-of-network providers and commercial insurance plans.  Before the IDR process can […]

The Week in Review: June 14-18

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ACA Survives Latest Legal Challenge On June 17, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 to overturn an appeals court ruling that found the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate to be unconstitutional.  The opinion by Justice Stephen Breyer was joined by the court’s two remaining liberal justices and four of the court’s six conversative justices, while […]