Latest Industry News
CRC Benefits Welcomes Esther Rhoades as Broker Sales Executive and Referral Specialist
Introducing Esther Rhoades!
CRC Benefits is pleased to introduce Esther Rhoades as a Broker Sales Executive and Referral Specialist, supporting Individual and Senior brokers. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Esther will assist brokers and internal teams with referral opportunities, helping connect clients with health insurance solutions that align with their needs.
Esther has been a licensed insurance broker and agent since 2018, with experience specializing in Medicare, individual health plans, under-65 coverage, and ancillary products. Before joining CRC Benefits, she spent eight years as an independent broker and previously served for 23 years as a Certified Lead Pharmacy Technician, bringing a strong healthcare and client-service background to her role.
Nearly 400,000 Californians cancel health coverage after losing federal aid
Facing higher premiums and the loss of federal subsidies, 374,000 people with health insurance from the state marketplace known as Covered California canceled their coverage in the first three months of the year, according to government statistics.
The cancellations amount to 19% of those who had renewed their policies on the state marketplace during open enrollment, state officials said. Those cancellations are higher than in the past three years when they ranged from 13% to 15% of those who renewed.
UnitedHealthcare to cut pediatric prior authorization requirements by two-thirds
UnitedHealth’s main health insurance business says it will reduce the number of prior authorization requirements for patients under 18 by about two-thirds by Dec. 31.
UnitedHealthcare will cut prior authorization requirements for commercial health plans, as well as for Medicaid plans, and the shift will affect reviews for many diagnostic services and routine surgical procedures, the company said.
Upcoming Billing Change Could Make Pregnancy Pricier
Having a baby in the United States is about to get more complicated.
Under new billing codes that take effect in January, doctors who manage maternity care will start charging à la carte for visits and services related to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. It’s an about-face from recent years, when doctors have often received a single “bundled” payment for maternity care they provided. Although OB-GYNs strongly back the change and have pushed for it for years, some patient advocates and employers say it’s an open question whether the new system will result in better care or increased patient costs.
MEDICARE
CMS Announces Early Adopters to Advance Solutions for Electronic Prior Authorization, Accelerating Momentum Ahead of 2027 Requirements
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), through its Health Tech Ecosystem, is advancing its electronic prior authorization efforts through a newly established Electronic Prior Authorization Acceleration initiative to address key challenges and drive solutions ahead of 2027 requirements.
