On December 13, 2016, President Obama signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law. Called “the most important bill of the year,” the bipartisan Act…
Madison area providers explore partnerships
Two health systems and their affiliated insurance companies are exploring a strategic partnership in Wisconsin. This is yet another example of the trend of consolidation…
DOL proposes changes to Form 5500
The U.S. Department of Labor plans to revise Form 5500 to require insurers and health plans to report more information. The proposed changes focus on…
Carrier megamerger now in doubt
Eleven months ago four of the country’s largest health insurance companies announced two merger plans to consolidate in what would be among the largest transactions…
Study finds Wisconsin has high healthcare prices
A study released this month by the nonprofit Health Care Cost Institute found that Wisconsin has the second highest healthcare prices among the 41 states…
New Provider-Carrier Partnerships Expand Across Wisconsin
The first four months of 2016 have already seen three new partnerships announced between Wisconsin health systems and insurance companies. Looking down the road, it…
Drug Costs Continue To Rise
Although the rate at which overall health costs are rising is historically low, employers, experts, and politicians are expressing alarm at the rising cost of…
ThedaCare to Leave Network Health
ThedaCare announced last week that it will leave Network Health on December 31, 2016. The Appleton-based health system first informed the Menasha-based health insurer last…
ACA Reporting Deadlines Delayed
Yesterday the IRS released Notice 2016-4, which delays the ACA reporting due dates for both furnishing forms to individuals and filing forms with the IRS.…
Spending deal would delay Cadillac Tax
Earlier this month, the Senate approved a bill to repeal many core elements of Obamacare, including the “Cadillac tax” on high cost health plans. At…