Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to say thank you for being a part of the Health Action Network. We hope you have a healthy and safe holiday with your family and friends.

Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to say thank you for being a part of the Health Action Network. We hope you have a healthy and safe holiday with your family and friends.

A new analysis finds that hospitals are making a lot of money on outpatient drugs; meanwhile, a separate study shows that better hospital efficiency would lead to billions of dollars in savings for Medicare; beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans have lower COVID hospitalization and mortality rates; and, a reminder to consumers that the annual open enrollment periods for Medicare and on the exchanges are underway.

Changing the conversation surrounding “white-bagging”; hospital prices are anecdotally arbitrary; stakeholders come to the defense of the Medicare Advantage program; and, a new study shows Big Pharma spending more on marketing and promotion than R&D.

The focus on high drug prices exposes hospitals’ role in driving up these costs; meanwhile, the average price of specialty drugs is found to be increasing faster than inflation; stakeholders support recently proposed final rules targeting surprise medical bills; and, a look at how private equity interests impact consumers’ healthcare costs.

The focus on high drug prices exposes hospitals’ role in driving up these costs; meanwhile, the average price of specialty drugs is found to be increasing faster than inflation; stakeholders support recently proposed final rules targeting surprise medical bills; and, a look at how private equity interests impact consumers’ healthcare costs.

Medicare Advantage plans expand benefits going into next year; a new poll details the impact of out-of-control prescription drug prices on Americans; the cost of treating COVID patients varies wildly; and, a growing body of research underscores how hospital consolidation affects healthcare prices.

Proposed final rules are released targeting surprise medical bills; Medicare Advantage project premiums going down and enrollment going up next year; the cost of air ambulances soar; meanwhile, unnecessary visits to the ER cost billions every year.

Stakeholders come to the defense of Medicare Advantage; COVID testing charges continue to run amok; payers invest in population health; and, new data charts telehealth’s explosive growth.

Hospital groups push back against stiffer price transparency penalties; patients continue to struggle with the high cost of prescription drugs; support grows for Medicaid; and, stakeholders innovate to expand the reach of virtual care.