CNC (US)


September 25, 2025

Obamacare Fix: Still Optimistic, But Not Clean or Near Term [OSCR, CNC, HCA, THC, UHS, ACHC]

By Beth Steindecker

We continue to be optimistic and think the odds have risen above 50% that Congress later this year reaches a compromise to “fix” the expiring enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which would further remove some of the…

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September 10, 2025

Status of Medicaid Work Requirements Among States [CNC, MOH, CYH, HCA, THC, UHS, ACHC, MMS]

By Beth Steindecker

Headline risk to Medicaid insurers [CNC, MOH], hospitals [CYH, HCA, THC], behavioral providers [UHS, ACHC], and Medicaid contractors [MMS] is likely to ramp up in the coming months as 15 states take affirmative steps toward…

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August 25, 2025

Court’s Stay of CMS’s Obamacare Rule Provisions Is Clear Positive Sign But Uncertain Policy Outlook Still Suggests Messy Sign-Up [OSCR, CNC, HCA, THC, UHS, HQY]

By Beth Steindecker

A federal district court’s ruling Friday to stay part of CMS’s Obamacare program integrity regulation is a positive development for exchange insurers [OSCR, CNC, ELV, MOH], hospitals [HCA, THC, CYH, ARDT, MPW, municipal-backed facilities] and…

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July 28, 2025

CY26 Medicare Part D: Additional Spending but CMS Starting to Put on the Brakes

By Beth Steindecker

Today’s CMS release regarding its CY26 Medicare Part D program gives  the impression the agency is focusing on stability in its drug benefit program with the goal to ensure 1) enrollees – especially those in…

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July 22, 2025

Obamacare Enhanced Subsidy Debate – Where We Stand [OSCR, CNC, ELV, THC, CYH, UHS]

By Beth Steindecker

While exchange insurers (OSCR, CNC, ELV) and hospitals (THC, CYH, ARDT, UHS, HCA) try to figure out their  Obamacare businesses for next year with the various regulatory and reconciliation-related changes leading to anticipated enrollment declines…

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July 9, 2025

Reconciliation: Final Healthcare Provisions; Clarifying Tweaks to DPP Language and Overlooked Parts of Work Requirements

By Beth Steindecker

While we still agree with consensus about the negative bias towards hospitals and Medicaid insurers from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) signed into law last Friday, we note a few tweaks in the…

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July 2, 2025

Medicare Advantage RADV Update: Tons More PY19 Audits, UNH Has the Most For Now

By Beth Steindecker

CMS’s addition last week of 300+ Medicare Advantage (MA) [UNH, HUM, CNC, ELV, CVS, ALHC] contracts to be audited for risk adjustment data verification (RADV) during plan year (PY) 2019 raises the risk of larger…

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June 30, 2025

Healthcare and Reconciliation: Where Things Stand Amid Floor Debate

By Beth Steindecker

We expect the Senate to pass the reconciliation bill within the next 24 hours, despite the current reconciliation drama (parliamentarian rulings, CBO projection of deficits post-2034, Senator Thom Tillis’s (R-NC) retirement announcement, House member opposition,…

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June 26, 2025

Hospitals, Obamacare, Medicaid: Parliamentarian Decisions Likely to Force Rewriting on Provider Tax, Uncertain about CSR and Enhanced FMAP Policies

By Beth Steindecker

The sizable hole left by the Senate parliamentarian decisions on various Medicaid and Obamacare provisions, which were reported this morning by Senate democrats (here and here) injects uncertainty for hospitals, Obamacare insurers, Medicaid managed care,…

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June 22, 2025

Obamacare: Program Integrity Rule Meets Overall Expectations, Though Relative Slight Improvement; Risk Remains

By Beth Steindecker

Amidst the behind-the-scenes Senate debate of its draft reconciliation bill, CMS made good on its threat to jettison improper and fraudulent Obamacare enrollment, impacting ACA insurers [OSCR, CNC, ELV, MOH] and hospitals / behavioral facilities…

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