Cost-Containment

The percentage of U.S. children with timely access to a highly ready emergency department fell from 70% to 67%, which means more than 2.1 million children lost access to top-quality care.

Employers and their benefits advisors should watch carefully for signs of health care providers charging employers more to make up for federal Affordable Care Act premium tax credit subsidy cuts, an analyst said.

Advocates say card-based networks are better, but dentists maintain that some card-based systems cost too much.

The enhanced premium tax credits saved subsidized enrollees an average of $705 annually in 2024, bringing their annual premium payment down to $888.

In today’s employer-sponsored health care system, employees are often limited to health plans with premium-level pricing. Yet these plans frequently fall short on affordability and customer service.

HealthCare.gov and the state-based public health insurance supermarkets look as if they are operating normally.