Employee-Paid

New state laws now provide insured Americans in Texas and Tennessee the option to save money when they pay cash for more affordable services or use any out-of-network provider that offers more affordable care.

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom — political rivals from opposite coasts and proxies for red and blue America — are set to square off for a first-of-its-kind televised debate Nov. 30.

Two of the biggest health insurers are in talks about a potential powerhouse merger, comparable to the last major wave of industry consolidation five years ago when CVS closed its near-$70 billion deal for Aetna.

Fairmark Partners is investigating the possibility of filing a class-action lawsuit, along with help from current and former employees, against aerospace giant Lockheed Martin over its handling of employee benefit contributions.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Mike Braun wrote a letter to HHS last week to investigate high drug prices – and any role played by health insurers' shared ownership with the pharmacies that often fill the prescriptions.

Employees who consider their student loan debt to be a "heavy burden" are 2.4 times more likely to be in the process of leaving their organization.

The American Medical Association passed a resolution supporting coverage for "evidence-based treatment of obesity, including FDA-approved medications without exclusions," which puts pressure on insurers and employers.

Congress is considering legislation that would equalize payments for certain services regardless of where they are provided, but for now, patients need to have doctors send the order to a commercial lab like Labcorp or Quest.