Employer-Paid

A federal judge granted intervention requests from manufacturers and PhRMA as hospitals challenge the shift from upfront drug discounts to rebates.

Paying for a typical hospital stay now requires 435 hours of work time, which is a 13.3% increase from the previous analysis.

Officials suggested that employers should have a financial incentive to improve the quality of care.

The reps want state insurance regulators to prepare for a possible shift toward "alternative health coverage arrangements."

The high cost of new drugs at launch, often at prices exceeding $200,000 annually, is a major driver of increased overall health care spending.

The Labor Department must replace its H-2A wage methodology by Dec. 30, while questions about retroactive pay remain unresolved.