$223 million ...

... in ACA-related risk-corridor payments should be paid to Highmark, Inc. by the federal government, according to a lawsuit filed by the insurer recently in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

About 30 million ...

... people in the U.S. have one of 7,000 conditions classified as "rare," according to the new report, Medicines in Development for Rare Diseases, published by the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America in collaboration with the ALS Association.

$1,928 to $2,974 ...

... per course of treatment is the range in savings for home infusion compared with other administration sites, according to a new study by the CVS Health Research Institute.

25% ...

... is the goal Cigna has set for reducing opioid use among its customers over the next three years, the insurer announced on May 19.

According to a recent survey, public health exchange customers ...

... customers are increasingly willing to accept network tradeoffs for lower payments. These tradeoffs include:

• a smaller network of hospitals (27% in 2016 vs.18% in 2015)
• a network that does not include their current primary care provider (26% in 2016 vs.16% in 2015)
• a smaller network of doctors (26% in 2016 vs.18% in 2015)

Source: "Public health insurance exchange enrollees: Insights from the 2016 Survey of US Health Care Consumers," Deloitte News Release, May 11, 2016, http://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/life-sciences-and-health-care/articles/health-care-consumers-health-insurance-exchanges.html

Healthcare Costs $25,826 For Typical Family of Four

Milliman recently published their 2016 Milliman Medical Index (MMI) analysis on healthcare cost trends. Here are some key findings from the report:

·         In 2016, healthcare costs for a family of 4 covered by an employer-sponsored PPO plan is $25,826.

·         The cost of care for the typical American family of 4 has tripled since it was $8,414 in 2001.

·         Prescription drug expenses grew at 9.1% from 2015 to 2016, a lower rate than 2014's 13.6% increase.

·         At $11,033, employee total costs increased by 5.3% from 2015, while employer costs increased 4.2%.

·         The 4.7% increase in the MMI this year is the lowest rate increase ever.

·         In 2016, the MMI family's prescription drug costs will reach $4,270.

Source: Milliman, May 24, 2016

According to a recent report, the average price of a surgical ...

... admission for a child in 2010 was $35,423, but by 2014 it had risen to $53,372 – a more than 50% price increase.

Source: "Higher Prices for Children’s Health Care Drove Spending Growth in 2014, While Use of Services Declined," Health Care Cost Institute Press Release, May 16, 2016, http://www.healthcostinstitute.org/news-and-events/higher-prices-children%E2%80%99s-health-care-drove-spending-growth-2014-while-use-services-d