Care Coordination

The past eighteen months has been evidence that, as a country, we have no connected health data infrastructure. 

Medicare Advantage insurer SCAN Health Plan will be expanding its market reach into Arizona and Nevada for 2022. It's the first time the payer will offer products outside of California, where it currently has 220,000 members.

Lewis County Health System, a single hospital system in Lowville, N.Y., temporarily will close its maternity unit due to staffing challenges worsened by the number of workers unwilling to get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to NNY360.com. 

The American Medical Association is telling employers to push back against prior authorization, which it claims can lead to increased costs and employee absenteeism. 

Here are five recent coverage expansions that payers have announced since Aug. 24.

Dallas-based Steward Health Care plans to end maternity and obstetrics services at Sharon (Pa.) Regional Medical Center by Dec. 31, local news station WKBN reported Sept. 9. 

Cigna and Oscar Health are rolling out a co-signed health plan for Illinois small businesses. 

Long Beach, Calif.-based SCAN Health Plan is bringing new health plans to Nevada and Arizona, the Medicare Advantage insurer announced Sept. 9. 

Several healthcare organizations have closed medical departments or ended services at facilities to shore up finances, focus on more in-demand services or prevent patient care lapses. 

Quitman Community Hospital, a rural hospital in Marks, Miss., plans to reopen after being closed for about five years, Fox 13 Memphis reported Sept. 8.