Marissa Plescia

Chicago, United States

Reporter at MedCity News

Reporter @medcitynews Formerly @BeckersHR, @FlatlandKC through @DJNF, @IMidwest, @ThePioneerPress UIUC journalism Grad

Articles

What SCAN and Sutter Health Hope to Achieve with Their MA Partnership

1 week ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

There has been growing tension between health systems and Medicare Advantage plans in recent years, with some health systems cutting ties entirely with MA plans. This has partially been due to administrative challenges and high rates of claims denials. But last week, an MA insurer and a health system announced that they are coming together.
JPMorgan: How Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Make Healthcare Decisions

1 week ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia |Tomasz Rezik

It’s no secret that small to mid-sized businesses are struggling to handle healthcare costs, and a report released last week from JPMorganChase Institute is adding to that evidence. The report found that roughly one-third of small businesses discontinued their health insurance coverage from one year to the next. For instance, 32% of nonemployer firms—businesses without paid employees—that paid health insurance premiums in 2018 no longer did so in 2019.
Which Health Plans Take the Lead in Member Digital Experience?

1 week ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

Cigna Healthcare leads in member satisfaction with digital experience among commercial health plans, while UPMC Health Plan ranks highest among Medicare Advantage plans, according to a new report. The J.D. Power U.S. Healthcare Digital Experience Study tracks satisfaction across five factors in order of importance: visual appeal, navigation, information/content, speed and telehealth.
Payer Advocates Applaud 5% MA Payment Increase

1 week ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently announced that payments from the government to Medicare Advantage plans will increase by 5.06%, or $25 billion, from 2025 to 2026, making many payer advocates happy. This is a significant difference from the 2.23% increase proposed by the Biden administration in January. The increase is mainly due to the rise in the effective growth rate, which is 9.04%, compared to the estimate of 5.93% in the advance notice.
Tennessee Taps Carrum Health for Centers of Excellence Network

2 weeks ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

The state of Tennessee has selected Carrum Health as its specialty care Centers of Excellence solution, Carrum announced on Thursday. It comes after the company announced a significant expansion last week that puts 90% of Americans within 50 miles of a Carrum Center of Excellence. By working with the state of Tennessee, Carrum Health’s services are now available to all employees covered by the state health plan.
Teladoc Health Launches New Cardiometabolic Health Program

2 weeks ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

Teladoc Health, a virtual care company, unveiled its new Cardiometabolic Health Program on Tuesday to prevent the advancement of diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Purchase, New York-based Teladoc Health serves both employers and health plans. In addition to support for weight management and diabetes, it offers mental health care, primary care and specialty services. The new program provides a premium subscription to BetterSleep, an app that’s focused on improving sleep quality.
Health Execs Criticize Trump Administration for Not Expanding Coverage of Obesity Drugs

2 weeks ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

Late last week, the Trump administration’s CMS announced that it is not finalizing a provision proposed by the Biden administration that would expand coverage of anti-obesity drugs under Medicare and Medicaid. Currently, Medicare and Medicaid are required to cover GLP-1s like Ozempic and Wegovy for conditions like diabetes, but Medicare is prohibited from covering them for weight loss and only some state Medicaid programs do.
Four Notable Health Tech Funding Announcements in March

2 weeks ago | dealbreaker.com | Marissa Plescia

This roundup is meant to highlight some of the most notable funding rounds of the month and is not intended to be comprehensive. Navina raises $55 million in Series C fundingNavina, based in Israel and New York, offers an AI copilot that gathers and analyzes patient data from the EHR and other sources to help physicians participate in value-based care models. It serves more than 10,000 healthcare workers across 1,300 clinics.
What Issues Do Healthcare Leaders Want Dr. Oz to Tackle as CMS Administrator?

2 weeks ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

The Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz, a celebrity TV doctor, as CMS administrator last week on a 53-45 vote, which was along party lines. In the position, Oz will lead the Medicare and Medicaid programs. He comes into the role as the healthcare industry faces many changes. Republicans in Congress are currently proposing massive budget cuts for the Medicaid program, which could have a significant impact on the economy.
How the Pending Supreme Court Decision on Preventive Care Could Affect the Healthcare Industry

2 weeks ago | medcitynews.com | Marissa Plescia

Since 2010, when the Affordable Care Act was enacted, most private insurance plans have been required to cover preventive care services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force without making consumers pay a share of the cost. This includes cancer screenings, pregnancy care and testing for sexually transmitted diseases. It’s estimated that in 2020 alone, nearly 152 million people have benefited from this law. But a pending Supreme Court case puts this in jeopardy.