Anthem defended the policy in response to the lawsuit, contending patients shouldn’t have to worry about surprise medical bills when visiting in-network hospitals.
The insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group said the shift is part of its ongoing effort to eliminate the barriers between care delivery and medical coverage. The full list of services exempt from prior authorizations includes diagnostic tests and many outpatient surgeries.
Hospital-at-home inpatient care is no worse than its traditional counterpart at facilitating good clinical outcomes for reasonable overall costs. In fact “HaH” is sometimes considerably better on both those scores.
Boca Raton Rehabilitation Center called claims made in the lawsuit by a former employee, Nuella Joseph, “unsubstantiated.” Joseph, a nurse, said the facility has a cleanliness problem that led to bug infestations in resident rooms.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said the deal is expected to be finalized in Fall 2026. The move would expand its presence into Ohio. Details, such as the financial terms, have yet to be revealed.
Last month the Department of Health and Human Services asked hospital dieticians to take an eight-point pledge on inpatient nutrition. This week detractors are firing back at this latest slice of the RFK Jr.-led MAHA agenda.
Anthem defended the policy in response to the lawsuit, contending patients shouldn’t have to worry about surprise medical bills when visiting in-network hospitals.
The insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group said the shift is part of its ongoing effort to eliminate the barriers between care delivery and medical coverage. The full list of services exempt from prior authorizations includes diagnostic tests and many outpatient surgeries.
