HHS’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response has granted $100 million to help healthcare systems prepare for a surge of COVID- patients.

A total of 23 states have received approved section 1135 waivers for their Medicaid programs from CMS as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new coronavirus could have long-lasting impacts on the economy and health insurance, potentially ballooning premiums next year, according to a new report from Covered California, the health insurance marketplace in California.

The White House and Senate have reached a deal for a stimulus package worth about $2 trillion, with help coming to hospitals and healthcare providers dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Kaiser Permanente, the nonprofit health system based in California, has canceled its plans to build new headquarters expected to cost $900 million.

Health insurance giant Cigna has expanded its collaboration with Cricket Health, a kidney care provider, to use a machine learning algorithm that identifies Cigna customers with or at risk for developing late-stage chronic kidney disease. Cigna is a major investor in Cricket Health, committing $24 million in a Series A funding round in 2018.

Eleven more states are following the lead of Florida and Washington in applying for Section 1135 Medicaid waivers to be granted more flexibility in dealing with the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

A patient who sought treatment for coronavirus symptoms in late February was left with a medical bill of $34,927.43 for testing and treatment.