Bethesda, MD – Annual family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance rose an average of 3 percent to $18,412 this year, a modest increase at a time when workers’ wages (2.5%) and inflation (1.1%) also grew modestly, according to the benchmark Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET) 2016 Employer Health Benefits Survey released today. Workers on average contribute $5,277 annually toward their family premiums.

Vaccination advocates and groups that claim immunizations can be harmful have found something new to fight over: an Orange County, California, pediatrician’s medical license.

President Barack Obama has asked for insurers to step up their efforts to enroll younger, healthier customers on the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges when open enrollment begins in November.

CMS is planning to publish a new set of regulations Sept. 16 that require healthcare providers to comply with new disaster preparedness guidelines. 

CMS is drawing near unanimous praise from medical associations for allowing greater flexibility for providers to comply with the payment reforms in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).

Ohio’s proposal to charge Medicaid beneficiaries premiums—and end coverage if enrollees fall behind on payments—has been rejected by CMS.

A blog post by Andy Slavitt, Acting Administrator of CMS, highlights the choices eligible physicians will have for the Quality Payment Program starting on Jan. 1, 2017.

Medicare and Medicaid providers will have to comply with CMS’ four new standards on emergency preparedness for natural and man-made disasters.