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Elevance Health, Inc. (formerly known as Anthem) reported strong first quarter 2026 profits of $1.8 billion and strong first quarter revenues of $50.2 billion, with both profits and revenues beating analysts’ expectations. Elevance also reported a medical cost ratio of 86.8% for the first quarter, which was less than analysts had expected. A health insurer’s […]

UnitedHealth Group (“United”) reported strong profits of $6.28 billion for the first quarter of 2026 on revenues of $111.7 billion. United’s strong profits and revenues beat analysts’ expectations and prompted United to boost its earnings forecast for the year to more than $18.25 per share. UnitedHealthcare’s revenues were $86.3 billion in the first quarter, up

A recent study of denials by health insurance companies in New York has found that the percentage of denials overturned on external review increased from 38% in 2019 to 52.5% in 2025. The study also found that the percentage of denials varied by service, with nearly 80% of denials of home health services and 61%

Twelve Democratic Senators have issued a letter laying out policy proposals they believe would deliver health insurance coverage that would work for everyone. The letter begins by stating: America’s for-profit health insurance system is fundamentally broken… At a time when over one-third of adults with health insurance report delaying or skipping care altogether due to

The American Hospital Association has issued its 2026 Cost of Caring Report, which shows that hospital expenses are going twice as fast as hospital prices. One of the key drivers of those cost increases is the amount hospitals must spend to attempt to collect payments owed by health insurers for medical care that the hospitals

A report published by the Rural Health Research Center at the University of Minnesota shows a widespread lack of hospital-based obstetric services in rural counties. As stated in the report’s executive summary, this has national and local implications: Access to hospital-based obstetric care declined from 2010-2013, particularly in rural areas, and access varies across US

Since his retirement, our partner Jack Drake has written a book, Be Not Afraid, which is being published by the University of Alabama Press.  Since Jack was involved in many of the important legal and political events in Alabama including those related to civil rights, he brings a unique perspective to the history of those

Bloomberg has reported that Humana is in discussions with Sarasota, Florida-based MaxHealth to purchase its primary care network. In a February 11, 2026 earnings call, Humana’s President and CEO Jim Rechtin confirmed that “we also hope to soon announce a strategic acquisition in the primary care space.” MaxHealth is a primary care platform focused on

Based on their fourth quarter earnings reports, Becker’s Hospital Review has ranked the nation’s payers by their 2025 net income.  Here are their rankings: UnitedHealth Group, with $12.1 billion in profits Cigna, with $6 billion in profits Elevance Health, with $5.7 billion in profits CVS Health, with $1.8 billion in profits Humana, with $1.2 billion

An online article posted on Axios Vitals highlights the problems patients and providers face with obtaining prior authorizations from Medicare Advantage plans. The article cites a KFF finding that there were 53 million prior authorization requests made to Medicare Advantage plans in 2024, of which 8% were fully or partially denied. As stated by Representative