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Total costs associated wth the No Surprises Act's dispute resolution process reached $22.4 billion at the end of 2025, according to a new analysis. Researchers at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy dove into the latest public data on independent dispute resolution (IDR) from the federal government, and found that of that $22.4 billion, $15.6 billion came from payments to providers that exceeded in network rates.
Community health centers serve 52 million Americans, providing essential primary care that often goes unnoticed outside the exam room. Effective management of chronic illnesses at CHCs reduces emergency visits and hospital stays, but their work remains invisible without proper coding and documentation. Joining value-based care models, especially Medicare programs, can help CHCs generate revenue, improve patient outcomes, and gain recognition for their contributions.
Business Group on Health: Employer Healthcare Costs Projected to Rise 9.2% in 2027
Employers anticipate that healthcare cost trends will increase by a median 9.2% in 2027, or potentially 8% after making plan design changes, according to a new survey from the Business Group on Health. Cumulatively, healthcare costs could increase by 76% over 10 years from 2018 to 2027 when including the 2026 and 2027 predicted trends before plan changes.
HHS announces $96.7M in grants for behavioral health services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $96.7 million in grants and cooperative agreements to strengthen a range of behavioral health services and initiatives across the nation. The grants were funded through HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Services provided include support for homeless individuals with serious mental illness, suicide prevention and early intervention, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, peer support and more.
Health insurer CEO: ‘Make prior authorization illegal’
Earlier this year, health insurance plans were required to officially begin publicly sharing how often they deny prior authorization requests, and how often those denials are overturned after they’re appealed. A KFF analysis of the first year of reported data from 2025 found that insurers denied between 12% and 18% of prior auth requests across Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care and the ACA marketplace. This month, the broader debate moved past the ongoing reform efforts, with the advocacy group American Economic Liberties Project publishing a policy brief that called for an outright ban on prior auth as it currently exists.
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