NEWS FLASH – Gil Mares Honored With The Norman Levine Distinguished Service Award
The Norman G. Levine Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by NAIFA-California, recognizing insurance and financial professionals for dedicated industry service and leadership.
At the NAIFA-California E3 Collaborate Conference in Newport Beach, CA, this prestigious honor was bestowed on NAIFA-Los Angeles’ very own GILBERT Z. MARES, A VERY WELL-DESERVED HONOR
FOR A VERY WELL-DESERVING RECIPIENT!
Alignment Health Plan and Hoag Health System Increase Access to Award-Winning Care for Orange County Seniors
Expanded provider relationship increases access to Hoag physicians, hospitals and specialty programs beginning Jan. 1, 2027
ORANGE, Calif., Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alignment Health Plan, an award-winning Medicare Advantage (MA) plan from Alignment Health, today announced an enhanced arrangement with Hoag, a nationally recognized healthcare delivery system, that will expand in-network options for primary care, specialty care, urgent care and hospital services for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries across Orange County.
Health care’s new back door: AI vendors become the largest data risk
Most people can name their doctor, their hospital, and their insurance carrier. But ask the average employee whether they have ever heard of Xsolis, Cedar, Innovaccer, Cohere, or any of the growing number of technology companies quietly embedded inside today’s health care ecosystem, and most would have no idea who they are.
Centene’s Health Net to exit commercial group market in California, Oregon
Centene subsidiary Health Net is pulling out of the commercial employer group market in California and Oregon, the company confirmed to Becker’s.
“Health Net has made the decision to exit the traditional commercial group business in California and Oregon in order to focus on government sponsored healthcare,” a spokesperson for the insurer said in a statement. “This does not impact the marketplace, Medi-Cal/Medicaid or Medicare lines of business.”
UnitedHealthcare to nix prior auth on 1,700 services on Oct. 1
UnitedHealthcare said earlier this year that it was aiming to eliminate 30% of prior authorization requirements by the end of 2026.
Now, the insurance giant is offering a deeper look at codes that will no longer be subject to prior auth as of Oct. 1, including adjustments across its commercial, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and individual market coverage. About 1,700 codes are included overall.
MEDICARE
Medicare Changes in 2027: What’s New and What It Means for You
Medicare premiums, deductibles, and coverage rules are shifting again for 2027. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) won’t finalize all its 2027 rates and rules until the fall, but early estimates and several rule changes are already known—and they point to a much gentler year than 2026’s steep hikes.
Medicare expert Lauren Bigham Steele walked us through what’s confirmed, what’s still a projection, and what enrollees should watch for.
A tale of 2 retailers: What drives success for co-branded Medicare Advantage plans
In August, SCAN Health Plan announced a partnership with Costco Wholesale Corp. to sell insurance products for older adults.
Sound familiar? Costco is not the first retailer to partner with a Medicare Advantage insurer.
Kroger has worked with Select Health and Priority Health on co-branded MA plans in 2023 and 2024. Websites outlining Select Health and Kroger’s co-branded plan remain active in 2026, whereas a spokesperson for Priority Health told Becker’s that its Kroger plan is no longer in existence. Alignment Health and Walgreens got in on co-branded MA plans in 2024, as well.
Federal watchdog claims Medicare Part D sponsors paid $587.7M for over-the-counter drugs mislabeled as prescription-only
Medicare Part D sponsors paid pharmacies $587.7 million for some over-the-counter drugs with obsolete prescription-only labels, despite CMS oversight.
Medicare Part D does not cover OTC drugs. According to an Aug. 31 HHS Office of Inspector General report, Part D sponsors made “ineligible” payments for five drugs — more than one year after the brand-name equivalents of those drugs switched from prescription-only to OTC status. The $587.7 million in payments took place from 2021 through 2023.
Trump admin blocks over $1.6B in potentially fraudulent Medicare lab payments: CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services prevented more than $1.6 billion in fraudulent Medicare laboratory payments since the start of the second Trump administration, the agency announced Friday.
Highlights of enforcement actions taken by the agency include saving $732 million from 157 providers revoked from the Medicare program; more than $500 million in potentially fraudulent payments from 185 suspensions from 600 labs; more than $276 million from 442 identified overpayments and $127 million in potentially fraudulent payments from law enforcement referrals.