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UnitedHealth Group Inc. formed a new “public responsibility committee” within its board to enhance governance and oversight as the embattled health-care conglomerate tries to repair its standing with shareholders, regulators and the public. The committee “will monitor and oversee financial, regulatory, and reputational risks,” the company said in a filing Wednesday. UnitedHealth also named a new lead independent director, the former Vanguard Group chief F. William McNabb, who has served on the board since 2018. (Tozzi, 8/20)

UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Elevance Health Inc. told Colorado regulators they will exit some individual health plans in the state, the latest sign of instability in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. The plan exits would mean 96,000 Coloradans would have to find new coverage next year, according to a news release from the state’s Division of Insurance. (Tozzi, 8/20)

Health insurance companies are looking to cut costs by ranking providers like they tier pharmaceuticals. Last week, HealthPartners announced plans to offer large employers its Simplica NextGen Copay, a plan that sets fixed copays by provider and eliminates coinsurance and deductibles. CVS Health subsidiary Aetna is rolling out Aetna Informed Choice, a new plan for employers based on its variable copay plan, a spokesperson said in an email. (Tepper, 8/20)

Hospital costs are growing as an increasing number of sicker patients visit the emergency department, according to a new report. The average cost of an inpatient stay rose 4.8% from mid-2023 to early 2025, according to the latest national data from Sg2, a data analytics company owned by group purchasing organization Vizient. At academic medical centers, per-case cost growth nearly doubled the rate of expense inflation at community hospitals between the first quarters of 2022 and 2025. (Kacik and Broderick, 8/20)

Health systems are teaming up with skilled nursing facilities on bed space and staffing to quickly move patients to post-acute care and avoid readmissions. Stanford Health Care, Scripps Health, Cone Health and others say leasing beds within nursing homes and embedding hospital staff at those facilities frees up hospital capacity. These strategies can also help the systems avoid millions of dollars in penalties and tee up partnerships ahead of the Transforming Episode Accountability Model or TEAM. But providers warn the collaborations must be carefully choreographed to work effectively. (Eastabrook, 8/20)

Epic CEO Judy Faulkner took to the stage at the company’s sci-fi-themed annual customer meeting Tuesday in a lavender wig, bright green glasses, and silver pants. In the spirit of “making science fiction science fact,” she announced several new artificial intelligence features the electronic health records system giant will be integrating into its software. (Trang, 8/20)

By the time she graduated high school, the back pain that Nala White first noticed at age 13 had radiated to her left leg, creating an unbearable sensation of pins and needles. The mere act of standing at her graduation ceremony was excruciating. “I had to sit there and dig my nails into my palms and just bear through it,” White said. At home, a simple walk from her bedroom to the kitchen brought her to tears. And a trip to the mailbox down the street would cause her leg to burn, forcing White to crouch or sit for relief. (Bendix and Barber, 8/20)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: Try This When Your Doctor Says ‘Yes’ To A Preventive Test But Insurance Says ‘No’

Trying to figure out why her claim was denied took Anna Deutscher a lot of time and work. Baby Beckham’s hearing screenings were preventive care, which is supposed to be covered by law. Every hearing test cost them about $350 out-of-pocket. Between those bills and Beckham’s other health costs, the family maxed out two credit cards. “Everything just immediately goes right to trying to pay that debt off,” Deutscher said. (Fortiér, 8/21)