What We're Reading: Insurer Profits in 2019; Drug Pricing Proposal; Medical Record Errors

Moody’s Has Positive Outlook for Insurers in 2019

Moody’s Investor Services has announced that the 2019 outlook for health insurers in the United States looks stable. According to the credit ratings agency, the stable outlook can be attributed to things like insurers adjusting to the Affordable Care Act and achieving profits in these marketplace plans. While Moody’s expects vertical integration will continue in 2019, it expects these efforts to continue on a smaller scale.

New Bill Takes Cue From Trump’s Drug Pricing Proposal

Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, and Representative Ro Khanna, D-California, have released a bill that takes cues from President Donald Trump’s proposal to reduce Medicare drug costs through the use of an international pricing index. Politico reported that the bill would also tie US drug costs to international prices, although Trump’s proposal is narrower and only applies to Medicare Part B. Under Sanders and Khanna’s bill, drug companies would be incentivized to charge prices similar to those in other countries, and if they do not, the government could intervene to allow generic competition.

Checking Medical Records for Errors

Older Americans should be aware of what is in their medical records and whether the data are accurate. It is estimated that nearly 10% of people who access their records online end up requesting corrections to it. Kaiser Health News dived into the accuracy of medical records and the difficulties that can occur if an incorrect diagnosis or test result ends up in a record, which can result in inappropriate treatment. However, additions aren’t the only concern—omissions from records can also wreak havoc.