Chad Terhune

Chad Terhune was a senior correspondent for KFF Health News until November 2018.

@chadterhune

California’s ACA Rates To Rise 8.7% Next Year

The average increase in California is smaller than the double-digit hikes expected around the nation, due largely to a healthier mix of enrollees and more competition in its marketplace. Still, health insurance prices keep growing faster than wages and general inflation.

Insurers Fall Short In Catching And Reporting Medicaid Fraud, Inspectors Find

Medicaid has struggled for years with poor oversight and billions lost to improper payments. A new report finds that despite their fraud-fighting rhetoric, Medicaid managed-care companies are not as rigorous as they should be in ensuring the integrity of the Medicaid payment system.

California Hospital Giant Sutter Health Faces Heavy Backlash On Prices

In a case with possible national repercussions, the state’s attorney general has sued over alleged price gouging, and other legal and legislative challenges are afoot. Sutter is pushing back hard, denying anticompetitive behavior.

California Insurer Faces Whistleblower Complaint Over Health Law Taxes

The filing against Blue Shield of California focuses on the taxation of certain health plans that are funded by both an employer and insurer. The case could attract more government scrutiny into whether all health insurers are paying their fair share of premium taxes.

California Takes On Health Giant Over High Costs

In a bold move, the state has sued Sutter Health, Northern California’s dominant hospital chain, whose prices have drawn complaints for years. The company says “healthy competition and choice exists across Northern California” for consumers seeking medical care.