About health insurance/insurers
How much and why ACA Marketplace premiums are going up in 2025 “For 2025, across 324 insurers participating in the 50 states and DC, this analysis shows a median proposed premium increase of 7%, which is similar to last year. Based on a more detailed analysis of publicly available documents from insurers in 10 states and DC, growth in health care prices stood out as a key factor driving costs in 2024. In addition to inflation, some insurers also mention increased utilization of weight loss and other specialty drugs as influencing premiums. Pandemic-related costs and the unwinding of Medicaid continuous coverage are having little, if any, impact on individual market premiums for 2025.”
About the public’s health
Food Insecurity, Hunger Increased in the United States in 2023 “The trend of food insecurity persists in the United States, with food insecurity, food expenditures, and need of assistance all reported in the country throughout 2023, according to a a new report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)…
The new report found that 13.5% of households in the US were food insecure, totaling approximately 18 million households. Food insecurity in this context was defined as households who had difficulty providing enough food for their residents at some point during the year. The percentage increased from 2022 when it was 12.8%, from 2021 when it was 10.2%, and 2020 when it was 10.5%.1 Low food security was reported in 5.1% of households in the country, which wasn’t different from the 2022 number but an increase from 3.8% reported in 2021. This food insecurity led to disrupted eating patterns through the year.”
About health technology
Abbott follows rival Dexcom with OTC glucose monitor launch in US “Abbott has launched its over-the-counter continuous glucose monitoring system in the U.S., the company said on Thursday, making it the second such device on the market to help people track their blood sugar levels.
The device, called Lingo, will compete with a rival from DexCom, launched last week, and will be available for adults who are not on insulin.”
Comment: The insurance industry will need to keep up on coverage of these devices, since companies paid for much more expensive items.