Mental-health parity added to insurance regs
WASHINGTON – Three federal agencies have adopted interim regulations to implement the 2008 federal mental-health parity law, which requires employer-sponsored health plans to cover...
Study: Docs fail to tackle cultural barriers
WASHINGTON – Even though nearly half of U.S. physicians say language or cultural barriers can hinder their ability to provide high-quality care, efforts to...
Koller seeking input on rate-hike requests
CRANSTON – Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher F. Koller is seeking public input on rate-hike requests filed by the state’s three commercial health insurers: Blue...
Hospitals, on defense, tout $6B economic impact
Rhode Island’s hospitals contributed $6.13 billion to the economy of the state in the last fiscal year, including $1.67 billion in direct wages and...
Direct Pay increase authorized
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has been authorized to raise its Direct Pay rates by an average of about 7 percent,...
Quality Institute gets $11M from ARRA
PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Quality Institute has been awarded more than $11 million in federal stimulus grants to support the development of a...
CVS to open first 9 stores in Puerto Rico
WOONSOCKET – CVS Caremark Corp. said Thursday it will open its first stores in Puerto Rico next week.
The company said it plans to open...
BCBSRI Direct Pay increase authorized
PROVIDENCE – Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher F. Koller has authorized Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island to raise its Direct Pay rates...
CVS sales outpacing Walgreen, Rite Aid
WOONSOCKET – CVS Caremark Corp. said Monday its earnings jumped 11 percent in the fourth quarter as customers took advantage of a new program...
Five Questions With: Dr. Mason C. Gasper
If you watched the Super Bowl, it’s fresh in your mind: Football is violent, as are many other sports. Even with protective gear, players...