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What We're Reading: Customers Sue UnitedHealth for Overcharging on Drugs
What we're reading, October, 6, 2016: UnitedHealth is sued for allegedly overcharging on prescription drugs; the Obama administration could point consumers to remaining insurance options as insurers leave the Affordable Care Act exchanges; and human life spans may have it a ceiling.
UnitedHealth customers are suing the company for alleging overcharging on prescription drugs. According to Bloomberg, customers were paying copayments that were far more than the cost of the actual drugs. The lawsuit is seeking class-action status on behalf of tens of thousands of customers. This is not the first time UnitedHealth has been sued for overcharging for prescription drugs.
The federal government is concerned that health insurers leaving the Affordable Care Act marketplaces may cause customers to flee, as well. As a result, the Obama administration is considering steering customers affected by an insurer leaving to remaining options, reported the Associated Press. Insurers are concerned the move may cause confusion among consumers, but consumer advocates believe the plan will help people remained covered.
Human life spans have been increasing, but there may be an upper limit. Research published in Nature finds that human life spans may hit the ceiling at 115 years, according to NPR. While the maximum life span could be as high as 125 years, the chances of anyone reaching that age is low. The only way human life span may increase is if scientists can determine a way to fight the cause of aging instead of diseases.
Report Reveals Mounting Burdens of Drug Shortages on US Health System
June 27th 2025Vizient's 2024 survey reveals a sharp rise in drug shortages across US health care, with pediatric care hit especially hard and labor costs soaring—but the true impact may go far beyond limited medication access, threatening to disrupt the very foundations of how health systems operate.
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Blister Packs May Help Solve Medication Adherence Challenges and Lower Health Care Costs
June 10th 2025Julia Lucaci, PharmD, MS, of Becton, Dickinson and Company, discusses the benefits of blister packaging for chronic medications, advocating for payer incentives to boost medication adherence and improve health outcomes.
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