Bipartisan Healthcare Cybersecurity Act Introduced in House and Senate

By Steve Alder - Last week, a pair of bipartisan bills were introduced in the House of Representatives and Senate that seek to enhance the cybersecurity of the healthcare and public health (HPH) sector by improving coordination at the federal level to ensure that government agencies can respond quickly and efficiently to cyberattacks on HPH sector entities. Read Full Article… ^{_{(Subscription required)}}

HVBA Article Summary

1. Sharp Rise in Healthcare Cyberattacks: Healthcare data breaches have significantly increased, with over 700 large breaches reported annually over the past four years. In 2023 alone, 172 million individuals had their protected health information exposed, and in 2024 that number grew to 278 million, driven by major incidents such as the Change Healthcare ransomware attack.

2. Severe Impact on Healthcare Operations and Patient Care: Cyberattacks like the 2024 Change Healthcare breach caused major disruptions to healthcare providers’ revenue cycles and patient care across the country. The stolen data, involving the records of approximately 190 million people, was leaked on the dark web, underscoring the serious risks to both patient privacy and healthcare delivery.

3. Legislative Action to Strengthen Cybersecurity: The bipartisan Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2025 proposes enhanced coordination between CISA and HHS to strengthen healthcare sector defenses. The bill calls for establishing a dedicated liaison, expanding cybersecurity training for healthcare personnel, and conducting comprehensive studies to identify and address sector-specific risks.

Nearly two-thirds of employers plan to reallocate benefits spending amid rising costs

By Alan Goforth - Employers are turning to smarter spending and a sharper focus, using benefits as a strategic tool to drive engagement, retention and purpose in an uncertain economy. “After a long period of high benefits inflation and in the face of a possibly weakening economy, employers are taking a step back and looking to focus on what drives real value for employees and the business,” said Jeff Levin-Scherz, population health leader, North America, health and benefits, for WTW. Read Full Article… ^{_{(Subscription required)}}

HVBA Article Summary

1. Rising Costs Drive Strategic Shifts: With 90% of U.S. employers identifying rising benefit costs as their biggest challenge, companies are shifting their approach by focusing on extracting more value from their current benefit offerings. Rather than expanding benefit portfolios, they are prioritizing improved financing, more efficient vendor management, better administration, and enhanced analytics to manage growing healthcare and benefits expenses.

2. Reallocating Spend for Greater Value: Nearly two-thirds of employers plan to reallocate or rebalance their benefits spending within the next three years. Strategies include enhancing value across health, retirement, and risk benefits, targeting high-cost medical conditions, adopting preferred provider networks, and switching to vendors that offer better value—all in an effort to better control costs while maintaining or improving employee support.

3. Personalization and Employee Experience Are Priorities: Employers are placing greater emphasis on mental health, financial wellbeing, family support, and health benefits personalization. Many are leveraging communication tools, behavioral nudges, and navigation solutions to help employees make informed benefits decisions. In addition, ongoing vendor evaluations that incorporate employee feedback are becoming essential to ensure benefits continue to meet evolving workforce needs.

More Americans Under 50 Are Getting Cancer—Doctors Identify Three Age Groups

By Lucy Notarantonio - A new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found that the incidence of 14 different cancer types increased among people under the age of 50. Newsweek spoke with leading oncologists about new findings published in Cancer Discovery, which revealed that between 2010 and 2019, more than two million cancer cases were diagnosed in people aged 15 to 49 in the United States. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Rising Cancer Rates in Young Adults: An increasing number of cancers, including breast, colorectal, kidney, uterine, pancreatic, testicular, melanoma, and various blood and bone cancers, are now being diagnosed more frequently in young adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s — a trend that is particularly concerning since these cancers were traditionally more common in older populations.

2. Possible Causes: Lifestyle and Environment: While inherited genetic mutations account for only 5-10% of cases, experts believe that lifestyle factors such as obesity, lack of physical activity, poor diet, and alcohol use, as well as environmental exposures like air and water pollution, may significantly contribute to the rise. However, research is ongoing to fully understand the complex interplay of these factors.

3. Mortality Trends and Screening Challenges: Although cancer incidence is rising in younger adults, death rates have mostly declined or stabilized due to advances in detection and treatment. Still, widespread early screening remains challenging, as the relatively low risk in younger populations raises concerns over false positives, unnecessary procedures, emotional distress, and healthcare costs.

The ER Is Bursting at the Seams — Employers Hold the Key to Change

By Jeff Jacques - One night in July 1996, I woke up on my couch in my scrubs. I’d collapsed after a 36-hour shift in the ICU. My stomach rumbled, and I went to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. Within minutes, I had cut my wrist with a large chef’s knife. I remember thinking, “ER? In July? On a Friday? No.” Instead, I cleaned the wound, sutured myself, applied butterfly strips, and then ate dinner. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Generational Healthcare Literacy Gaps: Both Baby Boomers and Gen Z are disproportionately using emergency departments due to limited understanding of how to navigate the healthcare system and fully utilize their insurance benefits. Many default to the ED for non-emergencies, either out of habit or lack of awareness about more appropriate care options like urgent care, primary care, or telehealth. As a result, many miss out on lower-cost alternatives — for example, primary care visits with copays averaging $26 to $44 — and instead incur much higher ED charges.

2. Financial and Systemic Strain: The overuse of ED services for non-emergent issues drives up costs for both employees and employers. On average, an ED visit costs an insured employee about $646 per visit, and costs employers approximately $1,807. Repeat ED visits within 14 days can total $1,292 for employees and $3,614 for employers. Beyond financial impact, this behavior also strains emergency departments, reduces capacity for true emergencies, and threatens the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.

3. Employers as Key Educators: Employers play a critical role in closing healthcare literacy gaps and guiding employees toward smarter care decisions. By encouraging relationships with primary care providers for preventive care, educating employees on using urgent care or telehealth when appropriate, and offering online tools to navigate benefits and estimate costs, employers can help reduce unnecessary ED visits and overall healthcare spending while promoting better long-term health outcomes.

Former NVIDIA fraud prevention manager accused of defrauding the chipmaker's health plan

By Allison Bell - Prosecutors in Santa Clara County, California, have accused Faranak Firozan, a former fraud prevention manager at NVIDIA, of submitting 167 fraudulent claims to NVIDIA's self-insured health plan administered by Cigna. A state court in San Jose, California, has scheduled a July 15 arraignment hearing for Fizoran on a list of charges that includes altering medical records with fraudulent intent and preparing false statements in connection with insurance claims, officials said Friday. Read Full Article… ^{_{(Subscription required)}}

HVBA Article Summary

1. Fraud Investigation: Firozan, who previously worked as a senior technical program manager at NVIDIA, is being investigated for allegedly submitting a large volume of fraudulent health insurance claims. Officials say she manipulated service dates to duplicate legitimate claims and fabricated entirely false documents, prompting Cigna and the California Department of Insurance to launch a thorough investigation involving subpoenas, interviews, and financial records.

2. Possible Legal Consequences: If found guilty, Firozan could face multiple years of imprisonment and be ordered to repay any financial losses caused by the fraudulent claims. The severity of the charges highlights the serious legal and financial implications of the alleged offenses.

3. Unclear Defense Status: At this time, it remains unknown whether Firozan has secured legal counsel to represent her in the case. She has not made any public statements, and officials have not disclosed specific evidence addressing the possibility that someone else may have orchestrated the fraud to frame her.

Employers prioritize wellness benefits in 2025, despite rising costs

By Alyssa Place - Employers are committed to supporting well-being in the workplace, with increased focus on mental health, financial wellness and weight management support. Despite challenges such as rising health care costs, an uncertain global economy and ongoing world events, employers remain deeply committed to employee well-being in 2025, according to the latest Employer Well-being Strategy Survey from Business Group on Health. The survey found that 93% of large employers plan to maintain or expand their well-being offerings, with 20% planning to increase them. Read Full Article… ^{_{(Subscription required)}}

HVBA Article Summary

1. Comprehensive Well-Being Strategies: Employers are increasingly adopting holistic well-being programs that address multiple aspects of employee health, including mental health, physical health (such as weight management and GLP-1 medication usage), financial wellness (with offerings like student loan repayment and emergency savings), and social determinants of health like transportation, housing, and food access. This multi-faceted approach aims to support employees’ overall quality of life both inside and outside of work.

2. Personalized and Inclusive Support: Companies are prioritizing flexibility and inclusivity in their well-being strategies by offering hybrid and remote work options, personalized care navigation, expanded family support (such as backup childcare, parental leave, and eldercare), as well as inclusive services like gender-affirming care, culturally sensitive mental health resources, and multilingual support. These measures are designed to reduce burnout, promote work-life balance, and meet the diverse needs of a global workforce.

3. Data-Driven Accountability: A growing emphasis on measurement is leading 94% of employers to actively track employee engagement and program outcomes using dashboards and other tools. This data-driven approach allows organizations to evaluate the effectiveness of their well-being investments, improve accountability, and directly link these initiatives to better employee engagement, improved health outcomes, and stronger overall business performance.

UNC Health sues Aetna, Humana for alleged 340B drug underpayments

By Jakob Emerson - Chapel Hill-based UNC Health has filed lawsuits against Aetna and Humana, alleging both insurers underpaid for 340B drug claims in violation of their contractual agreements. The lawsuits, filed June 10 in a North Carolina federal court, claim the payers improperly reduced reimbursement rates for 340B drugs provided at UNC hospitals between 2018 and 2022. The 340B drug pricing program allows eligible providers to purchase discounted drugs, helping facilities serving vulnerable populations. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Supreme Court Ruling: In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that CMS’ reimbursement cuts to 340B hospitals in 2018 and 2019 were unlawful, overturning a lower court decision. The ruling highlighted the approximately $1.6 billion annual funding loss and emphasized the disproportionate harm to hospitals serving low-income and rural communities.

2. UNC’s Allegations: UNC alleges that both Humana and Aetna improperly applied a 22.5% discount to 340B drug claims under their Medicare Advantage plans, rather than following the federal requirement to reimburse at the statutory rate of average sales price plus 6%, resulting in significant underpayments.

3. Legal Action Sought: UNC is pursuing legal action to recover the alleged underpayments, seeking restitution, additional damages exceeding $75,000, and a court order to ensure both insurers comply with the proper payment structure in the future; both Humana and Aetna deny the allegations and intend to defend themselves.