Trending News Today: Ripple Effect of UnitedHealth Group and the Affordable Care Act

Recently, the federal government gave bonuses to 231 lower quality hospitals because their patients were less expensive for Medicare. According to Kaiser Health News, these bonuses are small, but they still reward mediocre healthcare, which was not the original goal of the Affordable Care Act’s financial incentives. The hospitals were awarded bonuses because their patients cost Medicare less than half of other hospitals evaluated 30 days after discharge and not for their below average quality.

Tenet Healthcare Corp expects other health insurers to take over in health exchanges due to UnitedHealth Group’s absence in the market. Though United left because financial losses, Tenet states that their hospitals have seen an increase in business from these newly insured patients. Hospital admission for patients insured through exchanges has grown over 27% in the first quarter compared with last year, The New York Times reported.

An additional 15,000 children and pregnant women dealing with Flint’s lead contamination crisis should be eligible for government health insurance once this funding receives final legislative approval, according to The New York Times. The insurance would cover children under 21, as well as pregnant women who used the water system from April 2014. It is expected that $20.9 million will be given to expand Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.