The AHA and the National Independent Laboratory Association today flagged for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners deeply concerning actions by UnitedHealthcare to implement a “misleading” new benefit plan design that will limit access to needed laboratory services. “UHC’s Designated Diagnostic Provider (DDP) program, while couched in the terms of efficiency and quality, effectively creates a tiered benefit design under which patients would be unable to access services provided by in-network hospital and independent laboratories,” the groups wrote. “Under this benefit design, UHC would effectively eliminate coverage for diagnostic tests at all independent and hospital laboratories, including those within its network, unless the facilities agree to participate in the DDP program.” AHA previously asked that the federal government disallow UHC from implementing this program in federally regulated products. 

Related News Articles

Headline
A KFF analysis published Aug. 20 provides a state-by-state allocation of Congressional Budget Office estimates that 10 million people could be uninsured by…
Headline
The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and the Treasury announced Aug. 7 that they are reconsidering the definition of short-term, limited-…
Headline
A new analysis published Aug. 6 by the Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF found that Health Insurance Marketplace insurers will propose a median premium…
Headline
The Congressional Budget Office today released its estimate of the budgetary effects of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, as enacted. CBO projects the law will…
Headline
Health Insurance Marketplace insurers will propose a median premium increase of 15% for 2026, according to an analysis of preliminary rate filings published…
Headline
The AHA July 3 released the Health Care Plan Accountability Update for the second quarter of 2025. The update covers the latest developments in Medicare…