- Cigna is encountering a second class-action lawsuit regarding its use of software to automate claims processing.
- The lawsuit, filed in Connecticut district court in late August, claims that Cigna's PxDx software denied customer claims in batches without being reviewed by a medical professional. The lawsuit represents consumers nationwide.
- This is similar to an almost identical lawsuit in California that was filed earlier this summer. Cigna asserts that the technology is a standard review process that other insurers also use.
- On Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris announced that the Biden administration is initiating efforts to eliminate medical bills from individuals' credit scores.
- This move has the potential to boost the credit ratings of millions of people, making it easier for them to secure auto loans or home mortgages. Currently, around 20% of individuals report having medical debt.
- Harris stated that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is taking steps to begin the rulemaking process necessary for implementing this change.
- The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) has reported that approximately 500,000 children and families have regained their Medicaid coverage after being erroneously purged by certain states due to a systems issue.
- The CMS had previously alerted states about the issue and instructed them to individually evaluate each household member's eligibility for Medicaid, as children can qualify for coverage at higher income thresholds than adults.
- This directive followed a three-year pause on purging Medicaid rolls during the pandemic.
