Reimbursement issues remain one of the top challenges for physicians across specialties.

In August, UnitedHealthcare announced plans to reduce 20% of its prior authorization requirements for its members and member physicians beginning on Sept. 1. 

Here are five key numbers about noncompetes to know:

A bill has been introduced in the Wisconsin Legislature that would ban most noncompete agreements, the Wisconsin Law Journal reported Oct. 31. 

Mutual of Omaha has formed a strategic alliance with Wellcare, the Medicare Advantage brand owned by Centene Corp., to offer jointly designed Medicare Advantage plans for the 2024 plan year. 

Residents in California-based Napa and Sonoma counties with Medicare Advantage plans through Senior Care Action Network will no longer have coverage beginning on Dec. 31, according to an Oct. 27 report from the Press Democrat. 

Here are five key numbers relating to Stark law to know:

Cigna, the fourth-largest insurer in the U.S. by membership, has received accolades — and scrutiny — in the last two months. 

A former executive of Medicare Advantage organization HealthSun Health Plans has been charged for her alleged role in a $53 million fraud scheme.

Pediatric surgical physicians saw a 5.7% jump in total cash compensation over the last five years, according to SullivanCotter's 2023 "Physician Compensation and Productivity Survey."

Prior authorization is one of the biggest issues facing ASCs and physicians — delaying care and increasing administrative burdens. 

Health systems have been cutting ties with Medicare Advantage plans left and right, including Raleigh, N.C.-based WakeMed and Zanesville, Ohio-based Genesis HealthCare System.  

ASCs have long struggled to secure adequate reimbursements. 

Each year CMS publishes star ratings to measure the quality of health and drug services from Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans, or Part D plans.

Health First Health Plans is expanding its coverage into five counties in Florida, including the Orlando area, according to an Oct. 24 report from Florida Today. 

Each year CMS publishes Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D star ratings to measure the quality of health and drug services from Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans, or Part D plans.

Noncompete clauses continue to be the target of lawsuits and action by state legislatures. 

Baptist Health Medical Group, part of Louisville, Ky.-based Baptist Health, terminated its contract with Humana Medicare Advantage last month. Now, the system's Medicare Advantage contracts with UnitedHealthcare and Wellcare are on the line, according to an Oct. 19 report from Louisville Public Media.

Humana Advantage Plan members in North Carolina will no longer be in network with Raleigh-based WakeMed and Greenville-based ECU Health, according to an Oct. 19 report from CBS affiliate WNCT.

UnitedHealthcare Group, which has an annual revenue of $324 billion, is the largest health insurance company in the U.S. by market share, according to a report from ValuePenguin updated in October.