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Mayo Clinic Charged Private Insurers Over Four Times More Than Medicare for Outpatient Procedures in 2022, RAND Study Reveals

Mayo Clinic Charged Private Insurers Over Four Times More Than Medicare for Outpatient Procedures in 2022, RAND Study Reveals

A 2024 RAND study, utilizing 2022 data, revealed that Mayo Clinic charged privately insured patients over four times more than Medicare for outpatient services. For admitted patients, private insurance charges were more than double Medicare rates. This disparity positions Mayo Clinic as the top in Minnesota and fifth nationally for the highest private insurance charges compared to Medicare for outpatient procedures. The study found that these higher charges applied even when patients were of the same age, had similar health conditions, and received identical services. This trend reflects a broader national pattern where hospital prices are increasing significantly faster for private insurance compared to Medicare. The data, sourced from Minnesota’s All Payer Claims Database and similar databases from other states, captured a 6% sample of commercial insurance hospital spending.
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Via Transportation Seeks People Operations Associate in Rochester, MN, Offering $70k-$90k Salary

Via Transportation Seeks People Operations Associate in Rochester, MN, Offering $70k-$90k Salary

Via Transportation Seeks People Operations Associate in Rochester, MN, Offering $70k-$90k Salary
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HealthPartners and Essentia Health Announce Merger, Forming Major Midwest Nonprofit System

HealthPartners and Essentia Health Announce Merger, Forming Major Midwest Nonprofit System

Duluth-based Essentia Health and Bloomington-based HealthPartners have announced their merger, creating one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the Midwest. The combined entity will operate under the HealthPartners name and will encompass 22 hospitals, over 135 clinics, and 6,000 clinicians, extending its reach across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. This consolidation follows a trend of significant merger activity in the Minnesota healthcare landscape, with other major systems like Sanford Health and North Memorial Health, and Allina Health and Sutter Health, also proposing or completing mergers this year. HealthPartners CEO Andrea Walsh stated that a full integration was deemed most efficient for both parties, aiming to improve affordability amidst rising premiums and workforce shortages. The combined organization plans to expand investments in digital health, research, data analytics, and workforce development. Essentia's facilities will retain their name, with the deal awaiting regulatory...
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New York ranks among best states to have a baby, but costs remain a challenge

New York ranks among best states to have a baby, but costs remain a challenge

A new analysis ranked New York No. 16 in the nation for having a baby, citing strong family-friendly measures but some of the country's highest childbirth and infant care costs.
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Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System Considers Overhaul Amid Structural Deficits

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System Considers Overhaul Amid Structural Deficits

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Chancellor Scott Olson announced that the higher education system is facing structural deficits and is considering an administrative restructuring. This move is a response to financial pressures stemming from inflation and issues with state funding. Olson stated that the goal is to maintain affordability and continue to meet Minnesota’s workforce needs. The Minnesota State system is the largest higher education provider in the state, serving 270,000 students across 54 campus locations and 33 institutions, and employing 14,000 individuals. The proposed restructuring could lead to a reduction in staff, including fewer presidents, vice presidents, and deans, with the possibility of one president overseeing multiple institutions. Olson also mentioned the potential for closing or merging school buildings, citing a historical precedent in Rochester where two colleges were combined. While no specific plan has been finalized, a preliminary plan is expected to be presented ...
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Congresswoman Kelly Morrison Urges Federal Action on Estrogen Patch Shortage

Congresswoman Kelly Morrison Urges Federal Action on Estrogen Patch Shortage

Minnesota Congresswoman Kelly Morrison, an OB-GYN, has joined fellow members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus in sending a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas and Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The letter calls for immediate intervention to address a nationwide shortage of estradiol transdermal patches, commonly known as estrogen patches, which are used to manage menopause symptoms. Lawmakers highlight that the demand for these patches has significantly increased in recent years, leading to many women being unable to fill their prescriptions. The shortage is causing interruptions in treatment, which Morrison emphasizes can negatively impact patients' quality of life and potentially lead to long-term health complications, including bone and cardiovascular problems.
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Martin Luther College Students Present Research on New Ulm's Gilded Age Economic Development

Martin Luther College Students Present Research on New Ulm's Gilded Age Economic Development

Students from Martin Luther College (MLC) presented research at the Brown County Historical Society annex, detailing how local schools, milling operations, manufacturing firms, and agricultural processing plants contributed to a thriving regional economy in New Ulm, Minnesota, during the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. The research, organized through Professor Peter Baganz's history elective course, involved four undergraduate students who shared presentations supported by primary documents. Senior Sydney Buch discussed the evolution of New Ulm's public school system, emphasizing education's role in industrialization. Senior August Wall focused on agriculture and milling, highlighting the era as a "golden age for farming" with significant enterprises like the Eagle Roller Mill. Sophomore Nathan Sauer explored the industrial footprint of the New Ulm Manufacturing Company, which persevered through challenges like fires and later secured a substantial contract with the U.S. Navy and Marines during World War I...
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Trump's campaign against noncitizen voting demonstrates it's rare and not enough to swing elections

Trump's campaign against noncitizen voting demonstrates it's rare and not enough to swing elections

The Trump administration's push to shine a spotlight on noncitizen voting is highlighting how rare it is
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Vikings sign two former Saints running backs

Vikings sign two former Saints running backs

Two former Saints RB’s find a new home with the team New Orleans will face in Week 5.
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Minnesota Faces Shifting Immigration Landscape Amidst National Policy Changes

Minnesota Faces Shifting Immigration Landscape Amidst National Policy Changes

Minnesota is experiencing significant shifts in its immigration landscape, marked by a 'tornado of conversation' surrounding refugees, immigrants, and undocumented individuals, according to Rochelle King, State Refugee Coordinator and head of the Resettlement Programs Office at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The state has a long history of refugee resettlement, dating back to 1975, and has recently allocated funding to expand legal and social services for foreign-born residents. However, federal policy changes, such as the ending of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many nationalities, are creating instability. Approximately 9,000 Minnesota residents with TPS or similar protections are at risk of losing their status, potentially becoming undocumented and subject to detention or removal. Additionally, the state faces a backlog of about 13,000 asylum cases, part of a national backlog exceeding 1 million, with new procedural hurdles making asylum approval increasingly difficult.
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As heat becomes more extreme, inmates are increasingly threatened by rising temperatures

As heat becomes more extreme, inmates are increasingly threatened by rising temperatures

When summer heat feels stifling, most people can cool off with a glass of ice-cold water, turning up the AC or opening a window
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UnitedHealth Group Seeks Senior AI/ML Engineer for Healthcare Transformation

UnitedHealth Group Seeks Senior AI/ML Engineer for Healthcare Transformation

UnitedHealth Group Seeks Senior AI/ML Engineer for Healthcare Transformation