Latest news with #BlueCross
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
'Trade deals will bring significant benefits to Newport East'
During May, I visited Flannery Plant Hire on Traston Road, a family-run, nationwide company whose only Welsh base is here in Newport. They shared with me the work they do with young people, helping them gain the qualifications needed to work in the construction industry, operating plant machinery to support infrastructure and housing projects. I had the huge pleasure of meeting one of the young apprentices there, the brilliant Evie, who is a wonderful example of how industry can offer so much to young people starting out in the world of work. As you may have read, the UK Government in Westminster has, over the past few weeks, announced a number of trade deals which will bring significant benefits to Newport East. The UK/EU trade deal will save UK businesses millions, create jobs, and help reduce the cost of living for everyone, thanks to increased cooperation to bring down energy bills. As part of this deal, discussions are also underway to allow UK citizens to use e-gates at European airports once again, making travel to the EU quicker and more convenient. I've shared more detail on this, and on Flannery, on my website. Head to to read it in full. Along with John Griffiths MS, I recently visited the new Blue Cross rehoming and animal behaviour centre in Langstone. The work the team there do to care for animals in need of a new home and to support pet owners is phenomenal. As a charity, it takes a lot to keep them going, so if you're able, please consider donating to their animal food bank, which supports both the animals they care for and pet owners affected by the rising cost of pet food. You can drop off donations at the Blue Cross site in Langstone Business Park or at Pets at Home in Maesglas. Huge congratulations to the Urban Circle team on the opening of their new base at the Share Centre on Stow Hill. I popped in last week while workshops were running, and the whole place was buzzing. Find out more about what they're doing by visiting The issues you bring to me are the issues I raise in Parliament on your behalf, and I'm always keen to hear from as many residents as possible. My team and I hold regular resident advice surgeries across the city. In May, I met with residents in Underwood and Maindee, and during June I'll be holding a resident advice surgery in the Stow Hill ward. If there's something you'd like to raise with me or think I might be able to help with, get in touch with my office to book an appointment by calling 01633 841725. Recently, I launched a Newport East residents' survey to find out more about the things that matter to you. Leaflets with more information will be distributed to homes throughout Newport East over the coming weeks and months, but if you'd like to share your views in the meantime, the survey is live on my website. If you're able, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with me by scanning the QR code on this page. If you'd like to keep up with my work, you can also join my WhatsApp channel. Just search for Jessica Morden, Member of Parliament for Newport East under the Updates icon in your WhatsApp app. And, as always, if there's anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to get in touch. My office and I can assist with a wide range of issues, from passports and immigration to crime and policing, pensions, benefits, and much more. You can reach us by phone on 01633 841725 or by email at . Jessica Morden is MP for Newport East
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Trade deals will bring significant benefits to Newport East'
I always enjoy meeting businesses across Newport East and hearing about their successes. During May, I visited Flannery Plant Hire on Traston Road, a family-run, nationwide company whose only Welsh base is here in Newport. They shared with me the work they do with young people, helping them gain the qualifications needed to work in the construction industry, operating plant machinery to support infrastructure and housing projects. I had the huge pleasure of meeting one of the young apprentices there, the brilliant Evie, who is a wonderful example of how industry can offer so much to young people starting out in the world of work. As you may have read, the UK Government in Westminster has, over the past few weeks, announced a number of trade deals which will bring significant benefits to Newport East. The UK/EU trade deal will save UK businesses millions, create jobs, and help reduce the cost of living for everyone, thanks to increased cooperation to bring down energy bills. As part of this deal, discussions are also underway to allow UK citizens to use e-gates at European airports once again, making travel to the EU quicker and more convenient. I've shared more detail on this, and on Flannery, on my website. Head to to read it in full. Along with John Griffiths MS, I recently visited the new Blue Cross rehoming and animal behaviour centre in Langstone. The work the team there do to care for animals in need of a new home and to support pet owners is phenomenal. As a charity, it takes a lot to keep them going, so if you're able, please consider donating to their animal food bank, which supports both the animals they care for and pet owners affected by the rising cost of pet food. You can drop off donations at the Blue Cross site in Langstone Business Park or at Pets at Home in Maesglas. Huge congratulations to the Urban Circle team on the opening of their new base at the Share Centre on Stow Hill. I popped in last week while workshops were running, and the whole place was buzzing. Find out more about what they're doing by visiting The issues you bring to me are the issues I raise in Parliament on your behalf, and I'm always keen to hear from as many residents as possible. My team and I hold regular resident advice surgeries across the city. In May, I met with residents in Underwood and Maindee, and during June I'll be holding a resident advice surgery in the Stow Hill ward. If there's something you'd like to raise with me or think I might be able to help with, get in touch with my office to book an appointment by calling 01633 841725. Recently, I launched a Newport East residents' survey to find out more about the things that matter to you. Leaflets with more information will be distributed to homes throughout Newport East over the coming weeks and months, but if you'd like to share your views in the meantime, the survey is live on my website. If you're able, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with me by scanning the QR code on this page. If you'd like to keep up with my work, you can also join my WhatsApp channel. Just search for Jessica Morden, Member of Parliament for Newport East under the Updates icon in your WhatsApp app. And, as always, if there's anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to get in touch. My office and I can assist with a wide range of issues, from passports and immigration to crime and policing, pensions, benefits, and much more. You can reach us by phone on 01633 841725 or by email at Jessica Morden is MP for Newport East
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Prescription drugs are more expensive than ever. Here's how to beat the costs.
Today, we have a dozen new drugs that hit the market with manufacturer price tags at over $1 million for a one-time treatment. In Tennessee, where the average income per year is around $36,000, that's simply unaffordable. On behalf of its members, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee paid out $3.5 billion for drugs last year. The average member fills 18 prescriptions a year, with even higher numbers among our Medicare populations. It's our most widely used benefit, especially when considering the handful of doctor's visits an average member makes each year. On closer look, high-cost specialty drugs make up 55% of that spending but only 2% of utilization. These drugs are costly because of exclusive manufacturing rights as well as complex manufacturing processes. Many of them are 'biologics,' which are are made from living organisms. Some specialty drugs have helped improve disease outcomes and quality of life in meaningful ways, but let's be clear: While providing access to safe and effective drugs is core to our purpose at BlueCross, we also have to consider how they raise costs for everyone who pays for health coverage. That includes members visiting the pharmacy and Tennessee businesses who are paying for their employees' plans. But manufacturing fees aren't the only reason prescription drugs are more expensive than ever. First, drug prices have consistently outpaced general inflation. Since 1985, overall drug prices have risen at rates three times faster than inflation. By 2024, drug prices were more than 127% higher compared to the cost of all other commodities. So, it's no surprise that pharma leads the health industry with an average profit margin of around 15%, compared to 1-3% for not-for-profit insurers like us, and roughly 5% for carmakers. Opinion: Poor Tennesseans need affordable meds. This bill ensures they can access them. Second, drug companies spend billions of dollars every year on advertising and promotion, which drives up the use of pricey treatments. This kind of advertising is only legal in the U.S. and New Zealand, and it leads to patients pressuring their doctors for brand-name drugs they see in ads, even if they may not actually need them—or when lower cost alternatives that are just as safe and effective are available. Examining our health behaviors and culture towards disease management can help us understand how we, as individuals, can navigate high drug costs. Opinion: Here's how we can make prescription drugs more affordable for consumers For example, we're seeing increased rates of cancer, diabetes, obesity, and other acute and chronic illnesses. And we've almost doubled the average number of prescriptions per member since 2014. But while medication use is often the primary treatment for these conditions—and understandably so—most drugs work best in conjunction with lifestyle changes like exercise and diet improvement. In some cases, lifestyle changes can even reduce our dependence on medications. At BlueCross BlueShield, we encourage our members to become active consumers in their health care decisions, and we offer resources that can help. While we don't set the list price for drugs, we provide formulary and drug cost information so our members can compare drug prices the way they might with other goods. Research shows people might skip doses or avoid filling prescriptions if they can't afford them, so it's important to know all the options. We also provide information on and access to generic and biosimilar drugs that are lower-cost options, and just as effective. Choosing a generic and biosimilar over a brand name is the most effective way consumers can lower their costs—often by 80-85%. These drugs are highly regulated to be the same as their more expensive counterparts, and manufacturers often produce both the brand-name and generic or biosimilar drugs. Simply put, becoming informed consumers in our health care journey is crucial. By understanding medication coverage, comparing treatment options, and asking about the cost of medications, we can make informed choices that align with our individual financial and health needs. Natalie Tate, PharmD, is vice president of pharmacy for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How to avoid high prescription drug costs, and stay healthy | Opinion
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Why is this not being covered?': Moms with Blue Cross must pay or forego lactation support
Christie Saxton holds her 1-month-old son, Maverick Saxton, during a visit to Erin Mattingly Birth Services in Madison, Miss., Thursday, May 22, 2025. ( Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today) Three weeks after a medical biller announced it would no longer be working with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, moms in the state face out-of-pocket costs of over $100 per session for breastfeeding help – and are calling on lawmakers and the state's largest private insurer to step up. Although Blue Cross has always restricted which lactation consultants it considers in-network – generally only covering services in hospitals provided directly after birth – moms with Blue Cross insurance previously had a workaround. A third party biller called The Lactation Network (TLN), which contracts with lactation consultants, covered the costs for women with the insurance. However, on April 30, TLN sent out a letter to consultants saying their organization was not being reimbursed by insurance companies and could not afford to continue fronting the money to cover moms with certain health insurance – including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. TLN did not respond to multiple requests for comment from Mississippi Today. 'You're sitting there like: I've got to feed my baby, and something's not right, and I can't get help,' said Patience Pierini, a Gulfport mom of two. '… If, more than anything, people need nourishment, why is this not being covered?' The recent development has prompted moms and lactation consultants to ask why Blue Cross never covered these services directly in the first place – which nurse practitioner and lactation consultant Laken Miller called 'even worse' than dropping the coverage. 'We didn't know before that the Lactation Network was just bridging the gap, and understandably, it was a cost that they couldn't continue to absorb,' said Miller, who is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) – the highest form of accreditation in lactation care – in Laurel. The only in-network lactation consultants currently covered by Blue Cross in Mississippi are physicians, who do not generally operate outpatient clinics focused solely on breastfeeding care. But there's nothing stopping the insurance company from working with non-MD lactation consultants, explained Marsha Walker, president of the National Lactation Consultant Alliance. Blue Cross operates independently in each state, and the restrictions on lactation services vary significantly. In Tennessee, they are slightly more lax than Mississippi, with the insurance company working with certified lactation consultants who also have nursing degrees, two consultants told Mississippi Today. Blue Cross also did not respond to questions from Mississippi Today about why it does not cover non-physician lactation care in Mississippi or if it has plans to in the future. Insurance companies are required by federal law to cover breastfeeding support, counseling and equipment. But they've been allowed to meet this requirement while offering limited access to few providers, or only covering virtual consultations, explained Walker, who is also a registered nurse and IBCLC. 'The (Affordable Care Act) does say that breastfeeding counseling needs to be covered, but it doesn't say how – and that's the problem,' Walker said. 'It's general in scope, leaving it up to the insurers to figure out how to adhere to that.' There were 97 IBCLCs in the state in 2023, but the vast majority of those work in hospitals and provide support to mothers during their stay following birth – which is typically long before mature milk comes in and various breastfeeding problems surface, Miller, the lactation consultant and nurse practitioner, explained. Miller said she only knows of four IBCLCs besides herself working outside of hospitals in the state. Last week, Miller and her colleagues sent a letter to state lawmakers asking that the Legislature ensure insurance companies are adequately fulfilling their obligation under the ACA to cover lactation care. 'We recognize that BCBS supports breastfeeding … However, the reality is that thousands of mothers in Mississippi will no longer have access to no-cost lactation services from private practice IBCLCs due to no available in-network or out-of-network providers,' the letter read. Covering lactation services yields a huge return on investment for insurance companies, explained Walker, if it prevents even one infant's stay in the neonatal intensive care unit for a condition like necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a severe gastrointestinal condition in premature infants that is made more likely by a diet of formula. 'If you do not cover breastfeeding, it comes back to haunt you later on with the increased amount of money they're going to spend on diseases and conditions that are preventable by breastfeeding,' Walker said. One study estimated each baby who is breastfed for three months saves private insurance companies $750 compared to those who are never breastfed. For new moms, whether they have access to timely care will make or break their decision to breastfeed, explained Erin Mattingly, a Jackson-based IBCLC who also signed the legislative letter. 'When parents run into trouble in that 10-day to two-week period, if they don't have access to help, the vast majority of them will quit breastfeeding,' Mattingly said. 'Because it's very difficult to push through a situation that feels dire when you are postpartum and recovering from a birth and learning a new baby.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Amherst Farmers Market still going strong after 53 years
AMHERST — Spend any time on the farmers circuit in the region and vendors and market-goers alike will say that the Amherst market is one of their favorites. 'I would hope the good word is getting out,' said David Machowski, owner, manager and director of the Amherst Farmers Market. 'Our reputation is pretty strong.' Machowski bought the market in 1986, and it first opened in 1972. 'The town gives us great support,' Machowski said. 'They give us everything we need to make it work out here. We also have sponsorship from People's Bank, and Blue Cross, Blue Shield of Massachusetts.' Opening day for this year's market was April 19, with vendors and customers set to come together on 31 consecutive Saturdays through Nov. 15. What will the highlights be over the next six months? 'Survivability,' Machowski said. 'We're out here 31 weeks, so the highlight is just making it each week and having a good turnout. We are fortunate, we have a very loyal clientele. So we do well. The weather's not been great.' Machowski said more seasonality is one of the highlights of the Amherst market. May, June, September and October are the busiest months. The summer months are slower, mainly because Amherst is a college town and people are away, Machowski said. 'Some (vendors) come in later in the season, some are earlier,' he said. 'It depends on what they have and how many other events and things they've got to spread themselves out to. But no matter the weather, people come out.' Rain has dampened four of the market's six Saturdays so far. Machowski also said a 'bad' day for the market still means at least 1,000 people come through the entrance and when the weather is nice, that number can top 5,000. 'I think there's good bang for the buck,' Machowski said, 'We have a lot of people coming out for the vendors and ardent support for several of them. No matter what the weather, people come out.' This year, 54 vendors have signed up to be on the Amherst market's roster with 40-42 being on hand any given Saturday. Zora's is a new vendor this year serving up authentic Venezuelan cuisine, run by Zora and her husband Leo. 'They've been knocking it out of the park here,' Machowski said. 'They'll be here every week. They have a line all day. Just. It's amazing to see.' Red Fire Farm, Twisted Buns, Bread Euphoria Cafe and Plum Island Jams are just a few of the returning vendors. Machowski has owned the market for 39 years and it never gets old. 'I've been here a long time. Every year I can say I think I've seen it all and it turns out I haven't,' he said. 'Something new arises, but it's great, I've got good staffing. It's absolutely fulfilling. Depending on who you talk to. The town has told me we're either the third or fourth largest economic driver for the town.' Without a doubt, the market is all about bringing Amherst closer. 'It's a huge community. People come out and just socialize, shop and socialize,' Machowski said. 'During COVID, we were the only game in town. We were out here on the common. So being able to give that sort of connection to the town, that sort of draw, getting people out here ... for a lot of people, it's their weekly retreat to come out and socialize, make the shopping and see faces.' Read the original article on MassLive.
