Back to Home

Network Adequacy

Expert articles and analysis related to network adequacy.

177 articles•Last 30 Days

AI Summary — Last 30 Days

Medicare Advantage network adequacy risk is becoming more operationally material for VBC stakeholders as UnitedHealthcare and Humana pull back plans affecting nearly 1 million beneficiaries, while 2027 county-level MA-PD availability shows widening geographic variation and fewer high-choice markets—pressuring ACOs, delegated provider groups, and payers to reassess attribution stability, specialist access, and care management capacity during annual enrollment (The Hill; KFF). At the same time, CMS under the Trump administration is moving toward public MA provider-directory accuracy scores and related oversight changes, signaling that network adequacy is shifting from a compliance back-office issue to a market-facing performance metric that could affect plan reputation, contracting leverage, and provider alignment strategies. Medicaid changes from the 2025 reconciliation law, including work requirements, add further churn risk for safety-net systems and Medicaid-focused VBC models, making eligibility continuity and access monitoring central to population health performance.

Related Articles

95ALN

Ghost networks haunt mental health access, study finds

A secret shopper study found less than a quarter of calls to mental health clinicians resulted in appointments, with directory errors and unreachable providers driving so-called "ghost" networks.

Healthcare DiveOct 21, 2026
92ALN

CMS proposes rule to clean up MA provider directories, shine light on PBMs

The proposed changes would implement key healthcare provisions in a government funding package from February. The brunt of the reforms would go into effect in 2028.

Healthcare DiveOct 19, 2026
90ALN

CMS proposes Medicare Advantage provider directory requirements for 2028

Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are set to face requirements aimed at improving the accuracy of provider directories, according to a proposed rule. Issued Oct. 16 by CMS, the proposed regulations would ...

HFMAOct 19, 2026
90ALN

CMS issues proposals to improve MA plan provider directory accuracy, PBM transparency requirements and reduce drug costs

CMS issues proposals to improve MA plan provider directory accuracy, PBM transparency requirements and reduce drug costs  American Hospital Association

AHAOct 19, 2026
90ALN

12% of calls to mental health clinicians in Blue Cross directories yield appointments: Study

12% of calls to mental health clinicians in Blue Cross directories yield appointments: Study  Becker's Payer Issues

Becker's Payer IssuesOct 19, 2026
90ALN

12% of calls to mental health clinicians in Blue Cross directories yield appointments: Study

Becker's Behavioral HealthOct 19, 2026
90ALN

Mental health 'ghost networks' limit access for commercially insured

Mental health 'ghost networks' limit access for commercially insured  Healthcare Finance News

Healthcare FinanceOct 19, 2026
90ALN

CMS proposes public scores for Medicare Advantage provider directories, flat-fee limits for PBMs

CMS proposes public scores for Medicare Advantage provider directories, flat-fee limits for PBMs  Becker's Payer Issues

Becker's Payer IssuesOct 16, 2026
90ALN

CMS proposes MA 'ghost network,' PBM transparency requirements

CMS proposes MA 'ghost network,' PBM transparency requirements  Fierce Healthcare

Fierce HealthcareOct 16, 2026
90ALN

When does a hospital-insurer network dispute go public?

When does a hospital-insurer network dispute go public?  Fierce Healthcare

Fierce HealthcareOct 1, 2026