Medicare drug plans face challenges, health insurers skip JPM

Bob Herman covers health insurance, government programs, hospitals, physicians, and other providers — reporting on how money influences those businesses and shapes what we all pay for care. He is also the author of the Health Care Inc. newsletter. You can reach Bob on Signal at bobjherman.09.

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My son and I are obsessed with the game show “99 to Beat,” hosted by Ken Jeong and Erin Andrews. The finale was last week, and it was an absolute banger of a showdown between Peter and Leandra. Please bring the show back for another season. And as Ken and Erin say, don’t finish last (in sending your tips and documents to me): [email protected].

Medicare’s $16 billion lifeline to Part D plans  

The Medicare prescription drug plan market appears to be under a lot of stress. And taxpayers are forking over record amounts of subsidies to health insurers to keep things from crumbling more.