Payers have had a wild year, to say the least—so wild, it’s hard to choose just one issue that defined the year. But we made them do it anyway!

So much, in fact, that it ranged from dealing with the fallout of Medicaid redeterminations to addressing rising healthcare costs to receiving lower-than-expected Medicare Advantage (MA) star ratings from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).

Some of the nation’s leading insurance executives, industry experts, and consultants shared their 2024 highlights below.

These answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Luke Hansen, chief medical officer, Arcadia

[This year] may be remembered as the high-water mark for Medicare Advantage exuberance. While the program continues to expand, the financial and regulatory pressures that emerged this year set the stage for a recalibration of plan strategies in the years ahead, including member acquisition and retention. For example, we witnessed many high-profile contract disputes over reimbursement rates this year that resulted in some healthcare provider organizations choosing not to accept certain plans.

Keep reading here.—CC

’Tis the season…for patting ourselves on the back a little bit.

We’re proud of the work we’ve done, and had great conversations with sources, so we’re reflecting on some of what we published in 2024. Here are a few of our favorite stories we wrote this year.

We can’t wait to see what next year holds in store for Healthcare Brew!

What the Chevron ruling means for the healthcare industry

I really enjoyed reporting on and writing this piece because the topic is something that has such wide implications for not just healthcare but every industry in the US. The ripple effects of the Chevron doctrine being overturned will likely be felt for years, and this story that I was able to write with Cassie is a grounding piece on what the decision was and how it could change healthcare in the future.—MA

Keep reading here.—NO