The Latest
-
CMS approves 8th state for Medicaid work requirement
Arizona's policy is expected to begin in 2020 and affect about 120,000 residents.
Payer -
HHS charges California violated pregnancy resource centers' rights
The censure appears largely symbolic as the U.S. Supreme Court partially struck down the California law last year.
Health Law -
Health industry employee benefit costs up 14.6% since 2004
The annual cost of benefits per employee averaged $21,364 in 2018, according to an analysis by Bay Alarm Medical.
Finance -
OpinionClinicians, hospital admin: Leave these 3 biases at the door
To focus completely on patient care, hospital administration and physicians need to work together in an environment of trust, argues Pat Cormier, managing director of consultancy Kotter.
Hospital Administration -
Private equity boost, upskilling workers among 2019 sector trends, PwC reports
With the average health insurance deductible triple what it was a decade ago, the consultancy believes 2019 could also be the year for value line products and services — similar to the Southwest Airlines approach.
Health IT -
VA authors report wait times beat private sector: JAMA
A Veteran Affairs researcher-authored study compared wait times at government facilities and private hospitals between 2014 and 2017 and found the agency has moved past its harrowed days of high-profile wait time delays.
Hospital Administration -
CMS pitches new MA and Part D voluntary payment models
The MA model will test new service delivery approaches, including telehealth expansion, while the Part D model aims to control catastrophic drug spending by front-loading insurers with higher risk.
Payer -
Opioid marketing leads to more prescriptions, deaths, says JAMA study
More marketing interactions with physicians led to more prescriptions.
Policy & Regulation -
CVS, Walmart resolve spat over pharmacy benefit pricing
The pact comes days after the two heavyweights said they'd hit a stalemate in contract negotiations.
Payer -
eTransactions saw usage upswing in 2018: report
Findings from the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare show real momentum for electronic administrative transactions, a crucial step toward reducing physician burnout and increasing workplace efficiency.
Health IT -
Health chatbots show potential, but challenges remain
Key barriers to widespread adoption include lack of trust, handling of complex conditions and usability.
Health IT -
CMS cuts ACA exchange fees, floats proposal to end silver-loading
While no regulations limiting or banning auto-enrollment and silver-loading are contained in the rule, the agency has requested public comment on the two issues for consideration in future rules before 2021.
Payer -
HCA's $1.5B buy of Mission gets North Carolina AG nod
The approval comes after the hospital giant pledged to double the period it will provide comprehensive services in rural hospitals and keep all of Mission's facilities open until 2029.
Hospital Administration -
Last year broke records for digital health funding, M&A
Nearly 700 deals accrued $9.5 billion in venture capital and private equity in 2018, a 32% increase compared to the $7.2 billion raised in 2017 according to research firm Mercom.
Health IT -
ONC releases 2019 Interoperability Standards Advisory
The latest edition includes a new interoperability need for sending prescriptions to pharmacies for controlled substances.
Health IT -
Nearly half of doctors feel burned out, Medscape survey shows
Urologists, neurologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists have the highest burnout levels, according to the report.
Hospital Administration -
Appeals court upholds ruling against UnitedHealth in out-of-network billing case
The lawsuit involved the practice of cross-plan offsetting, wherein insurers recoup one plan's overpayment to out-of-network providers by reducing another plan's payment to the same provider.
Payer -
More seniors may soon be sporting Apple Watches with MA partnerships
Tapping into the Medicare market could be lucrative for Apple and a good business strategy for insurers, given the aging U.S. population and rising healthcare costs.
Health IT -
Key House Democrat to focus on ACA, drug prices this year
With Democrats now in power of the chamber, the new chairwoman of a crucial oversight subcommittee laid out her priorities, including proposals she argues will bolster medical device safety.
Policy & Regulation -
Coursera adds healthcare vertical with 15 university partners
The online learning platform is rolling out the new offerings, which include two master's degrees, to address growing demand for healthcare workers.
Hospital Administration -
Traditional players focused on value-based care, interoperability to drive innovation, experts argue
Four panelists agreed Wednesday that the Trump administration is making some headway in initiatives that prioritize quality over quantity of care, but it's not enough.
Health IT -
Hospital drug spend spiked 19% from 2015-17, coalition says
The report, sponsored in part by the American Hospital Association, is the latest sortie in the ongoing PR battle between providers and pharmaceutical companies over who exactly is to blame for skyrocketing drug prices in the U.S.
Hospital Administration -
Massachusetts will ask Medicaid patients to rate their doctors
Nearly 250,000 beneficiaries will receive questions about primary care, mental health treatment and long-term care services in what the state says is a first-of-its-kind project.
Payer -
No single solution to patient matching challenge, GAO says
Questions about the accuracy of digital matching tools force providers to recheck results manually, according to the government watchdog.
Health IT -
Deep DiveHow a 'regulatory dead zone' may be holding up copycat insulin
The FDA has talked up biosimilars' potential impact on the insulin market, but changing regulations have complicated matters for would-be competitors.
Policy & Regulation