The Latest
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UnitedHealth to acquire embattled specialty pharmacy Diplomat for $300M
Four separate lawsuits are attempting to enjoin the purchase, the payer said this week. The cases allege information about the deal was held back from Diplomat shareholders, including financial data.
UPDATED: Jan. 24, 2020 at 9:48 a.m. -
Surescripts loses motion to dismiss FTC antitrust case
The e-prescribing giant argued the regulator's suit is procedurally defective, but a federal judge agreed with the bureau Friday in denying Surescripts' motion to dismiss.
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Lloyd Dean to become sole CEO of CommonSpirit
Co-CEO Kevin Lofton is retiring from the nation's largest nonprofit system by revenue at the end of June after more than four decades as a healthcare professional.
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Cardinal begins recall of 9.1M surgical gowns amid sterility concerns
The American Hospital Association said in a quality advisory the recall left hospitals "scrambling" and it is concerned about a lack of transparency.
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New conservative faction to lobby against benchmark surprise billing fix
The argument against a benchmark rate is popular among provider lobbies, which have spent millions to oppose such proposals — including White House-backed legislation from Senate and House heavyweights.
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The Supreme Court isn't done with the ACA case yet. Here are the next steps.
The court did not decline the case entirely. It now returns to a normal pace as the justices will decide whether to hear the case during their next term, which starts in October.
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Quest acquires Helsinki-based Blueprint Genetics to expand reach
Blueprint Genetics sells 3,900 targeted single gene and more than 200 panel tests for conditions spanning 14 medical specialties. Financial terms of the all-cash equity deal were not disclosed.
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Uber Health plans to double in size this year
The expansion heralds renewed investment in the multi-billion dollar non-emergency medical transportation market as Uber looks to recoup losses following a disappointing IPO in May.
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UnitedHealth, Humana among Medicaid contracts nixed in Louisiana after protest
The decision came in response to appeals filed by Centene and Aetna, which were denied new contracts. The state will now redo the bidding process.
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Supreme Court declines to quickly hear ACA case
It's now unlikely that the case will be decided before the election, which will thrust the debate over the fate of the landmark law into the spotlight during another presidential campaign.
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Deep DiveKey 2020 trends for payers and providers
No matter who wins the White House come November, healthcare experts say the push to reimburse providers for value and the aim for greater transparency surrounding prices will keep moving ahead.
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Nation's 2nd-largest physician group backs 'Medicare for All'
The American College of Physicians said a single-payer approach would cut administrative burden, freeing more time for patient care, but would be "politically difficult" and "highly disruptive" to implement.
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Tenet names ex-Oracle exec CEO of struggling Conifer unit
Joe Eazor will guide the revenue cycle management subsidiary as Tenet spins it off into an independent publicly traded company, following years of shaky financial performance.
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HHS price transparency efforts may decode only sliver of total spending
A new examination of the push for more price transparency in healthcare concludes that while it "is not trivial, it does limit the potential impact of consumer-focused initiatives."
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MedPAC finds 340B effect on pricing 'modest,' going against pharma critique
The commission's report provides some new ammunition in the ongoing battle between pharmaceutical companies and nonprofit disproportionate share hospitals over the future of the 340B drug discount program.
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FTC commissioner pledges hard line on hospital mergers
Lobbyists and legislators also spoke at a Council for Affordable Health Coverage forum, noting a surprise billing ban is still on the table for Congress despite disagreements over the policy to achieve it.
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Tenet, CVS and Cigna lead Healthcare Dive's JPM20 coverage
Molina and Centene also touted their organic growth potential at the annual investor conference drawing some of the biggest industry names.
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After 2 years of turmoil, state exchange premiums stable for now, report finds
More robust reinsurance programs and commercial offerings from insurers such as Bright Health and upstart Oscar are playing a role, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute.
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Hospitals, insurers urge Supreme Court to hear ACA case to avert havoc
Lobbying groups said the case could take years to play out without the high court stepping in to hear arguments now.
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Deep DiveWill more employers get off the healthcare bench in 2020?
"At the end of the day, employers have to put their hands on the steering wheel as purchasers of healthcare," Suzanne Delbanco, executive director of Catalyst for Payment Reform, said.
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Hospital-run Civica Rx to develop drugs in house
The seven-year partnership with Thermo Fisher will initially focus on nine critical medicines vulnerable to supply chain interruptions.
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Robotic surgeries surge to 15% of all procedures, despite limited evidence
Robot-assisted procedures jumped from 1.8% of all general surgeries in 2012 to 15.1% in 2018. Closer monitoring is needed to ensure clinical benefits and safety are prioritized, researchers said.
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Trump admin releases 5-year health IT roadmap as industry waits for interoperability update
The report will not impact long-awaited rules promoting interoperability in healthcare, which HHS plans to release early this year.
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CMS rejects Wyoming's bid to expand Medicaid to regulate air ambulances
The agency said the proposal was in conflict with existing federal law and failed to advance the core objective for the program.
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Racial and ethnic disparities in care narrowed under ACA, Commonwealth Fund says
Previous progress in lowering the uninsured rate stalled after 2016.
