The Latest
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2020). "Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2" [Micrograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
US pushes for wider use of 'underutilized' COVID-19 antibody drugs as pandemic worsens
A $2.6 billion deal with Regeneron this week is part of a renewed effort by government officials to bolster uptake of the treatments, which haven’t gained traction.
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FDA issues action plan for regulating AI in medical devices
The proposal brings the agency a step closer to draft guidance for regulating the fast-evolving field of artificial intelligence and machine learning-based software in medical devices.
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Retrieved from Talkspace on June 02, 2020
Talkspace to go public via SPAC in $1.4B deal
The transaction, once completed, will leave the behavioral health startup with about $250 million in cash, which it plans to use to build its user base, add partnerships and expand internationally.
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Pandemic propels health systems to mull insurer acquisitions, partnerships: JPM21
Advocate Aurora CEO Jim Skogsbergh said "partnering for health plan capability is going to be critical to our success, and we are taking steps to do that."
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ACA plan enrollment for 2021 ticked up slightly
Of the total, 23% of consumers were new and the rest renewed coverage. Repeat consumers who actively chose a new plan and those who were automatically re-enrolled both increased.
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Doctor on Demand partners with Texas health plan for virtual primary care HMO
The telehealth vendor has a number of virtual primary care plans in development now, including some rolling out later this year, said David Deane, head of growth and strategy.
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CMS breakthrough rule cheered as tailwind for Abbott, J&J and Medtronic
The final rule enables developers of FDA-designated breakthrough products to get Medicare coverage for some 60 million beneficiaries on the day they win approval.
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Ascension divests handful of Wisconsin hospitals, clinics to nonprofit Aspirus Health
Completion of the transaction will almost double Wausau, Wisconsin-based Aspirus' footprint. Currently, the regional player has four hospitals in Michigan and six in Wisconsin, along with more than 50 clinics.
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Healthcare industry sitting on ticking time bomb of web application attacks
Healthcare organizations were hit by an average of nearly 500 web application attacks every month in 2020, according to an Imperva report.
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Teladoc projects 2020 revenue doubling to $1.1B
CEO Jason Gorevic expects sustainable long-term growth for the company, with 30% to 40% average annual revenue growth expected through 2023, he said Monday at the J.P. Morgan health conference.
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Healthcare CFOs see fresh wave of M&A in 2021, BDO survey shows
Financial distress, a desire to expand into new service lines and efforts to close infrastructure gaps are expected to fuel deals, according to the consultants.
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CMS audits small slice of hospitals for price transparency, probes complaints
Compliance is "frustratingly incomplete," said Niall Brennan, CEO of the Health Care Cost Institute. A paltry $300 daily fine may not be enough to force facilities to reveal the information.
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Opinion
Care navigation during COVID-19 and beyond
The industry needs to quickly come up with a way to prevent and mitigate enduring health issues for COVID-19 survivors as well as catch up on deferred care for other conditions, Harvard Medical School's Sanjay Basu argues.
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Supply chains struggle to procure nitrile gloves after manufacturer shutdown
MSC Industrial reported an impairment charge for a prepaid glove order that has still not been delivered, in another example of how the pandemic has challenged procurement teams.
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Tennessee approved for first Medicaid block grant program
The waiver is approved for 10 years. The incoming Biden administration could attempt to roll it back, but the state would be able to challenge such a move.
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CommonSpirit inks letter of intent to sell Essentia 14 mostly rural hospitals
The giant nonprofit system is in talks with the Minnesota-based system to unload a 286-bed hospital in North Dakota and 13 other critical access facilities.
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Wall Street paints rosy 2021 for medtech as electives snap back
After economic challenges throughout 2020, sell-side analysts predict procedure-dependent companies like Medtronic, Abbott and Zimmer Biomet to outperform this year as procedure volumes return.
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CommonSpirit's CHI Franciscan finalizes tie-up with Virginia Mason
The two Washington state health systems will operate as Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, now a subsidiary under one of the nation's largest nonprofit health systems, CommonSpirit Health.
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HHS finalizes regulatory review rule, though more lenient than proposed
When pitched in November, the idea sparked concern among providers and other groups fearing it would inject more uncertainty into the industry, and heap additional administrative burden onto HHS.
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AHA to HHS: Feds need to take charge in COVID-19 vaccine rollout
The plea coming less than two weeks before the Biden administration takes over suggests the urgency. "As this rollout rapidly evolves, it is absolutely critical that effective situational, real-time leadership is provided nationally."
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Retrieved from Gage Skidmore/Flickr.
With Democratic trifecta, Biden could shore up ACA
"A lot can be done with a simple majority vote in the Senate," Kaiser Family Foundation's Larry Levitt said on Twitter.
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After trial and error, providers weigh virtual care offerings to fit post-COVID-19 needs
The survey of 277 provider, payer and employer organizations from Klas Research found almost a quarter of respondents are actively looking to replace their platform or feel unsatisfied but stuck with it.
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UnitedHealth's Optum to buy Change Healthcare in $13B deal
Change Healthcare CEO Neil de Crescenzo will become chief of OptumInsight after the deal closes in the second half of the year.
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Kaiser Permanente ranked No. 1 in consumer satisfaction, Insure.com finds
An October survey of 2,200 consumers found a majority were generally pleased with their plans and would recommend it to others, despite 2020's historic healthcare uncertainty.
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Not enough time, not enough clarity: Payers push back on CMS prior authorization rule
Following publication on the Federal Register, industry groups had only 17 days to review the rule and draft comments — a major source of concern, insurers said.