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White House pulls drug rebate rule to relief of payers

Withdrawal of the rule, which drugmakers supported, puts greater focus on the administration's plans for an international price index for certain doctor-administered drugs.

Female health CIOs defy trend, earn more than men, survey finds

Health IT executive salaries have risen since 2012, and women make roughly $30,000 more than their male counterparts, according to a College of Healthcare Information Management Executives survey.

Health sector in better place to weather recession than in 2008, analysis finds

Providers would have less exposure to uncompensated care because of expanded Medicaid and ACA subsidies, according to McKinsey. Still, the report projects an earnings hit between 5%-20% for payers and 5%-30% for providers.

Appeals court judge on ACA: 'Congress can fix this'

Two Republican-appointed judges hammered Democrats on whether the ACA's individual mandate was severable from the rest of the law and asked why Congress expected them to find a solution.

UnitedHealth backs Inspire Medical's sleep apnea implant

The massive private payer deemed the Minnesota medtech's neurostimulation system medically necessary in patients with obstructive sleep apnea who have already tried CPAP therapy.

Air ambulance industry on defense as surprise billing debate heats up

Emergency air service providers are warning of base closures if surprise billing legislation working its way through Congress passes.

Beaumont, Summa sign letter of intent to merge

A Beaumont spokesman said the organizations will buy out Mercy Health's minority stake in Summa, but exact terms of the deal are not being disclosed. It is expected to be finalized by the end of this year.

Amazon momentum in medical supply chain slows, poll finds

A UBS survey of hospital purchasing managers found providers are allocating a smaller percentage of such purchases to the retail giant this year.

UK testing Netflix-style payments to boost antibiotics development

Officials hope the model will overcome some of the obstacles that have stifled the commercial prospects for new antibiotics.

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Healthcare Dive's 10 biggest stories of the spring

From Amazon pushing into the prescription delivery sector to CVS-Aetna struggling to finalize their merger settlement agreement, read the top stories from the first half of the year.

Republican bid to dismantle ACA takes center stage

A federal appeals court in New Orleans heard oral arguments Tuesday in a ruling that could send ripples across the industry.

In win for pharma, Trump TV drug price rule struck down

The federal district court sided with a drugmaker coalition that argued the government overstepped its authority in trying to force price transparency in advertisements.

Pharma stocks slide as industry mulls Trump drug price action

Drug pricing is back in the spotlight as politicians grapple with ways to bring down healthcare costs. While the meaning of the president's comments wasn't clear, Monday's market reaction was unambiguous.

DOJ, House, states tell appeals court it has authority to hear ACA case

Ahead of Tuesday's oral argument, parties in the appeal over the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act filed briefs telling the court it has jurisdiction because a live controversy exists.

Air Methods, Global Medical Response most at risk with surprise billing ban

Large air ambulance companies have the most to lose should a ban on balance billing become law, a new report says.

Deep Dive

Could NEMT's pivot to the commercial sector be a wrong turn?

Employers and commercial plans are increasingly looking to partner with players like Uber and Lyft for non-emergency medical transportation, raising thorny questions about the return on investment in a healthier population.

Zolgensma set a new drug pricing bar. Insurers show some signs of pushback

One month after approval, a handful of payers — including Anthem — have adopted policies taking a more cautious stance than what the FDA set out in the gene therapy's label.

ACOs may need stronger financial incentives, like downside risk, to succeed

The proportion of ACOs taking downside risk has inched up in recent years but still represents a minority, a study published in Health Affairs found.

Court rejects GOP bid for oral argument delay in ACA appeal

The coalition of Democratic attorneys general defending the law's constitutionality wants the court to rule on the appeal by the end of the year. The fight is expected to make its way up to the Supreme Court.

Doctors significantly over-allocated times to perform joint replacements, study shows

Time periods estimated to perform medical procedures, known as relative value units, are crucial for determining how much surgeons and other doctors are paid for their work under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

Air ambulance charges soar over most other providers

A new study in Health Affairs examines the price air ambulances charge Medicare, an important figure that reveals the potential financial exposure some patients may face if they receive a surprise, out-of-network bill. 

EHR messaging, workflow can be redesigned to address burnout, study suggests

Doctors who reported a higher average of EHR-generated messages had a greater likelihood of burnout and said more often they wanted to cut their clinical work hours, according to new research in Health Affairs.

Hospital margins improved in May on increased patient volumes

However, hospitals with 300 to 499 beds experienced declining margins year over year despite the uptick in volumes. The latest Kaufman Hall report blames higher non-labor expenses for the cohort.

Health tech IPO activity picks up with filings from Livongo, Health Catalyst, Phreesia

With its revenue more than doubling between 2017 and 2018, chronic disease management startup Livongo may break the multi-year drought of digital health IPOs.