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Radiation oncologists push back on new CMS payment model

The agency expects the value-based payment structure set to begin Jan. 1 will save Medicare $230 million over five years, but a trade group of providers is calling for a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ascension posts $1B net loss for 2020

By the final month of its fiscal year, the giant nonprofit was staring to recapture a larger share of its patients — and outpacing pre-pandemic levels in one instance. 

HCA nurse union win called 'breakthrough' in long-sought North Carolina

The vote marks the first private sector hospital union election victory in the state and the largest at any nonunion hospital in the South since 1975, according to National Nurses United.

Trump admin unveils final mandatory kidney care payment model

Forced participation in the ESRD model, where CMS will identify providers in randomly selected regions to take part, drew industry ire when it was first proposed one year ago.

Google-backed Amwell prices upsize IPO above range at $18

Before its NYSE debut on Thursday, Amwell increased the price and number of shares, locking in the Boston-based telehealth vendor's valuation at nearly $4.1 billion.

Hospitals charge privately insured patients 250% more than those on Medicare. The gap is growing.

A RAND study of charge data from more than 3,000 hospitals points the finger at growing provider consolidation as a key culprit, but the AHA slammed the report as "based on a cherry-picked and limited dataset."

'We feel bullish': Payers look ahead to 2021

Top execs at the biggest commercial insurers outlined shifting strategic priorities and growth opportunities in light of the COVID-19 recession at Morgan Stanley's annual healthcare conference last week.

Fewer than half of healthcare institutions met national cybersecurity standards last year

NIST standards for managing and protecting businesses against cyber attacks include five key tenets: identify, protect, detect, respond and recover. CynergisTek found declines among its clients in all but one of those in 2019.

In COVID-19's wake, hospitals look to hybrid model with in-person, virtual care on equal footing

Comments throughout the AHA conference reflected a clear agreement that not only is telehealth here to stay, but it's also going to be at the heart of care delivery going forward.

Medical services costs for telehealth could swell to $106B by 2023, vendor predicts

Doximity's report estimates about 20% of all medical visits will be conducted virtually this year, and found particular interest in virtual care from the chronically ill population.

Cigna rebrands health services division, including Express Scripts, as Evernorth

The move is an evolution for the Cigna-Express Scripts tie-up completed in late 2018, as the combined entity looks to spur more interest in its products from third parties.

Uninsured rate rose to 9.2% in US last year, pre-COVID-19 recession

The high cost of U.S. healthcare continues to stress the country's economic outlook overall. About 7.7 million more Americans would be considered low-income if their medical bills were factored in, the U.S. Census Bureau said.

OCR settles with 5 more providers on HIPAA right of access violations

Three of the providers failed to give the patient medical records access until after a second complaint to the HHS Office of Civil Rights was submitted and validated.

CMS innovation agency to launch risk-based model for dual eligibles

Along with the dual-eligible demonstration, CMMI head Brad Smith said Tuesday industry could expect some additional models to come out of the pipeline in the next few months.

In deal with Apple, CVS clients get temporary access to new fitness feature

CVS CEO Larry Merlo also gave an update at Morgan Stanley's annual healthcare conference on its conversion of retail locations to HealthHUBs.

CMS kills controversial Medicaid fiscal accountability rule

The rule proposed last year would have increased federal oversight of how states fund their Medicaid programs and potentially resulted in funding cuts for the cash-strapped program. Providers strongly opposed it.

Hospital visits rebound, but some patients still need convincing

"Hospitals have managed infectious diseases since our inceptions — so we're experts at it," UW Health CEO Alan Kaplan said at an AHA conference this week, where sustaining telehealth momentum was also a hot topic.

CMS to ax inpatient data in MA risk scoring by 2022

The proposed changes should be a net positive for Medicare Advantage players, resulting in a 0.25% rise in risk scores.

FTC urges Texas regulators to block merger under COPA

The agency was blistering in its comments, warning regulators the deal would result in serious competitive and consumer harm in the form of higher prices, lower quality and diminished access to care and innovation.

ACOs in Medicare Shared Savings Program post third year of savings

But the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations said only 5% of eligible ACOs took CMS’ offer on the Pathways to Success program structure early and instead chose to remain under the previous rules.

Centene added 1.1M members since March amid COVID-19 job losses

The payer also announced a partnership with Samsung to give 13,000 smartphones to patients in rural and underserved areas to help increase access to virtual care.

OSHA fines 3 hospital systems for PPE violations

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center said Monday afternoon it had not received the OSHA report but will "respond accordingly" when it does. The other two hospitals have not responded to requests for comment.

UPDATED: Sept. 15, 2020 at 10:12 a.m.

Trump releases long-awaited drug pricing order, but its effects are likely far off

The White House disclosed details of an order to cut Medicare prices to international rates, but the proposed plan will be difficult to carry out and could take months to enact.

3 key takeaways from HCA, Tenet's latest public comments

Executives at some of the nation's largest health systems offered insights into volumes, demand trends and possible portfolio plays this week as providers continue grappling with COVID-19.

Fitbit receives FDA clearance for ECG app

The wearables giant has trailed rivals in product development and approval in the heart rhythm tracking arena. The nod brings it up to speed with Apple and Samsung.