Medicaid redeterminations have restarted. Here’s what we know

States began disenrolling ineligible beneficiaries from Medicaid earlier this year in an event the CMS has called the biggest health coverage transition since the first ACA open enrollment.

By Rebecca Pifer , Sydney Halleman • March 31, 2023

Biden’s latest drug price control plans threaten war on cancer, Alzheimer’s and more

Former Clinton health policy adviser Kenneth Thorpe argues that federal price control policies could wreak havoc in the industry.

By Kenneth E. Thorpe • March 31, 2023

Lawmakers to reintroduce federal nurse staffing ratio bill

The bill mirrors California’s nurse staffing law which took effect in 2004 and outlines exactly how many patients a nurse in specific hospital units can care for at one time.

By Hailey Mensik • March 30, 2023

‘We’ve had to be creative’: How a major health system eased its labor shortage

By the summer of 2021, turnover at Memorial Hermann reached 30%. The organization implemented new staffing models and invested in greater staff support. Turnover is now down by half.

By Katie Clarey • March 27, 2023

Pandemic-driven healthcare staffing shortages have mostly eased, report finds

Employment in ambulatory services is now well above pre-pandemic levels, as healthcare jobs recuperate from pandemic-driven shortages, according to nonprofit Altarum.

By Hailey Mensik • March 27, 2023

FDA details plan to end emergency use authorizations

The agency is providing a 180-day transition period for devices that were exempted during the pandemic, and said companies that currently have an EUA should start preparing.

By Elise Reuter • March 24, 2023

Pediatric mental health crisis top concern this year for patient safety organization

Physical and verbal violence against healthcare staff is the second top safety concern for the year, followed by clinician needs in times of uncertainty around maternal-fetal medicine.

By Hailey Mensik • March 13, 2023

Contracts covering tens of thousands of unionized HCA workers set to expire soon

Contracts for staff at nearly two dozen hospitals in Nevada and Florida will lapse at the end of March and May, respectively.

By Hailey Mensik • March 3, 2023

Over 1K residents unionize at Montefiore Medical Center

Residents at New York-based Montefiore are the latest to join CIR-SEIU, a labor union that’s gaining more members as healthcare workers across all roles mobilize in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Hailey Mensik • March 2, 2023

Gross margins in MA market returned to pre-pandemic levels by end of 2021, report finds

The analysis of insurer markets in 2021, the latest year of available annual data, sheds light into the varied financial performance of insurers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Sydney Halleman • March 1, 2023

Hospitals start year on better financial footing after challenging 2022, Kaufman Hall says

Volumes, emergency department visits, discharges and total revenues fell for hospitals in January while labor expenses rose, according to the report.

By Hailey Mensik • March 1, 2023

FDA authorizes first at-home flu-COVID-19 combination test days after its developer files for bankruptcy

Lucira filed for bankruptcy protection last week, saying the “protracted” authorization process caused it to miss out on test sales in the latest flu season.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 27, 2023

Medicaid enrollees largely unaware of upcoming redeterminations, survey finds

About 64% of adults in a Medicaid-enrolled family said they didn’t know they could lose coverage once eligibility checks resume on April 1, a survey from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 21, 2023

HHS readies for PHE wind down, end of pandemic flexibilities

A variety of pandemic-era policies will expire May 11, including those allowing providers to prescribe controlled substances via telehealth without an in-person visit and rules requiring payers to cover COVID-19 testing.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 10, 2023

Following decline, telehealth visits notched up 1.9% in November

Mental health conditions continued to dominate telehealth diagnoses last year as the federal government worked to protect telehealth provisions during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

By Sydney Halleman • Feb. 9, 2023

Top healthcare trends of 2023

Providers and payers are still grappling with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the winding down of pandemic-era policies, which will have major effects on hospitals and insurers.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 8, 2023

COVID-19 public health emergency slated to end in May

The Biden administration warned that hospitals are at risk of revenue losses and care delays if the public health emergency ends abruptly.

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 31, 2023

Persistent, heightened labor expenses pummeled hospitals last year, Kaufman Hall reports

Negative margins and heightened labor expenses continued for hospitals in 2022, causing them to suffer their worst financial year since the pandemic began, according to the report.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 31, 2023

Healthcare labor trends in 2023: increased burnout, executive stress

A rise in union activity could also persist as the sector continues recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 30, 2023

Upcoming Medicaid redeterminations could hamper hospitals, payers

Medicaid eligibility checks beginning in April will likely curb hospital revenue and enrollment growth for payers, Moody's Investors Service said in a report.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 26, 2023

New York nurses reach deals on third day of strike

About 7,000 nurses at two New York hospitals returned to work Thursday after a three-day walkout. 

By Hailey Mensik • Updated Jan. 12, 2023

COVID-19 vaccine prices are going up. It shouldn’t be our focus.

Vaccinating as many people as possible to reduce the spread of respiratory illness that can be especially life-threatening for the youngest and oldest Americans is key, argues vaccine law professor Richard Hughes IV.

By Richard Hughes IV • Jan. 10, 2023

Rise of telehealth during pandemic boosted mental health treatment rates

The number of patients who received virtual care early in the pandemic surpassed those who dropped in-person mental health treatment, according to a new Rand study.

By Susan Kelly • Jan. 9, 2023

Omnibus bill restarts Medicaid checks, lowers Medicare physician pay cuts

President Joe Biden signed the the $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package into law on Dec. 29.

By Sydney Halleman • Updated Jan. 3, 2023

Healthcare leaders expect turbulent operating environment next year

Staffing challenges and high inflation are expected to continue into 2023, along with affordability issues for patients, shrinking margins and continual supply chain disruptions, according to a survey from Deloitte.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 16, 2022