Study: Scopes often remain contaminated after standard cleaning methods

Of the 20 gastroscopes and colonoscopes manufactured by Olympus examined for a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, 12 tested positive for bacterial growth.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Feb. 1, 2017

Senate committee approves Tom Price without Democrats

Democrats' attempt to buy time by boycotting the markup scheduled for Tuesday has failed.  

By Ana Mulero , Kathleen Gilbert • Feb. 1, 2017

Fitbit to lay off 6% of its staff after disappointing Q4 results

A "softer-than-expected holiday demand for trackers" caused the slowdown, founder and CEO James Park said.

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 1, 2017

HCA profit hits $920M in Q4 thanks in part to patient volume

While other health systems operating large networks of hospitals struggle with debt and declines in patient volume, HCA Healthcare boasts strong financial performance.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 1, 2017

AHA: Mergers lead to cost savings, quality improvements

In 2016, hospital M&A activity decreased 12.7% compared to the previous year, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. 

By Ana Mulero • Jan. 26, 2017

Insurers proposing ideas for Obamacare replacement

Companies are making a case to Republicans to preserve some aspects of the ACA, but the devil is in the details.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 26, 2017

$54B Anthem-Cigna deal could be blocked

Anthem is extending the deadline for completion of its merger agreement with Cigna, which is considering its options.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 23, 2017

Hospitalizations due to birth defects cost $22.9B, study finds

Major birth defects in the U.S. are responsible for a disproportionate amount of hospitalization costs, and they’re likely to increase.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 23, 2017

CHS loses another top official, settles investor lawsuit

The hospital giant has been selling off hospitals and assets to bring down debt.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 20, 2017

CMS reins in pass-through payments

Safety-net hospitals, clinics and physicians will be looking for new income streams to replace billions in payments that are being phased out.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 19, 2017

McKesson settles alleged CSA violations for record $150M

The Fortune 500 healthcare services and IT company must hire an independent monitor to assess compliance with controlled substances regulations as part of the settlement.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 19, 2017

Healthcare IT reels in $5B with 2016 funding

A new report from Mercom Capital Group shows venture capital funding thrived last year, while M&A deals decreased slightly.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 19, 2017

UnitedHealth Group ends 2016 on a high note amid ACA uncertainty

The company posted more than $13 billion in operating earnings – a performance driven largely by its pharmacy benefits management and technology services lines of business. 

By Luke Gale • Jan. 18, 2017

CBO: 18M would lose coverage, premiums would rise first year after Obamacare repeal

The report used HR 3762 to estimate how an ACA repeal could affect health insurance coverage.

By Ana Mulero • Jan. 17, 2017

Uncompensated hospital costs reach new low

The ACA has helped hospitals by reducing the burden of uncompensated care, but all bets are off if it is repealed without a replacement.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 15, 2017

Banner Health snaps up Tucson-based Sunlife Home Health

The deal comes as CMS updated its requirements for home health providers.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 13, 2017

IBM Watson, FDA aim to tackle, tame blockchain for data exchange

"At the core this technology can address various frictions in the health system, such as meaningful collaboration and coordination in healthcare," Shahram Ebadollahi, Vice President for Innovations and Chief Science Officer, IBM Watson, told Healthcare Dive.

By Jeff Byers • Jan. 11, 2017

CMS grants quality penalty relief due to ICD-10 snafu

Physician Quality Reporting System penalties are usually 2% of Medicare's physician fee schedule amount for a service.

By Ana Mulero • Jan. 10, 2017

UnitedHealth to grow portfolio with $2.3B Surgical Care Affiliates purchase

By combining the ambulatory surgery center chain with Optum's health services, UnitedHealth Group seeks to create a comprehensive platform of ambulatory care services.

By Ana Mulero • Jan. 9, 2017

How hospitals can fight the cost of budget-busting drugs

"We had been hearing from hospital leaders about the fix they were in regarding generic drugs or pre-FDA drugs," said Fedaration of American Hospitals President and CEO Chip Kahn.

By Ana Mulero and Lisa LaMotta • Jan. 9, 2017

Study: Hospitals vary in adverse outcome rates for joint replacement

Adverse outcome rates for joint and hip replacements top 20% at some of the worst performing hospitals. 

By Luke Gale • Jan. 9, 2017

Medicare backed off under pressure from health insurers

Audits of Medicare’s books show that it settled for recouping nearly $3.4 million in overpayments instead of the $128 million that it was owed from five health plans.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 8, 2017

Mayo Clinic staff to get phased-in 2% pay increases

Mayo staff won’t see the raises until late next month, some not before June.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 6, 2017

Paul Ryan: ACA repeal would strip Planned Parenthood funding

The nonprofilt reproductive health services organization launched a petition this week to ask Congress for its support.

By Ana Mulero • Jan. 6, 2017

How to set up a telemedicine practice

“Telemedicine services are becoming an expectation of consumers,” says Sarah Sossong, director of the Center for Telehealth at Massachusetts General Hospital.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 5, 2017