Allscripts business realignment targets care coordination, outcomes

Bringing Care Management under the CarePort umbrella will speed innovation of the platform, the company said.

By Meg Bryant • April 11, 2018

UnitedHealthcare seeks arbitration to resolve Envision contract dispute

The payer has taken aim at Envision and even added a page to its website that names the company as a reason for "outsourced ERs" and higher ER costs.

By Les Masterson • April 11, 2018

Medicaid improves access, preventive services, AHIP report says

The study comes as Virginia considers becoming the 34th state to expand Medicaid under the ACA.

By Les Masterson • April 11, 2018

Gender pay gap a problem for doctors — and it's growing

A new Medscape report found male primary care physicians earn an average of $239,000 annually while women on average earn $203,000.

By Les Masterson • April 11, 2018

Pop health programs not seeing expected growth, survey finds

The third annual report from Numerof & Associates calls into question whether healthcare organizations are ready to take on risk.

By Les Masterson • April 10, 2018

M&A risks patient safety, JAMA report warns

Mergers, acquisitions and affiliations are led by financial experts who may not prepare organizations for changes in patient population and practice settings.  

By Les Masterson • April 9, 2018

Netsmart buying Change Healthcare home care, hospice units

Change Healthcare also announced it is integrating its Intelligent Healthcare Network with Doctor on Demand's patient geolocation technology to bring integrated lab orders and results to telemedicine.  

By Les Masterson • April 9, 2018

Digital health off to roaring start with $1.62B across 77 deals

The top-funded category was digital diagnostics, followed by disease monitoring.

By Meg Bryant • April 6, 2018

Ascension to stop medical, surgical services at Milwaukee hospital

The hospital serves a largely low-income neighborhood of the city.

By Meg Bryant • April 6, 2018

Austin-based St. David's HealthCare adds 9-clinic network

The acquisition reflects hospitals' growing focus on low-acuity delivery of care as a future revenue stream.

By Meg Bryant • April 6, 2018

Opioid prescriptions down while addiction, overdose costs rise

The Kaiser Family Foundation looked at claims data for large employers between 2004 and 2016 to examine treatment costs from the opioid crisis.  

By Les Masterson • April 6, 2018

SCI Solutions adds patient engagement to portfolio with DatStat acquisition

The deal is the latest sign that health IT M&A is an area to watch in 2018.

By Meg Bryant • April 5, 2018

Pop health program reduced ED use, inpatient hospitalizations

A new Health Affairs study found that a Baylor Scott & White Health and Wellness Center program with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department showed cost savings after one year.  

By Les Masterson • April 5, 2018

Lafayette General threatens to shutter hospital amid budget impasse

LGH said that without funding either Louisiana State University will have to take over University Hospitals & Clinics again or the health system will close the hospital and lay off its employees on July 1.  

By Les Masterson • April 5, 2018

Medicaid FFS biggest factor in billing headaches, report finds

A Health Affairs study found that there are more challenged claims with traditional Medicaid than involving other payers. Also, Medicaid payments take longer to process than others, including Medicare.  

By Les Masterson • April 4, 2018

Payers get better-than-expected Medicare Advantage rate increase

CMS also increased the role encounter data will play in determining risk scores and announced policies to target opioid abuse.  

By Les Masterson • April 3, 2018

Medicare ACOs missing federal cost-savings predictions, analysis finds

The finding raises questions about the long-term success of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, which has swelled to 561 ACOs from 27 six years ago.

By Meg Bryant • April 2, 2018

Walmart reportedly in early talks to acquire Humana

The companies already partner on Medicare Part D drug plans, but a deal, floated in the WSJ, could boost Humana's group market offerings to compete with other major insurers, a Mercer consultant suggests.

By David Lim • April 2, 2018

Oscar Health raises $165M from investors

The payer said profitability is "around the corner," but the ACA market it focuses on has not been lucrative for insurers and faces a potentially unstable future.  

By Les Masterson • March 29, 2018

Ascension selling Connecticut hospital to Hartford HealthCare

The deal comes as Ascension is refocusing its long-term strategy away from hospitals and toward outpatient care and telemedicine.

By Meg Bryant • March 28, 2018

Healthcare M&A leading to higher prices in California

A University of California, Berkeley study said northern California pays much higher healthcare prices than the southern part of the state.  

By Les Masterson • March 28, 2018

Supply chain woes delay and disrupt care, OR staff says

A Cardinal Health survey found that OR providers said hospital supply chain problems lead to procedure delays and cancellations, which can harm patient health and hospital bottom lines.  

By Les Masterson • March 28, 2018

HHS panel recommends testing 2 alternative palliative care payment models

Also, a new Health Affairs article explored the complexity of including hospice care in Medicare Advantage.  

By Les Masterson • March 28, 2018

Urgent care center market on track to hit $26B by 2023

This year's severe flu season is driving growth in the acute care segment of the market, according to a new report.

By Meg Bryant • March 27, 2018

Plans shirking ACA rules could spur more out-of-network care

Allowing health coverage to be sold across state lines could also limit oversight, a report by state regulators said.

By Les Masterson • March 27, 2018