Policy & Regulation
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Adeline Kon/Healthcare Dive
Black patients were more likely to die of COVID-19 largely due to inferior hospitals
A recent study in JAMA Network Open showed how inequities in housing influence where Black people seek care and how that affects the quality of care they receive.
By Samantha Liss • June 21, 2021 -
Courtesy of Walmart
OpinionBetter data sharing among MCOs, public health, Medicaid could boost vaccination efforts
The CEO of Medicaid Health Plans of America says plans are already helping states manage and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by using data analytics and demographic information to target outreach to those most at risk.
By Craig Kennedy • June 21, 2021 -
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TrendlineLabor
While labor strife among healthcare workers is hardly new, the COVID-19 pandemic brought new issues to the table, including re-use of personal protective equipment and other safety measures.
By Healthcare Dive staff -
Medicare CGM eligibility widened in potential boon for Abbott, Dexcom
CMS opened up coverage for therapeutic continuous glucose monitors, eliminating a rule that patients must use a blood glucose monitor and require at least four self-monitoring blood glucose tests per day to have devices covered.
By Ricky Zipp • June 21, 2021 -
Jacob Bell / BioPharma Dive
FDA lays out device cybersecurity efforts as feds look to implement Biden executive order
The president signed an order last month seeking to bolster the nation's cyber posture amid growing threats from hackers.
By Greg Slabodkin • June 17, 2021 -
Stefani Reynolds / Stringer via Getty Images
MedPAC says lower clinical lab fees don't impact access, prompting industry ire
The clinical laboratory group, whose members include Quest and LabCorp, contends the report to Congress contains "biased" commentary that ignores the value of lab tests and importance of timely patient access.
By Nick Paul Taylor • June 17, 2021 -
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Hip, knee bundled pay program results similar as voluntary or mandatory: JAMA study
The results of a University of Pennsylvania analysis of more than a million Medicare claims for joint replacement surgery lend support to CMS' expected policy shift toward more mandatory bundled payment arrangements.
By Susan Kelly • June 16, 2021 -
State employee health plans know hospitals drive most costs, but struggle to make a dent
Most states instead focus on attempting to control prescription drug costs and lower utilization, according to the Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms' poll.
By Shannon Muchmore • June 16, 2021 -
Stefani Reynolds / Stringer via Getty Images
MedPAC: Overhaul MA payments and streamline CMMI models
The group floated changing the Medicare Advantage benchmark calculation in its annual report to Congress, while Medicaid advisers separately suggested ways to curb specialty drug prices.
By Rebecca Pifer • June 16, 2021 -
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Majority of hospitals not complying with price transparency rule: JAMA
"Compliance may increase over time, but the early selective compliance suggests reluctance that may persist," researchers said, suggesting policymakers consider stiffer penalties than the current $300 a day fine.
By Rebecca Pifer • June 15, 2021 -
Alex Wong via Getty Images
Providers cheer HHS extension of deadlines to use COVID-19 relief funds
Separately, the department said Monday that 1.2 million people have signed up for health coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges during the COVID-19 special enrollment period.
By Shannon Muchmore • June 14, 2021 -
Retrieved from National Nurses United.
NNU tees up fight amid HCA, Sutter, CommonSpirit contract talks: 'Put patients before profits'
Employment contracts covering tens of thousands of unionized nurses at the country's biggest health systems expire this summer, and labor unions are using the pandemic as a rallying cry for reforms.
By Susan Kelly • June 14, 2021 -
Courtesy of Novavax
Novavax says vaccine 90% effective against COVID-19 in large trial
Highly anticipated results from a Phase 3 study testing the biotech company's shot showed it to be strongly protective and safe, a potential boon for the world's vaccination efforts.
By Ned Pagliarulo • UPDATED: June 14, 2021 at 7:03 a.m. -
Retrieved from C-SPAN on February 23, 2021
HHS warns providers, insurers COVID-19 testing must be free for patients
The American Clinical Laboratory Association, which has members including Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp, has complained that guidance on the topic had only served to muddy what it saw as clear congressional mandates.
By Greg Slabodkin • June 10, 2021 -
Brian Tucker / BioPharma Dive
'The lights are no longer green': Antitrust regulators reassess pharma deals
The FTC and its counterparts abroad are rethinking their approach to drugmaker acquisitions. Past scrutiny offers clues where they may look next.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 10, 2021 -
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Industry awaits Supreme Court decision on ACA case
A ruling on the fate of the landmark law could come as early as Thursday morning.
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A first-of-its-kind Alzheimer's drug raises heavy questions around who will and won't get it
Biogen priced its newly approved medicine Aduhelm at an average cost of $56,000 a year. Cigna, which estimates out-of-pocket costs may hit $10,000, is working on a value-based payment agreement with the drugmaker.
By Jacob Bell • June 09, 2021 -
Erik S. Lesser via Getty Images
US bets $1.2B on Merck's last hope for a COVID-19 drug
Though most of Merck's COVID-19 efforts have come up short, its antiviral pill could still have a role, as signaled by the U.S. government's sizable financial commitment.
By Ben Fidler • June 09, 2021 -
Courtesy of Walmart
Walmart, Amazon simultaneously add prescription discounts to membership perks
Walmart+ members can access some medications at zero cost and thousands of others at discounts of up to 85%. A day later, reports surfaced that Amazon is offering prescriptions for Prime members at the equivalent of $1 per month.
By Ben Unglesbee • June 09, 2021 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Amazon gets EUA for direct-to-consumer, at-home COVID-19 test
As the COVID-19 pandemic intensified, the tech behemoth initiated an in-house COVID-19 testing service for employees, initially in the U.S. and later in the U.K.
By Nick Paul Taylor • June 09, 2021 -
Mark Makela via Getty Images
OpinionNonprofit health plan CMOs: Data sharing needed to drive vaccine equity
To achieve vaccine equity and approach herd immunity, healthcare organizations need access to timely, comprehensive vaccine data, the CMOs at the Alliance of Community Health Plans and PacificSource Health Plans argue.
By Connie Hwang and Edward McEachern • June 07, 2021 -
Permission granted by Biogen
Deep DiveIn historic move, FDA approves closely watched, controversial Alzheimer's drug
With the decision, the agency cleared the way for what many predict will become a lucrative and highly sought-after option — though fierce debate continues over whether Biogen's aducanumab actually benefits patients.
By Jacob Bell • UPDATED: June 7, 2021 at 4:37 p.m. -
Courtesy of One Medical
One Medical buying Medicare-focused Iora in $2.1B deal
The acquisition by the Google-backed primary care chain aligns two players in the value-based care movement, which eschews traditional payer-provider arrangements in favor of a concierge membership model.
By Shannon Muchmore • June 07, 2021 -
Medtronic pulls HeartWare HVAD pump from market amid recalls, patient deaths
The medtech said the move was influenced by growing evidence the system had higher mortality risks than comparable devices. FDA advised providers to use Abbott's HeartMate 3 as an alternative.
By Ricky Zipp • June 04, 2021 -
Alex Wong via Getty Images
CMMI's Fowler: More mandatory payment models likely
"I recognize those come with their own set of disadvantages ... But I support this direction," CMMI head Elizabeth Fowler said Thursday.
By Rebecca Pifer • June 03, 2021 -
David Paul Morris via Getty Images
Former FDA official Abernethy joins Google health spinoff
The agency's former acting CIO pushed development of real world evidence as well as improved data sharing. At Verily, she'll head up the unit's clinical research business.
By Jonathan Gardner • June 03, 2021
