Policy & Regulation
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No single solution to patient matching challenge, GAO says
Questions about the accuracy of digital matching tools force providers to recheck results manually, according to the government watchdog.
By Meg Bryant • Jan. 16, 2019
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Massachusetts will ask Medicaid patients to rate their doctors
Nearly 250,000 beneficiaries will receive questions about primary care, mental health treatment and long-term care services in what the state says is a first-of-its-kind project.
By Les Masterson • Jan. 16, 2019
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Deep DiveHow a 'regulatory dead zone' may be holding up copycat insulin
The FDA has talked up biosimilars' potential impact on the insulin market, but changing regulations have complicated matters for would-be competitors.
By Andrew Dunn • Jan. 16, 2019
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Traditional players focused on value-based care, interoperability will drive healthcare innovation, experts argue
The panelists agreed that the Trump administration is making some headway in initiatives that prioritize quality over quantity of care, but it's not enough.
By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 16, 2019
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Democrats riding in on blue wave seek more liberal state, local health policies
Public health insurance options, individual mandates and a variety of Medicaid expansion plans are all on the table as newly installed governors and other officials announce their goals for the year.
By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 15, 2019
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CVS chief says industry disruption should come from within
During an address in D.C. on Monday, the pharmacy chain's CEO Larry Merlo touched on challenges facing the industry and announced a five-year $100 million commitment to bolster healthcare resources in local communities.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 15, 2019
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Louisiana launching 'Netflix model' in Medicaid for hepatitis C drugs
The state is looking for a pharmaceutical partner on the project that will cap state spending on expensive treatments for the disease.
By Les Masterson • Jan. 14, 2019
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About 1 in 5 healthcare payments is tied to value-based model
Participation in major clinical registries is growing on average 7% annually, according to the new paper on quality initiatives and resource needs. Tracking quality measures through registries is a critical step to value-based payments.
By Meg Bryant • Jan. 11, 2019
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No way to enforce hospital price transparency rule, CMS says
Administrator Seema Verma said the agency is seeking comments on what the enforcement mechanism should be for failure to post charges.
By Tony Abraham • Jan. 11, 2019
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Dems seek answers from Trump admin on CMMI, ACA
Democrats — and one key Republican — are pushing for transparency within Medicare's innovation arm while also demanding details on ACA policies.
By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 11, 2019
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Report calls for privatizing West Virginia's state-run hospitals
Ownership and operations of the seven hospitals would be transferred to a Hospital Facilities Authority, which would explore various privatization options.
By Meg Bryant • Jan. 11, 2019
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ONC to Congress: Room for improvement in data sharing
Ongoing barriers to seamless data sharing range from technical and financial to trust and business practices, according to the HHS IT department's latest progress report.
By Meg Bryant • Jan. 10, 2019
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Few digital health companies studying impact in high-burden populations, study finds
Only 16 of the more than 100 studies the authors looked at assessed a digital health product's impact on outcomes, and none measured its effect on cost or access to care, according to the report in Health Affairs.
By Meg Bryant • Jan. 10, 2019
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Government shutdown poses another hiccup for CVS-Aetna
CVS CEO Larry Merlo addressed the ongoing court review of the Aetna merger at J.P. Morgan's annual conference, saying it will not impede expected benefits from the marriage.
By Samantha Liss • Jan. 10, 2019
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Grassley to zoom in on drug pricing, insurance mergers as Senate panel chair
The new Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee pledged to scrutinize mergers such as the CVS-Aetna deal and work to allow cheaper drug imports from Canada.
By David Lim • Jan. 10, 2019
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Medicare joint replacement program could succeed in more regions, Health Affairs study says
The mandatory bundled payment model first implemented in 2016 has shown some ability to cut spending without negatively affecting care quality.
By Les Masterson • Jan. 09, 2019
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High-cost Medicare patients more likely to be younger, low-income
One of the greatest predictors of a high-cost patient was whether they are dually eligible due to chronic kidney disease.
By Samantha Liss • Jan. 09, 2019
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House Democrats hope to push all states to expand Medicaid
Meanwhile, some Republicans in D.C. support a partial Medicaid expansion for the 14 states that have not yet opened up their programs to include more residents.
By Les Masterson • Jan. 08, 2019
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Convenience more important to patients than quality of care, survey finds
Nearly half of the organizations surveyed by NRC Health plan to invest in technology to gauge patient-experience metrics over the next year.
By Les Masterson • Jan. 07, 2019
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Cancer treatment choices may be skewed by financial incentives, study shows
Physicians in freestanding radiotherapy centers were more likely to self-refer radiation treatment for patients, according to the report in JAMA Oncology.
By Meg Bryant • Jan. 04, 2019
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Hospitals see 'modest' 3% savings using Medicare joint replacement model, study finds
Those participating didn't see a significant difference in complications or percentage of procedures among high-risk patients, according to the report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
By Les Masterson • Jan. 04, 2019
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Final ACA federal enrollment tally drops due to cancellations
The final numbers are roughly 43,000 lower than those CMS posted at the end of open enrollment last month and about 4% lower than figures a year ago.
By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 04, 2019
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HL7 releases latest FHIR version
The new iteration brings normative status, meaning future changes will be backward compatible.
By Meg Bryant • Jan. 03, 2019
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Advocate Aurora Health aims for 100% renewable electricity by 2030
The newly merged health system hopes to cut its annual carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 400,000 metric tons.
By Les Masterson • Jan. 03, 2019
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Dem AGs appeal Texas judge ruling against ACA
The group of 17 state attorneys general slammed last month's ruling that found the ACA unconstitutional. One official called it an "absurd interpretation of the law."
By Tony Abraham • Jan. 03, 2019