Government
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Novant, CHS fire back after FTC sues to block North Carolina hospital sale
The health systems argued in a court filing that regulators’ allegations are based on a “distorted and artificially narrow view” of the healthcare market in the Charlotte area.
By Emily Olsen • April 19, 2024 -
Providers, drugmakers at odds over new 340B dispute resolution process
PhRMA said the new rule “panders to 340B hospitals,” while the American Hospital Association and 340B Health said the rule would preserve the drug discount program’s integrity.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 19, 2024 -
Trendline
Labor
Disputes between hospitals and workers are likely to continue even as the pandemic’s greatest impacts subside — a source of friction that could leave patients caught in the middle.
By Healthcare Dive staff -
ACOs led by independent physicians save Medicare ‘substantially’ more money, CBO says
Independent practices have clearer financial incentives to lower medical spending than hospitals participating in accountable care organizations, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 17, 2024 -
Change Healthcare cyberattack
Lawmakers raise healthcare consolidation concerns after Change cyberattack
Legislators also slammed UnitedHealth Group, which acquired Change Healthcare nearly two years ago, for not sending a representative to the House subcommittee hearing.
By Emily Olsen • April 16, 2024 -
Telehealth company Cerebral to pay $7M fine over data sharing
The Federal Trade Commission alleged the digital mental healthcare company had provided sensitive data to third parties and maintained “sloppy” security practices.
By Emily Olsen • April 16, 2024 -
VA plans to resume Oracle EHR rollout by end of FY 2025, secretary says
The agency needs a single electronic health record that’s more interoperable with the Department of Defense, VA Secretary Denis McDonough told lawmakers.
By Emily Olsen • April 15, 2024 -
Florida issues Medicaid managed care awards booting out UnitedHealth, CVS and Molina
Meanwhile, Centene, Elevance and Humana held onto statewide contracts. The reprocurement was especially positive for Centene, which had been expected to lose market share, analysts said.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 15, 2024 -
Medicaid redeterminations
More than 20M disenrolled amid Medicaid redeterminations
Nearly a quarter of adults removed from the safety-net program since early last year said they are uninsured, according to KFF.
By Emily Olsen • April 12, 2024 -
US sues Regeneron, alleging false price reporting on Eylea
The Department of Justice accused Regeneron of defrauding Medicare by knowingly inflating the average sales price for its top-selling eye drug.
By Kristin Jensen • April 11, 2024 -
CMS proposes 2.6% payment increase for inpatient hospitals next year
Regulators said payments to hospitals would increase $3.2 billion in 2025 under the proposed rule. However, the American Hospital Association called the hike “woefully inadequate.”
By Rebecca Pifer • April 11, 2024 -
Massachusetts lawmakers call on regulators to review Steward-UnitedHealth deal
Antitrust agencies could be sympathetic toward the deal, given Steward’s financial distress and important hospital portfolio. But sympathy won’t shield the deal from scrutiny, an expert told Healthcare Dive.
By Susanna Vogel • April 10, 2024 -
Confusion about Medicaid skewing coverage estimates, study finds
The number of people enrolled in Medicaid soared over the pandemic, but many enrollees may not have known their coverage had continued, new research suggests.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 10, 2024 -
Michigan divvies out Medicaid contracts, with Centene, Molina seeing minor losses
However, the insurers could protest Michigan’s decision, potentially mitigating membership erosion.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 9, 2024 -
North Carolina county seeks damages in HCA Mission lawsuit
Buncombe County is seeking to join a lawsuit from the state alleging HCA intentionally understaffed Mission’s emergency department, increased wait times and wasted taxpayer dollars.
By Susanna Vogel • April 9, 2024 -
CMS caps broker payments in Medicare Advantage
The final rule issued last week prevents insurers from paying brokers additional fees for steering beneficiaries to their plans.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 8, 2024 -
Physicians ask FDA to revoke approval of DNA test for opioid addiction
Providers said the test is based “on old genetic studies that have largely been abandoned” and could exacerbate the opioid crisis.
By Nick Paul Taylor • April 8, 2024 -
Senate ramps up scrutiny of private equity ‘greed’ in healthcare
As private equity firms buy up hospitals and staffing agencies, lawmakers say they're increasingly concerned that patient care could suffer.
By Susanna Vogel • April 5, 2024 -
CMS finalizes ACA network adequacy rule
Starting in 2026, plans sold in state-based exchanges will be required to meet time and distance standards for provider access that are already applied to plans sold federally.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 3, 2024 -
Biden administration finalizes modest cut to 2025 Medicare Advantage rates
Despite heavy lobbying, insurers failed to see MA rates improve in the final rule, which codified a 0.16% decrease to benchmark funding.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 2, 2024 -
School-based Medicaid billing concerns delay proposed rule
Concerns over negative impacts to students’ out-of-school public insurance benefits appear to be delaying the release of a federal education rule.
By Kara Arundel • April 2, 2024 -
Biden administration finalizes rule cracking down on short-term plans
Democrat lawmakers and patient advocacy groups cheered the final rule for protecting patients from the skimpy plans, while free-market advocates slammed it as limiting coverage options for consumers.
By Rebecca Pifer • March 29, 2024 -
New federal health IT strategy increases focus on public health, AI
The draft plan builds on its predecessor, which the health IT agency said drove “significant progress” in the use and exchange of electronic health information.
By Emily Olsen • March 28, 2024 -
CMS streamlines Medicaid, CHIP renewal and enrollment in final rule
It’s the “most robust and meaningful” regulation streamlining Medicaid eligibility since the Affordable Care Act was implemented a decade ago, one lawyer said.
By Rebecca Pifer • March 28, 2024 -
Overturning of Roe v. Wade
Supreme Court weighs abortion opponents’ standing in mifepristone case
Reversal of the FDA’s expanded access could limit use of medication abortion even in states that have legal protections for the procedure in place.
By Delilah Alvarado • March 27, 2024 -
Medicare’s GLP-1 spending is skyrocketing, even without weight loss coverage: KFF
Gross Medicare spending on the pricey drugs rose from $57 million in 2018 to $5.7 billion in 2022, according to a new analysis from the health policy group.
By Rebecca Pifer • March 27, 2024