Government: Page 105
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PBM group says HHS drug rebate proposal would increase costs more than predicted
However, Fitch Ratings said in a new forecast it doesn't expect the change will have a long-term impact on margins or profits for payers, drug companies or distributors.
By Les Masterson • April 5, 2019 -
Imprivata, Verato leverage biometrics in effort to improve patient matching
The companies say linking Imprivata's patient identification tool with Verato's cloud-based master patient index will ensure patients are matched with the correct medical records.
By Meg Bryant • April 4, 2019 -
Amazon's Alexa now has HIPAA-compliant features
Six companies taking part in the online giant's invitation-only developer program launched their features Thursday, including Atrium Health, Cigna, Express Scripts and Livongo.
By Shannon Muchmore • April 4, 2019 -
Alex Wong via Getty Images
CMS approves Maine's long-awaited Medicaid expansion
The state's voters approved expansion in November 2017 for implementation no later than July 2018. However, then-governor Paul LePage, a Republican, refused to carry out the measure last year.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 4, 2019 -
Medicaid expansion improves community health center finances, access to care
Centers in the three dozen expansion states are more likely to offer behavioral health counseling and coordinated care than non-expansion states, according to The Commonwealth Fund.
By Les Masterson • April 4, 2019 -
Industry groups seek cybersecurity safe harbor
In response to a senator's request, several organizations highlighted the need for a national strategy and greater collaboration among various stakeholders, according to a think tank that read the responses.
By Meg Bryant • April 3, 2019 -
UnitedHealthcare, AMA team up on billing codes for social determinants
The two entities are developing 23 ICD-10 codes that could help address patients' socioeconomic needs by connecting them to relevant resources and social services.
By Tony Abraham • April 3, 2019 -
Hospital, doctor lobbies support surprise billing protections — but not bundled payments
The American Hospital Association and other industry groups railed against the concept in a letter Tuesday following a congressional hearing on the topic of surprise billing.
By Samantha Liss • April 3, 2019 -
Uninsured, Medicaid patients more likely to be transferred, JAMA study shows
The study also examined whether hospital ownership plays a role in patient care and found that for-profit hospitals were more likely to transfer uninsured patients.
By Samantha Liss • April 2, 2019 -
Brian Tucker/Healthcare Dive
HHS publishes 340B drug ceiling prices in concession to hospital lobby
The publication follows roughly eight years of delay and legal action from the American Hospital Association.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 2, 2019 -
CMS finalizes nontraditional MA benefits, use of encounter data
The agency is allowing MA plans to cover expenditures associated with social determinants of health, such as covering the cost of fresh produce for beneficiaries with heart disease or carpet cleaning for people with asthma.
By Tony Abraham • Updated April 3, 2019 -
Utah's partial Medicaid expansion cleared by CMS, sidestepping voters
The partial plan also includes work requirements, coming days after a federal judge knocked down similar mandates in Kentucky and Arkansas.
By Les Masterson • April 1, 2019 -
Employers overwhelmingly support ACA's pre-existing condition protections
The results come as the Trump administration's Department of Justice wants the courts to kill the landmark health law and its popular protections and essential benefits.
By Les Masterson • April 1, 2019 -
1 in 7 patients get surprise bill after in-network hospital care, HCCI finds
Anesthesiologists had the highest percentage of out-of-network professional claims in an in-network hospitalization, followed by primary care and emergency services, according to the Health Care Cost Institute.
By Les Masterson • March 29, 2019 -
Revenue, outpatient volume rise in Advocate-Aurora's debut year
Home, physician and outpatient visits all rose for the newly merged company in 2018, and revenue increased 3.5%.
By Tony Abraham • March 29, 2019 -
Judge rules Trump AHP expansion unlawful 'end-run' around ACA
The decision included strong words condemning the rule allowing for easier creation and use of AHPs, calling the regulatory change a "magic trick" that allowed for "absurd results" undermining the intent of Congress.
By Shannon Muchmore • March 29, 2019 -
Wyden floats adding prescription drug comparison tool to EHRs
A preliminary outline from the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee lacks many specifics, such as potential ramifications on EHR usability or increased administrative burden on providers.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 28, 2019 -
AHA doubles down against star ratings, asks CMS to pull
The hospital group said in a letter to CMS it remains concerned the program "is being compromised by a methodology that can lead to inaccurate, misleading comparisons of quality performance."
By Shannon Muchmore • Updated April 1, 2019 -
Trump admin appeals ruling against Medicaid work mandates in Arkansas, Kentucky
A federal judge argued the programs are directly opposed to the "core objective" of Medicaid: to provide care to those in need.
By Tony Abraham • Updated April 11, 2019 -
Killing ACA would lead to huge spikes in uncompensated care
Medicaid expansion states and those with large ACA plan enrollment would feel the most pain if the landmark law is repealed.
By Les Masterson • March 27, 2019 -
VA seeks billions more for controversial community care program
Secretary Robert Wilkie this week asked for a funding increase of $4.6 billion in 2020 for the department's community care program, which critics contend is a means to privatize VA medical care.
By Tony Abraham • March 27, 2019 -
Industry urges slower pace on HHS interoperability rules
Officials from LifePoint, Omada Health and an IT group told a Senate panel more time is needed to process the rules and for implementation.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 27, 2019 -
CMS, physician group launch AI challenge
The Artificial Intelligence Health Outcomes Challenge offers up to $1.65 million in awards. Developers will be tasked with building AI programs on Medicare data to improve health outcomes.
By Tony Abraham • March 27, 2019 -
Trump admin now backs elimination of ACA in court
The move came hours after Democratic attorneys general defending the ACA filed their brief arguing that the landmark law is still constitutional even without an effective individual mandate penalty.
By Shannon Muchmore • Updated March 26, 2019 -
Payer participation in ACA exchanges lacks in parts of US
In the Northeast, 40% of the population lives in an area with at least five ACA plan payers. That figure is only 4% in the South, according to the Urban Institute.
By Les Masterson • March 22, 2019
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