340B drug program ceiling price, penalties start Jan. 1

Following years of delay and pushback from the hospital industry, HHS has finalized a rule that implements ceiling prices and civil monetary penalties for drug manufacturers.

By Tony Abraham • Nov. 30, 2018

Beth Israel-Lahey Health merger cleared with conditions, including price cap

The Massachusetts attorney general secured a nearly $72 million commitment from the combined organization, which will go toward healthcare services for low-income residents.

By Samantha Liss • Nov. 30, 2018

Number of uninsured children increases for first time in decade

The percentage of uninsured children in the U.S. went up from 4.7% in 2016 to 5% in 2017, and nine states saw "significant" increases, according to the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 30, 2018

HHS outlines broad plan to reduce EHR burden

The 74-page draft strategy, required by the 21st Century Cures Act, focuses on reducing time and effort tied to regulatory reporting requirements and increasing functionality and user-friendliness of EHRs.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 29, 2018

CMS offers states more waiver options to skirt ACA requirements

Administrator Seema Verma said the move will improve affordability and consumer choice, but Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said the proposal will promote "junk plans."

By Les Masterson • Nov. 29, 2018

Study highlights discrepancy in hospital rankings

Top-ranked hospitals had higher readmissions for heart failure than nonranked hospitals, according to the report in JAMA Cardiology.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 29, 2018

AMA report finds less payer competition

The states that saw the largest drops in competition between 2016 and 2017 were North Dakota, Alaska, Louisiana, Indiana and Utah, according to the study.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 28, 2018

States debate Medicaid work requirements in wake of midterms

Virginia is the latest state to apply for a waiver, but Wisconsin's governor-elect is contemplating an end to his state's work requirement.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 28, 2018

Almost 70% of voters support protection for pre-existing conditions

More than 90% of self-identified Democrats, 79% of independents and 62% of Republicans would feel very concerned if they lost coverage for pre-existing conditions, according to the advocacy arm of the American Cancer Society.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 28, 2018

OIG: Medicare reimbursements skewed by 'significant vulnerabilities' in hospital wage data

Five of the watchdog's most recent reviews of hospital wage data between 2004 and 2017 revealed an estimated $140.5 million in improper payments to hospitals.

By Tony Abraham • Nov. 28, 2018

Filming the opioid epidemic: 5 must-see documentaries

Healthcare Dive reviewed about a dozen films profiling the crisis to bring you this curated list of the best to watch. 

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 27, 2018

Texas Walmart hosting Beacon mental health clinic

The mental health services provider said it's launching clinics in retail stores and other locations that will provide "convenience, privacy and accessibility."

By Les Masterson • Nov. 27, 2018

CMS aims to tackle drug costs by giving payers more bargaining power

Under the agency's proposal, Part D plans would be allowed to exclude protected drugs from their formularies in certain instances. 

By Samantha Liss • Nov. 27, 2018

Drug costs pushed one-third of Americans to skip a prescription in the past year: GoodRx

Nearly all respondents to a recent survey said they had health insurance, yet 42% noted they were still having difficulty paying for medications.

By Jacob Bell • Nov. 26, 2018

California imposes conditions on CHI-Dignity Health merger

The state approved the deal so long as the two health systems agree to certain measures meant to preserve access to care and financial aid. The two will operate 30 hospitals in California.

By Samantha Liss • Nov. 26, 2018

More than half of health data breaches triggered internally, study finds

Still, more than a third of the incidents are caused by theft from outsiders or unknown parties, according to an analysis of HHS data.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 21, 2018

People with limited health insurance literacy more likely to avoid care

Plain-language communication from trusted healthcare professionals could help improve health literacy and lead to more use of preventive services, according to a new study in JAMA.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 21, 2018

CMS should give states more info to improve Medicaid MCO data reliability, GAO says

Of the eight states studied, three use an additional oversight practice to compare encounter data with an external data source and five use other mechanisms to enforce reporting requirements, including penalties, according to the watchdog.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 21, 2018

Consumerism (and Amazon) loom over #USNHoT

Disruption doesn't have to come from the tech sector, said healthcare execs at the U.S. News & World Report Healthcare of Tomorrow conference. Businesses must prioritize customer relationships, data and convenience to stay ahead.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 20, 2018

FDA plan would ease regulations for prescription drug apps

The agency is seeking public comment on a proposed regulatory framework that would treat most prescription drug apps, including dose calculators, symptom trackers and medication reminders, as promotional labeling.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 20, 2018

Telehealth laws inhibit widespread use in Medicare population, CMS says

The agency is opening up virtual care in some alternative payment models, but use among fee-for-service beneficiaries is just 0.25%, according to a new report. The states with the highest use are Texas, Iowa and California.

By Meg Bryant • Nov. 19, 2018

Primary care physician visits drop among patients with employer plans

Office visits for all providers went up between 2012 and 2016 despite the drop for primary care physicians, pointing to a bigger role for nurse practitioners and physician assistants, according to the Health Care Cost Institute.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 19, 2018

Pfizer tests Trump with plans to hike prices on 41 drugs

Last month, Pfizer CEO Ian Read indicated the pharma would soon return to "business as normal" after a rare reversal on price hikes made in July. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 19, 2018

Lack of competition leads to higher ACA plan premiums in rural areas

Lower premiums in urban areas are partially related to more competition among plans and providers, according to a new report from the Urban Institute.

By Les Masterson • Nov. 19, 2018

House chairman sees 'every indication' that VA's EHR difficulties will continue

"Frankly," Indiana Rep. Jim Banks said, "the more I learn about the EHR program, the more daunting it has become." 

By Tony Abraham • Nov. 15, 2018