Michigan threatens to repeal Medicaid expansion if work requirements not approved

Two JAMA studies bolster critics of work requirements who say most Medicaid recipients who are able to work are already doing so, and tracking compliance will heap more administrative burden onto an already-taxed system.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Sept. 12, 2018

Hospitals sue to require drug pricing transparency in 340B

HHS delayed implementing the regulations for the fifth time in June and has signaled they will be rolled into the administration's larger plan to cut drug costs.

By Tony Abraham • Sept. 12, 2018

Walgreens to take over 185 Fred's pharmacies

The dissolution of Fred's pharmacy operations is quite a departure from the drugstore's ambitions a year ago.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 11, 2018

Kaiser Permanente commits to being carbon neutral by 2020

The Oakland-based integrated system said its purchase of 180 megawatts of clean energy will make the company the largest purchaser of renewable energy in the U.S. healthcare sector.

By Les Masterson • Sept. 11, 2018

Calls for more transparency after Memorial Sloan controversy

Renowned breast cancer researcher José Baselga, also CMO at Memorial Sloan Kettering, accepted millions of dollars from companies but failed to reveal those payments in published research.

By Meg Bryant • Sept. 11, 2018

Physician wellness, quality of care go hand-in-hand, analysis finds

Health systems should factor in how burnout affects performance, care quality and safety outcomes as they conduct business and treat patients, the authors of the JAMA report said.

By Les Masterson • Sept. 10, 2018

Modest ACA plan premium changes expected for 2019

Following a year of concern about hefty rate increases and the possibility of some counties not having any ACA plan options, 2019 is shaping up to be a stable year for the exchanges.

By Les Masterson • Sept. 10, 2018

Montana co-op wins $5.3M CSR lawsuit

The judge ruled that the federal government didn't fulfill its obligation under the ACA when it stopped the cost-sharing reduction payments last year.

By Les Masterson • Sept. 7, 2018

Medicaid waivers put transport benefits on chopping block

A new study shows non-emergency medical transportation saves Medicaid more than $40 million per month for every 30,000 beneficiaries. But some states have the longstanding benefit in their sights.

By Tony Abraham • Sept. 7, 2018

Physician-led ACOs saw savings in Medicare program

Hospital-integrated ACOs, however, didn't have the same success, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

By Les Masterson • Sept. 6, 2018

JAMA studies show upsides of CMS bundled payment models

The reports found reduced institutional post-acute discharges with the CJR program and no increase in patient volume for the BPCI model.

By Les Masterson • Sept. 6, 2018

PhRMA, hospital war over drug prices heats up

The drugmaker lobby issued a report contending hospitals upcharge meds by 500% as a hospital-led effort to develop cheaper generics took a step forward.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Sept. 6, 2018

Federal judge mulls ACA's constitutional standing

The Texas judge is reportedly "strongly considering" that the ACA is unconstitutional without its individual mandate penalty. A decision on the lawsuit could arrive any time before the end of the year.

By Tony Abraham • Sept. 5, 2018

Gottlieb: UnitedHealth, CareFirst sign onto FDA pilot aiming to speed device coverage

The FDA chief also outlined new programs including "QUiK Review" aimed at cutting review times for well-understood, low-risk 510(k) submissions "by as much as 30%."

By David Lim • Sept. 5, 2018

Medicare ACOs saved $1.1B in 2017, CMS data show

It comes after CMS officials predicted an overhaul of the Medicare Shared Savings Program would push ACOs to take on more financial risk in their first years of participation.

By Les Masterson • Sept. 4, 2018

CMMI director says agency won't force all providers to assume risk

Adam Boehler said, however, that CMS wants to "create that avenue" for any practices interested in taking on more risk.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Aug. 31, 2018

Uninsured rate stays stable in 2018

Use of high-deductible health plans continued an upward trend, with nearly half of people with private insurance saying they have such coverage, new federal statistics show.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 30, 2018

Report offers framework for assessing EHR usability, safety

The voluntary roadmap includes criteria examples for developers and providers to use in testing EHR products at each lifecycle stage.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 29, 2018

Hundreds of groups raise concerns about E/M payment proposal

They support efforts to cut provider administrative burden in the 2019 Physician Payment Rule but question its consolidation of office billing codes.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 29, 2018

Health insurance tax return would increase out-of-pocket costs, report finds

Congress approved a one-year moratorium on the tax for 2019, but it is expected to return the following year.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 29, 2018

Nixing discharges to long-term care hospitals could save Medicare $4.6B, study finds

Long-term care hospitals are reimbursed at substantially higher rates than other post-acute care arrangements.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 28, 2018

How Scott Gottlieb is upending FDA communication, 1 tweet at a time

The FDA commissioner has been relentless in pumping out tweets, statements and more. But how has that affected FDA communications and the agency overall?

By Andrew Dunn • Aug. 28, 2018

Critics say GOP pre-existing conditions bill flawed

The legislative effort comes as a Republican-backed court case may wipe out the ACA's protections for people with pre-existing conditions. 

By Les Masterson • Aug. 28, 2018

Next-Gen ACOs saved $62M in first reporting year, CMS says

Half of the drop in spending and utilization stemmed from just four of the 18 NGACOs active in 2016, according to a report from the agency.

By Meg Bryant • Aug. 28, 2018

Clover Health expanding MA offerings to 6 more markets

The San Francisco-based payer also announced it is working with Taiwan-based Cathay Life Insurance to use artificial intelligence products that can predict elements like what patients will need hospitalization and when.

By Les Masterson • Aug. 27, 2018