AMA calls for greatly reduced MIPS reporting period

Physicians were not informed of their MIPS eligibility until early April despite being responsible for tracking and collecting data as of Jan. 1. 

By Tony Abraham • April 23, 2018

Potential Medicare APM overlap an increasing concern

Competing payment models in the same area "may have far-reaching impact on provider incentives and behavior," the authors of a recent Health Affairs blog post said.

By Les Masterson • April 19, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

Surprise Billing

Federal legislation banning surprise bills has hit a barrage of roadblocks, complicating efforts to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Illinois stops Medicaid enrollment to state's BCBS

The state sanctioned the payer’s Medicaid managed care plan after it reportedly didn't meet patient access guidelines.

By Les Masterson • April 19, 2018

Healthcare megadeals may have major long-term impact, Moody's says

Payer vertical integration could put more pressure on hospital volumes and margins, according to a new report.

By Les Masterson • April 18, 2018

FDA targets medical device safety in new plan

The plan includes integrating the device center's premarket and postmarket offices.

By Meg Bryant • April 18, 2018

ACP says dozens of MIPS quality measures are not valid

The American College of Physicians has joined other prominent groups in questioning the positive impact of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System track under MACRA.

By Tony Abraham • April 18, 2018

3 states could have Medicaid expansion on the ballot

Meanwhile, Arizona is requesting a waiver to stop Medicaid recipients from getting retroactive coverage up to three months before a person applies for coverage.

By Les Masterson • April 18, 2018

Healthcare sharing ministries: 5 things to know

These alternatives to regular health insurance have grown to nearly 1 million people this decade.

By Les Masterson • April 18, 2018

Insurers argue HHS must clamp down on dialysis patient steering

Payers and a major union group said CMS should reissue its rule on steering in the individual market to prohibit financially interested third parties from making insurance payments.

By David Lim • April 18, 2018

New APM seeks to improve opioid disorder treatment

The AMA and the American Society of Addiction Medicine have unveiled the Patient-Centered Opioid Addiction Treatment advanced payment model, which looks to improve care coordination.

By Les Masterson • April 17, 2018

Amazon reportedly drops plan to distribute pharmaceuticals to hospitals

The report is not entirely unexpected. Amazon in December canceled its pharmaceutical wholesaler application in Maine and told state regulators it did not intend to sell drugs.

By David Lim • April 17, 2018

CVS hires Iora Health's CMO to run MinuteClinic

The CVS-brand clinics will likely play a key role if the company's proposed $69 billion merger with Aetna gets regulatory approval.

By Les Masterson • April 16, 2018

eConsult bolsters specialist access, but barriers remain, JAMA study says

A review of web-based consultations between primary care doctors and specialists found they can result in better care coordination, but some PCPs complained about added responsibilities and administrative burden.

By Les Masterson • April 16, 2018

New Jersey moves closer to its own individual mandate

The state legislature also approved a reinsurance program to help payers cover the sickest members. Both moves look to stabilize the individual market and ACA exchange.

By Les Masterson • April 16, 2018

Short-term plan expansion will hike individual market premiums, lower enrollment

The Trump administration wants to expand short-term plans, also known as catastrophic plans, to anyone and increase their duration from three months to one year.

By Les Masterson • April 13, 2018

Hospitals must improve medication adherence system use to protect patients, report says

Many hospitals are struggling to properly use technology designed to prevent bedside medication errors.

By David Lim • April 13, 2018

JAMA report finds wide health variations by state

Hawaii had the highest life expectancy at birth in 2016 (81.3 years) while Mississippi had the lowest (74.7 years).

By Les Masterson • April 12, 2018

The VA privatization debate: 5 things to know

As the nominee for VA secretary awaits his confirmation hearing, debate is heating up over how involved healthcare's private sector should be in the second-largest federal agency.

By Tony Abraham • April 11, 2018

Is the doctor shortage problem overblown?

While supply is not keeping up with population growth, technology and use of non-physicians may ease any shortfall. 

By Meg Bryant • April 11, 2018

Medicaid improves access, preventive services, AHIP report says

The study comes as Virginia considers becoming the 34th state to expand Medicaid under the ACA.

By Les Masterson • April 11, 2018

Medicare Advantage gets supplemental benefits flexibility, including for transport

The change opens the door to benefits not directly related to healthcare, such as meal delivery and ride-hailing services like Lyft.

By Meg Bryant • April 10, 2018

California bill would create healthcare price controls

The proposal would authorize an independent commission to set private health plan prices based on what Medicare pays for those services.

By Meg Bryant • April 10, 2018

States get more power over ACA essential health benefits with final rule

The sweeping rule is the latest in the Trump administration’s steady chipping away at the landmark health law, which has been coupled with a move to give states more control over their healthcare regulations.

By Jeff Byers • April 9, 2018

M&A risks patient safety, JAMA report warns

Mergers, acquisitions and affiliations are led by financial experts who may not prepare organizations for changes in patient population and practice settings.  

By Les Masterson • April 9, 2018

CVS points finger back at pharma for drug prices

The retail giant says it managed to keep drug costs flat despite 8.3% specialty drug pricing growth.

By Suzanne Elvidge • April 9, 2018