Government: Page 143
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Congress continues to negotiate CSR funding
A bipartisan bill to restore the cost-sharing reduction payments has prospects but also many hurdles.
By Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 23, 2017 -
Pilot test will evaluate MACRA's ability to reduce costs
The CMS will test eight measures to see whether physicians in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System are cutting spending.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 23, 2017 -
Website lets Marylanders compare hospital costs
“Wear the Cost” provides price information on four common medical procedures.
By Meg Bryant • Oct. 20, 2017 -
HIPAA is hampering patient engagement, analysis says
Authors of the report in the New England Journal of Medicine said providers are leery of getting whacked with penalties for noncompliance, so they "have understandably interpreted HIPAA conservatively."
By Les Masterson • Oct. 20, 2017 -
Study: Nearly half of all US medical care happens in EDs
Researchers said emergency department visits increased by about 44% between 1996 and 2010.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 20, 2017 -
States pushing ahead with telehealth-enabling laws, regulations, study finds
Since April, 22 states have qualified under the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which promotes harmonized regulatory frameworks.
By Meg Bryant • Oct. 19, 2017 -
Deep Dive
The White House isn't waiting any longer to try to bring down the ACA
President Donald Trump’s recent claim that “there is no such thing as Obamacare anymore” is certainly exaggeration, but his administration’s intention to get to that point is clear after last week's executive order and decision to end cost-sharing reduction payments.
By Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 18, 2017 -
Senators say they've reached a bipartisan agreement to refund CSRs
The preliminary deal also reportedly tweaks the waiver process states can use to bypass some ACA requirements.
By Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 18, 2017 -
Some hospitals are finding a new funding source in nursing homes
Hospitals can get more Medicaid funding per nursing home resident by owning or leasing the facility, according to Kaiser Health News.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 18, 2017 -
Healthgrades: Hospital quality varies widely throughout the country
The annual analysis showed that hospitals close to each other “can have significant differences in complication and mortality rates for the same condition or procedure.”
By Les Masterson • Oct. 18, 2017 -
CMS supports Kansas Medicaid waiver rejected by Obama administration
The state has a one-year extension for a waiver that allows it to cover most of its Medicaid population in a managed care plan.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 18, 2017 -
MA, Optum customers contribute to UnitedHealth's strong Q3
The company during an earnings call showed interest in the recent executive order allowing for association health plans and extending short-term plans.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 17, 2017 -
Next Generation ACOs show positive results
Accountable care organizations in the Next Generation program take on more financial risk than other programs, but can see a bigger payoff from savings created through improvements in care.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 17, 2017 -
U.S. News & World Report announces top Medicare plans for 2018
The report comes on the heels of CMS’ Medicare Star Ratings last week.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 16, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Same-day scheduling can improve patient satisfaction and your bottom line
With same-day scheduling, "the practice develops a reputation for being accessible and caring for their patients in a timely manager,” Kenneth Hertz, principal of MGMA Health Care Consulting Group, told Healthcare Dive.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 16, 2017 -
Trump administration to cut off CSR payments, dealing blow to ACA
The move to eliminate CSRs, which help insurers finance out-of-pocket healthcare costs for low-income consumers, could destabilize the ACA exchanges after Republicans were unable to repeal the law through legislation.
By Jeff Byers , Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 13, 2017 -
Trump undercuts ACA with new plan options
An executive order will allow for health plans that do not have essential benefits or protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
By Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 12, 2017 -
Analysis: Is healthcare spending growth past the ACA bump?
A new Robert Wood Johnson Foundation blog post notes hospital spending growth has slowed as payers have pushed for more outpatient services.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 11, 2017 -
Medicare Advantage star ratings show little change
The number of top performing plans decreased from 49% in 2017 to 44% this year, but the percentage of enrollees in those plans increased.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 11, 2017 -
Hospitals defend 340B drug program amid scrutiny
Lawmakers are calling for more oversight as questions arise over whether savings from the program are being used as intended, but hospitals say the concerns are overblown.
By Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 11, 2017 -
AHA report: Hospitals more than make up for their tax-exempt status
The analysis used data from tax forms, community benefit reports and Medicare cost reports from nearly 3,000 non-profit general hospitals.
By Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 11, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Investors are approaching hospital stocks cautiously
Some unfavorable financial trends and an air of uncertainty for healthcare's future in Congress has led to an environment not particularly friendly for major investment.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 10, 2017 -
UnitedHealth survey: Most Americans don't understand basic health plan terms
The survey also found a large increase in the number of people using the internet and mobile apps to compare health prices.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 10, 2017 -
Americans aren't getting healthcare price information, according to survey
Many respondents who said they requested the information didn't actually get what they needed from providers.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 9, 2017 -
MedPAC pushes for MIPS repeal
Members of the commission said MIPS is too complex and won't achieve the goal of improving patient care.
By Les Masterson • Oct. 9, 2017
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