Government: Page 145
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Another blow to Graham-Cassidy leaves repeal effort nearly dead
Maine Sen. Susan Collins said she would not support the proposal because of Medicaid cuts, weakened protections for people with pre-existing conditions and opposition from the healthcare industry.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 26, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Access to patient records held back by cultural and technical issues
The debate over who really owns patient records reignited after news reports of a spat between former Vice President Joe Biden and Epic CEO Judy Faulkner when the topic came up during a meeting.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 26, 2017 -
Deep Dive
What does it mean for a hospital to be ready for disaster?
Health systems have learned a few lessons from the recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida, but experts say many are currently not fully prepared to deal with disaster.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 25, 2017 -
Graham-Cassidy ACA repeal bill faces uphill battle
The authors of the legislation have drafted new text that further weakens any protections for people with pre-existing conditions. More changes could come as GOP leaders attempt to sway lawmakers still uncommitted.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 25, 2017 -
Texas law takes aim at surprise billing
A new law requires freestanding ERs to tell patients about their insurance networks. State legislators hope it will help limit surprise billing.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 21, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Has the readmissions reduction program peaked?
“It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach,” says Advisory Board Company’s Rebecca Tyrell. “It requires you to dive deep and understand the risk factors for the individual patients.”
By Meg Bryant • Sept. 21, 2017 -
Last-ditch ACA repeal effort set for vote next week
Industry groups fiercely oppose the bill, which makes fundamental changes to how health insurance is funded and could result in about 30 million people losing coverage.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 21, 2017 -
CMS seeks 'new direction' for innovation center
CMS Administrator Seema Verma said the agency wants to "move away from the assumption that Washington can engineer a more efficient healthcare system."
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 21, 2017 -
Consumers, physicians blame rising healthcare costs on insurers, drug companies
Survey respondents said two ways to reduce health spending is forcing those with poor health habits to pay more for their healthcare and to allow affordable catastrophic health insurance plans with limited benefits.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 20, 2017 -
Employer-based health insurance plan rates see 'modest increases' in 2017
While premiums aren't increasing as they were a decade ago, individuals are facing high deductibles.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 19, 2017 -
Study: Benefits of early childhood access to Medicaid extend for generations
Researchers found that a 10% increase in prenatal Medicaid eligibility can have long-term effects.
By Meg Bryant • Sept. 19, 2017 -
Insurers limiting access to safer pain medications because of cost
In response to news reports on the issue, the National Association of Attorneys General asked America’s Health Insurance Plans to work with its members to create better policies.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 18, 2017 -
Study: ACA market stabilization plan would reduce premiums, increase enrollment
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is working on legislation that includes cost-sharing reduction payments and a reinsurance package, but their talks could get crowded out by a last-chance shot at ACA repeal.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 18, 2017 -
AHA questions MedPAC report on new post-acute payment system
The organization is concerned the model proposed by MedPAC contains fundamental problems that make it "unworkable as a foundation” for developing the new payment method.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 18, 2017 -
Kaiser Permanente, Target opening 31 more in-store clinics in southern California
The expanding partnership is part of a growing trend to bring healthcare to consumers and away from hospitals, emergency rooms and overbooked primary care physician offices.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 18, 2017 -
Deep Dive
What will be the fallout from Anthem's new imaging policy?
With payers looking to force more services to lower-cost settings, hospitals have to react to losing some of their main profit sources.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 18, 2017 -
Analysis makes case for dispute resolution in network adequacy regulation
Policy experts from Brookings and USC recommend a layered approach to ensuring a provider network isn't too limited, including combining qualitative and quantitative standards with external dispute resolution.
By Meg Bryant • Sept. 15, 2017 -
Alex Wong via Getty Images
CBO: ACA markets to see premium increases, stunted enrollment
The agency said scaled back outreach is a factor in its predictions. HHS has slashed funding for promotion of the ACA, including an overall budget cut of 90% and cuts of up to 98% for navigator groups.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 15, 2017 -
Senators offer polar opposite plans for changing healthcare system
Some Republicans aren't giving up on repealing the ACA. Across the aisle, Democrats are embracing a single-payer plan.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 14, 2017 -
Healthcare industry split on CMS' proposal to allow inpatient joint replacement surgeries
Providers at hospitals, which would see less revenue under the plan, say moving those procedures to outpatient settings would threaten patient safety.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 14, 2017 -
Hospital groups oppose 340B cuts, site neutral payments in comments to CMS
The AHA suggested CMS suspend the star ratings program and electronic clinical quality measure reporting requirements as well as cancel Stage 3 of the Meaningful Use program.
By Shannon Muchmore • Sept. 13, 2017 -
Census shows uninsured rate drops to new record low
Medicare was the only health insurance subtype that saw a “statistically significant difference” between 2015 and 2016.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 13, 2017 -
Deep Dive
Reading the tea leaves in a hospital's loss of tax-exempt status
News that a hospital lost its status earlier this year "may certainly send some chills down the spines of some hospital managers,” says Gary Young, a health policy expert at Northeastern University in Boston.
By Meg Bryant • Sept. 12, 2017 -
Telehealth could lure more providers to ACOs
At a recent MedPAC meeting, members noted Medicare telehealth payments are increasing, but usage is low overall and dominated by a small number of providers and beneficiaries.
By Meg Bryant • Sept. 12, 2017 -
CBO: Medicare spending has slowed this fiscal year
The agency also reported that subsidies paid to health insurance companies through the ACA marketplace rose by 25%.
By Les Masterson • Sept. 11, 2017
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