Provider groups ask feds to delay EHR upgrade deadline

Just 54 of more than 3,700 EHR products have been certified to 2015 Edition requirements, the 100 medical groups and and state medical societies say. 

By Meg Bryant • March 2, 2017

House Ways and Means Committee to release healthcare legislation this month

A handful of Republican healthcare ideas have been debated over the past several months, but the party has still not coalesced behind a particular plan for repealing and replacing the ACA. 

By Luke Gale • March 2, 2017

Trump outlines 5 principles for healthcare reform

The president called on all Democrats and Republicans to work together on healthcare going forward.

By Jeff Byers • March 1, 2017

Growing attention on surprise medical bills highlights need for legislative action

Surprise medical bills have caught the attention of journalists and researchers. As more and more information becomes available, it seems there is a growing appetite for federal legislation to address the problem. 

By Luke Gale • March 1, 2017

Early elective deliveries less common now than in 2010

Seema Verma, the nominee to lead CMS, indicated during a confirmation hearing that the government should not require health plans to include maternity coverage.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 28, 2017

U.S. News & World Report delivers state-by-state healthcare rankings

The rankings deliver state profiles that can serve as building blocks to improve understanding of discrepancies in healthcare.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 28, 2017

South Dakota lifts restrictions on nurse practitioner independence

The nation's impending physician shortage and growth in demand for primary care services has led lawmakers to turn to nurses to help address the problem. 

By Luke Gale • Feb. 27, 2017

Antibiotic-resistant infections among children increased 700% in 8 years

Hospitals are still prescribing a lot of antibiotics but the threats of superbugs and hospital-acquired infections are increasing.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 24, 2017

ACA repeal draft bill surfaces

The draft bill phases out Medicaid expansion, replaces subsidies to help people buy coverage with tax credits and pays for it with a limit on the tax exemption for employer-sponsored insurance.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 24, 2017

CMS extends non-ACA compliant plans to end of 2018

The federal agency is leaving it up to the states to decide whether the individual and small group insurance policies can be renewed.

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 23, 2017

CMS: ACO coverage trends upwards in 2017

MACRA took it to another level with value-based initiatives and providers have skin in the game. Will progress persist despite turmoil on Capitol Hill? 

By Luke Gale • Feb. 23, 2017

65,000 providers lose Medicaid eligibility

An ACA rule intended to fight fraud may have removed providers from Medicaid rolls when they inadvertently missed a deadline to revalidate their eligibility.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 23, 2017

Trump administration delays payer exchange deadlines, stalls on subsidies

Federal agencies are now working to stabilize the health insurance exchanges despite President Donald Trump's campaign promises to repeal the ACA.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 22, 2017

Judge grants Anthem's motion for a speedy appeal in Cigna merger case

The decision comes after the health insurance giant was granted a temporary restraining order to prevent Cigna from terminating the $54 billion deal.

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 21, 2017

CMS doles out $20M to aid small practice MACRA preparation

Altarum, Georgia Medical Care Foundation, HealthCentric and Health Services Advisory Group are among the organizations receiving funds in 2017.  

By Luke Gale • Feb. 20, 2017

Outline of GOP plan to replace ACA has few surprises

An outline for a replacement coverage plan that was leaked Thursday makes no mention of changing Medicare to a premium support system but does substantially roll back Medicaid expansion.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 17, 2017

With surgeon Tom Price leading HHS, doctors' caucus gets spotlight

Newly installed HHS Secretary Tom Price has begun his efforts to repeal the ACA with a CMS proposed rule meant to stabilize the insurance exchanges and a strategy meeting with Republicans in Congress.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 16, 2017

Is it too late to stop a death spiral on the ACA insurance exchanges?

The Trump administration has taken steps to stabilize insurance exchanges next year but payers are running out of time to decide their participation. Market uncertainty could see more insurers making their way for the door.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 16, 2017

Health Catalyst deploys tool to enhance MACRA reporting

Just over a third of health system executives report having a strategy for meeting MACRA reporting requirements, according to a recent survey.

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 16, 2017

GAO: HHS lets cybersecurity shortcomings linger

The investigative arm of Congress calls for better cyber protections for electronic health information and user information in state health insurance marketplaces.

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 16, 2017

Sam's Club brings higi health screening platform to members

Demand for convenient, cheaper care has fueled the rise of retail clinics, health screenings and other digital health services.

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 15, 2017

ACA gains: Uninsured rate reaches new low

New National Center for Health Statistics data reveal there were 28.2 million Americans without insurance in 2016.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 15, 2017

CMS drops rule aimed at stabilizing ACA market

Expanding pre-enrollment verification and shortening the open enrollment period in the individual market are among the changes to the ACA the federal government is proposing. 

By Jeff Byers , Ana Mulero • Feb. 15, 2017

Humana to exit ACA exchanges

The health insurance company, which ended its plans to merge with Aetna on Tuesday, said it is "seeing further signs of an unbalanced risk pool."

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 15, 2017

California regulator report reveals insurers' flawed network lists

Cigna, Aetna and UnitedHealthcare were among major health plans in 2015 that reported inaccurate information to California’s managed care regulator.

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 14, 2017