TeamHealth to pay $60M to resolve fraudulent billing allegations

The settlement comes on the same day that private equity firm Blackstone Group completed its $6.1 billion acquisition of the major hospital service provider. 

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 7, 2017

Healthcare reform can create confusion over compliance for providers

Providers have had to confront numerous changes in healthcare policy, rules and regulations in recent years, even as the government takes a more aggressive approach to enforcing compliance. 

By Luke Gale • Feb. 7, 2017

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

FCC reversal on broadband subsidies dampens telehealth's potential

An FCC decision to hold off on broadband internet subsidies for low-income individuals and families shows how non-healthcare agencies can affect healthcare initiatives.  

By Luke Gale • Feb. 7, 2017

Dr. Ashish Jha on how providers should consider APMs

Hospitals need to pay attention to the policy world and understand there’s going to be many new developments for APMs over the next three to five years.

By Jeff Byers • Feb. 6, 2017

Slavitt: Medicaid expansions improved hospitals' financial health

The former CMS acting Administrator tweeted 39% of hospital executives are reducing hiring because of the uncertainty around the ACA's future.

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 6, 2017

Study: Patients less likely to die when treated by foreign-trained physicians

The high standards set for foreign physicians to practice in the United States is helping to improve quality of care, but immigrating doctors are facing more roadblocks with the recent changes to immigration policy. 

By Luke Gale • Feb. 5, 2017

The continuing evolution of the Medicare Shared Savings Program

Aledade's Dr. Farzad Mostashari and Travis Broome weigh in on how more investment and fine-tuning will be required to strengthen the program to help power the transformation of Medicare to a value-based system. 

By Dr. Farzad Mostashari & Travis Broome • Feb. 4, 2017

Advisory panel recommends including device identifiers on claims forms

Adding device identifiers to medical claims could help flag faulty devices and enable comparative outcomes analysis.

By Meg Bryant • Feb. 3, 2017

AARP flexes it muscles in response to Republican health reform proposals

Many of the ACA provisions GOP lawmakers oppose have lowered costs and increased coverage for millions of elderly patients. The AARP says it is ready to wield its considerable influence to fight back against efforts to remove policies that help its members. 

By Luke Gale • Feb. 3, 2017

CMS proposes Medicare Advantage 0.25% payment hike for 2018

MA enrollment from 2015 to 2016 increased by 5%, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

By Ana Mulero • Feb. 2, 2017

10K Medicare patient deaths highlight importance of hospital setting variations

Patients at rural hospitals without dedicated internists were much more likely to die following an emergency department discharge than patients at other hospitals, according to a new study published in The BMJ.

By Luke Gale • Feb. 2, 2017

Trump's SCOTUS nominee voted against ACA contraception mandate

Confirmation of Neil Gorsuch wouldn't tip the ideological balance of the highest court, but it would firm up the conservative wing's stance against abortion rights.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Feb. 2, 2017

Children's Medical Center fined $3.2M over HIPAA violations

While the hospital’s HIPAA violations affected 7,000 patients, the fine serves as a reminder to other providers how costly breaches can be.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Feb. 2, 2017

Aetna won't re-enter ACA exchange markets it left last year

It was a mostly positive fourth quarter earnings report for Aetna, but the biggest reverberations will come from its decision not to re-enter the ACA exchange markets it exited last year. 

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 1, 2017

Senate committee approves Tom Price without Democrats

Democrats' attempt to buy time by boycotting the markup scheduled for Tuesday has failed.  

By Ana Mulero , Kathleen Gilbert • Feb. 1, 2017

Hospital spending slowing in Maryland since shift to new payment model

Through the first two years of its experiment with global payments in its all-payer reimbursement model, Maryland is delivering impressive results. 

By Luke Gale • Feb. 1, 2017

WSJ: Tom Price got special deal on biomedical stock, drugmaker says

Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee boycotted voting for the HHS Secretary nominee today. 

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 31, 2017

Koch brothers push targeted reforms to replace the ACA

A group backed by the Koch brothers is advocating for a series of individual reforms, many of them state-based.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 31, 2017

Healthcare feels the weight of Trump's new executive orders

The latest executive orders that require two regulations be revoked for every new one that is implemented and ban immigration from certain countries will cause massive ripple effects for physicians, hospitals and patients.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 31, 2017

Patient access to medical records limited by associated costs

Minnesota patients' copy fees can total as much as $218.70 for 150 pages of records, according to a new article published by JAMA Internal Medicine.

By Luke Gale • Jan. 30, 2017

Leaked audio from Republican retreat offers few answers on healthcare reform

A recording of a private meeting of Republican lawmakers reveals there is a big difference between the way they talk about healthcare reform in public and behind closed doors. 

By Luke Gale • Jan. 30, 2017

Proposed tax on imports from Mexico could affect medical supplies

There has been a lot of talk within healthcare circles about potential changes to national health policy. However, even policies not directly related to healthcare can have an effect on the industry. 

By Luke Gale • Jan. 30, 2017

Aetna faces new suit after shareholders lost billions over blocked Humana merger

Aetna’s stocks suffered as evidence revealed the company withdrew from ACA exchanges to improve its litigation position.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 30, 2017

Kaiser Permanente fined $2.5M for failure to report required Medi-Cal data

The company's EMR systems, driven by quality and coordination of care, allegedly fell short on the reporting capabilities needed to support government compliance.

By Kathleen Gilbert • Jan. 30, 2017

What Trump's executive order could mean for the ACA

On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it would cease advertising ACA coverage in the final days of the current open enrollment season.

By Meg Bryant • Jan. 27, 2017