Government: Page 21
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North Carolina to offer enhanced Medicaid funds to hospitals that help eliminate medical debt
The incentive program offers hospitals a carrot for relieving debt that health systems were unlikely to recover anyway, with experts labeling the program a “win-win” for patients and providers.
By Susanna Vogel • July 31, 2024 -
Mental telehealth services have declined since end of pandemic emergency: study
The JAMA study comes as lawmakers debate whether to permanently expand telehealth flexibilities in Medicare this year.
By Sydney Halleman • July 30, 2024 -
Opinion
The Senate can protect the elderly by supporting nursing home staffing regulations — not overturning them
Lawmakers must uphold minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes to ensure quality care for the elderly, argues one legal expert.
By Ed Dudensing • July 29, 2024 -
Tracking Steward's decline
Senate committee subpoenas Steward CEO over bankruptcy
The Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee launched an investigation into the health system’s alleged financial mismanagement after issuing its first subpoena since 1981.
By Susanna Vogel • July 26, 2024 -
Lawmakers question resuming VA Oracle EHR rollout at subcommittee hearing
Deployments of the new electronic health record have largely been on hold, except for the recent launch at a medical center in Illinois. Agency and Oracle officials said the rollout went well.
By Emily Olsen • July 25, 2024 -
HHS reorganizes technology functions, renames ONC
The revamp should help the department handle pressing challenges facing the healthcare sector, like cyber threats and the growth of AI, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said.
By Emily Olsen • July 25, 2024 -
Warren, Democratic lawmakers introduce bill to resurrect Chevron doctrine
The Stop Corporate Capture Act would codify the Chevron doctrine, which required federal courts to defer to agencies’ reasonable interpretation of ambiguous statutes.
By Ginger Christ • July 24, 2024 -
PBMs battle bipartisan scrutiny as lawmakers eye industry reform
Top executives of CVS Caremark, Optum Rx and Express Scripts made a rare congressional appearance to defend pharmacy benefit managers’ drug pricing policies.
By Susanna Vogel , Rebecca Pifer • July 24, 2024 -
CMS cracks down on ACA brokers to prevent plan switching
Agents and brokers connecting consumers with Affordable Care Act plans now have to jump new hurdles to change their coverage, following mounting complaints about unauthorized plan switching.
By Rebecca Pifer • July 22, 2024 -
UnitedHealthcare, Neighborhood Health Plan win Rhode Island Medicaid contracts
The state’s managed care organizations handle health benefits for 90% of its Medicaid beneficiaries each year.
By Emily Olsen • July 18, 2024 -
Senators introduce bipartisan healthcare cybersecurity legislation
The bill would create a special liaison within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to help coordinate the government’s response during cyber incidents.
By Emily Olsen • July 16, 2024 -
House committee tells FDA to suspend lab developed test rule
Lawmakers said the final rule carries “the risk of greatly altering the United States’ laboratory testing infrastructure.”
By Nick Paul Taylor • July 15, 2024 -
Surprise Billing
CMS’ first No Surprises audit targets Aetna, finds some noncompliance
The findings are a “big deal,” according to one expert, as CVS’ health insurer didn’t follow some “major requirements that are essential to ensuring that the IDR process runs smoothly.”
By Rebecca Pifer • July 12, 2024 -
ONC proposed rule targets interoperability for public health, payers
The sweeping rule includes provisions to improve public health data sharing — a serious pain point during the COVID-19 pandemic — as well as to boost security in health records and speed prior authorization.
By Emily Olsen • July 11, 2024 -
Deep Dive
FDA’s lab developed test rule could be first check on agency’s power post-Chevron
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine would make it easier to challenge agency regulations, such as the LDT final rule.
By Susan Kelly , Elise Reuter • July 11, 2024 -
CMS proposes 2.9% cut to physician pay for 2025
Regulators said Medicare’s budget neutrality requirement is to blame for the reduction, which was quickly decried by provider groups. However, it’s likely Congress will step in to mitigate the drop.
By Rebecca Pifer • July 11, 2024 -
Federal Trade Commission to sue three largest PBMs: WSJ
Antitrust regulators are poised to file suit against CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx over how they negotiate discounts for drugs, including insulin, according to the report.
By Rebecca Pifer • July 10, 2024 -
Judge pauses CMS rule capping compensation for Medicare Advantage brokers
Texas Judge Reed O’Connor’s decision suggests he could overturn at least part of the rule, which is meant to curb predatory plan marketing to seniors.
By Rebecca Pifer • July 10, 2024 -
Medicare proposes 2.6% bump to hospital outpatient pay next year
The sweeping payment rule also solidifies continuous eligibility requirements for children in Medicaid and CHIP, and holds hospitals to higher obstetric care delivery standards in a bid to improve maternal mortality.
By Rebecca Pifer • July 10, 2024 -
Federal officials step down from health AI group’s board
HHS officials Micky Tripathi and Troy Tazbaz resigned from their roles as non-voting members of the Coalition for Health AI, an industry group working to create standards for artificial intelligence in healthcare.
By Emily Olsen • July 9, 2024 -
CMS revised Medicare Advantage star ratings. Here’s which payers benefited.
More than 60 Medicare Advantage health plans from 40 insurers have received a higher star rating for 2024, according to a Healthcare Dive analysis.
By Rebecca Pifer • July 9, 2024 -
Federal judge blocks LGBTQ+ healthcare protections
The judge ruled the HHS overstepped in applying an employment law decision to healthcare, a decision experts say could occur more frequently now that the Chevron doctrine has been overturned.
By Susanna Vogel • July 9, 2024 -
FTC slams pharmacy benefit managers in first report from ongoing investigation
The report is not positive for the drug middlemen, which immediately criticized it as one-sided.
By Rebecca Pifer • July 9, 2024 -
FTC noncompete ban partially blocked by Texas judge
The ban has wide-ranging consequences for healthcare, an industry that frequently utilizes noncompetes.
By Ryan Golden • July 3, 2024 -
Hackensack Meridian Health files lawsuit in wake of Chevron decision
Experts predict a wave of litigation will follow the Chevron ruling, which raised the bar for healthcare agencies when implementing laws with unclear intent.
By Susanna Vogel • July 3, 2024