As complaints roll in, ‘complexity’ holding up HHS information blocking enforcement, health IT coordinator says

The HHS has yet to finalize disincentives for providers or say how the OIG will go about investigating and applying civil monetary penalties to health IT vendors. “We’re working really, really hard,” Micky Tripathi told Healthcare Dive.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Dec. 1, 2022

What to make of Eisai and Biogen’s latest Alzheimer’s drug data

At a medical conference, the companies detailed clinical trial results that could help support approval of their drug lecanemab. However, some doctors aren’t convinced the medicine’s risks are worth its potential benefits.

By Jacob Bell , Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 29, 2022

CMS warns hospitals must protect staff, patients from violence

Hospitals must effectively mitigate risks to ensure patients and staff are safe as part of their Medicare certification, the agency said in a Monday memo, noting that some facilities have received citations for failing to do so.

By Hailey Mensik • Nov. 29, 2022

HHS proposed rule targets substance use stigma

The American Hospital Association backed the new rule, saying it would improve the exchange of patient records in the treatment of substance use disorders.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 29, 2022

Bernie Sanders poised to lead Senate health committee

The longtime proponent of universal healthcare is set to become chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., is in line to be the committee’s ranking member.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 28, 2022

Lawmakers object to latest surprise billing rule, call for changes

House Ways and Means Committee leaders “are severely disappointed to find that the August 2022 final rule violates the No Surprises Act in the same ways as before,” they wrote in a letter to regulators last week.

By Samantha Liss • Nov. 22, 2022

Epic ensnared in Texas probe of parental access to teen medical records

The state is at the forefront of an intensifying legal battle over the rights of transgender and non-binary children to gender-affirming healthcare.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 21, 2022

HHS to look at MA risk adjustment as upcoding in spotlight

Regulators have considered changing how they calculate patient risk and provider reimbursement, work that the HHS head said is continuing.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 17, 2022

Divided Congress after midterms will allow HHS to execute on policy priorities, Becerra says

The department will focus on implementing drug price negotiation in Medicare and surprise billing regulations, according to the secretary.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 16, 2022

Medical group asks Congress to offset Medicare payment cuts

The Medical Group Management Association wants Congress to take action to help physician practices by the end of the year.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 15, 2022

HHS cybersecurity center warns of new ransomware threat

The ransomware has attacked targets worldwide, including at least one U.S. health group, since it was first identified in mid-August.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 14, 2022

Congressional committee requests investigation of hospital price transparency compliance

Committee members said in a recent letter to a government watchdog that hospitals have had “ample time” to comply with the rules.

By Shannon Muchmore • Nov. 11, 2022

Abortion rights, Medicaid expansion win in state midterms

Voters in California, Michigan and Vermont passed measures codifying abortion rights, while those in conservative Kentucky rejected an anti-abortion measure.

By Hailey Mensik • Nov. 9, 2022

Children’s hospitals ask Congress to address mental health, staffing concerns

The requests come as hospitals face an influx of patients with respiratory illnesses and mental health conditions.

By Hailey Mensik • Nov. 9, 2022

Abortion access, Medicaid expansion, medical debt on state ballots

The battle over abortion rights continues to play out at the state level in wake of the Supreme Court's ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 8, 2022

5 takeaways from the FDA’s list of AI-enabled medical devices

As the number of devices increases, the agency is looking to adapt its regulatory framework to the new technology, including faster approval of algorithm updates.

By Elise Reuter • Nov. 8, 2022

Senator outlines potential cybersecurity mandates for health systems

Cybersecurity can no longer be treated as a secondary concern and must become incorporated into every organization’s core business model, according to the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 7, 2022

As travel time to abortion clinics skyrockets post-Dobbs, patients turn to telemedicine for abortion pills

Orders for abortion pills to telemedicine nonprofit Aid Access have increased in states that have restricted the procedure, according to a research letter, with states with total or near-total bans on abortion seeing the biggest surges.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Nov. 2, 2022

CMS to ease Medicare ACOs into risk models in bid to boost participation

Beginning in January 2024, ACOs that don’t have experience with performance-based risk will be able to stay in a one-sided risk arrangement for up to seven years before transitioning to two-sided risk.

By Shannon Muchmore • Nov. 2, 2022

CMS finalizes requirements for rural emergency hospital designation

The conditions of participation include maintaining an average length of stay of no more than 24 hours and having emergency care available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

By Shannon Muchmore • Nov. 2, 2022

Hospitals face lowest readmission fines since 2014, analysis finds

More than 2,200 hospitals will incur penalties, the lowest number in nearly a decade, as the CMS adjusted its calculations for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 2, 2022

Healthcare lobbying rose 70% over past two decades

U.S. healthcare lobbying expenditures totaled almost $714 million in 2020, compared to $358 million in 2000, according to new research.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 31, 2022

Seniors to see reduced delays in Medicare coverage under new Biden admin policies

Under the changes, traditional Medicare coverage will kick in the month immediately after enrolling.

By Samantha Liss • Oct. 31, 2022

13 hospitals receive funding as special pathogen care hubs

The healthcare facilities will lead regional responses against pathogens such as COVID-19, Ebola and monkeypox.

By Susan Kelly • Oct. 26, 2022

‘I don’t feel safe.’ Abortion bans add new uncertainty to fertility treatment

State laws banning abortion could also impact people trying to conceive via in vitro fertilization and bring new legal risks for providers.

By Sydney Halleman , Delilah Alvarado , Shaun Lucas , Jasmine Ye Han • Oct. 24, 2022