ONC head Micky Tripathi on info-blocking complaints, provider penalties and future of TEFCA

Tripathi shared his thoughts on data-sharing complaints, when the industry can expect penalties for providers found information blocking and how the government plans to build on TEFCA moving forward.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 25, 2022

Wisconsin passes law making threats against healthcare workers a felony

The state already has a law making it a felony to commit battery against nurses, emergency care providers or those working in an emergency department, but this expands that protection to threats.

By Hailey Mensik • March 24, 2022

Record 14.5M Americans signed up for ACA coverage this year

But the generous subsidies that contributed to the increase in enrollment are temporary and set to expire at the end of the year absent congressional action.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 24, 2022

White House stops paying providers for COVID-19 testing, treatment of uninsured patients

The Biden administration said it will also stop reimbursing providers for vaccinating uninsured patients by April due to shrinking pandemic relief funds.

By Hailey Mensik • March 23, 2022

Irked by no payment bump, physician lobby pushes Congress for fix

"At a minimum, Congress must establish a stable, annual Medicare physician payment update that keeps pace with inflation and practice costs," AMA wrote in its letter.

By Samantha Liss • March 17, 2022

Pfizer, BioNTech seek FDA clearance of 4th shot amid worries over next COVID wave

The companies are forging ahead with plans to provide a second booster to people over 65, citing evidence, largely from observational studies in Israel, that diminishing protection may be restored with an additional shot.

By Ben Fidler • March 16, 2022

'The promise it really brings': talking TEFCA with Sequoia Project CEO Mariann Yeager

ONC's main partner in creating a nationwide framework for data exchange shared details on timeline, buy-in and the vision for TEFCA on the sidelines of HIMSS22.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 15, 2022

Site that lets consumers compare hospital prices goes live

Turquoise Health's online search platform lists prices for medical procedures and rates the transparency efforts of nearly 6,000 hospitals.

By Susan Kelly • March 15, 2022

Grassley pushes for PBM probe

The senator wants FTC commissioners to come up with a more targeted focus for the study and suggested narrowing a review to the impact on consumers and their out-of-pocket costs.

By Samantha Liss • March 14, 2022

Threats, obscenities, homicide: Healthcare workers stressed by pandemic face elevated violence

Millions of healthcare workers across the country are becoming inured to workplace violence, which can range from verbal abuse and threats to physical attacks and even homicide.

By Hailey Mensik • March 9, 2022

OSHA stepping up hospital inspections for COVID-19 mitigation efforts

The agency will ramp up investigations at healthcare facilities that previously received pandemic-related citations or complaints to make sure they're effectively prepared and able to prevent the rise of potential variants.

By Hailey Mensik • March 9, 2022

Pricier care correlated with lower mortality, but only in competitive hospital markets, study finds

Patients admitted to more expensive hospitals in competitive markets had a 35% lower chance of mortality, but higher costs weren't correlated with better outcomes in less competitive areas, NBER found.

By Susan Kelly • March 7, 2022

FDA warns about unauthorized versions of rapid COVID-19 tests from 3 manufacturers

The manufacturers have all received emergency use authorizations for antigen tests. But the FDA has learned some unauthorized versions of their diagnostics have entered the country.

By Nick Paul Taylor • March 3, 2022

Biden discusses drug prices, mental health services in annual address

The president also announced a "test to treat" program that would allow people to receive a COVID-19 test at a pharmacy and immediately receive free antiviral pills, such as Pfizer's Paxlovid or Merck's molnupiravir.

By Shannon Muchmore • March 2, 2022

HHS received almost 300 info blocking claims since April, with majority lodged against providers

It's unclear what percentage of the claims are substantiated, though 77% of the possible claims of information blocking are against healthcare providers.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • March 1, 2022

Healthcare sector on alert for cyber threats in wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

AHA is especially concerned that some hospitals were collateral damage after Russia targeted Ukraine in a 2017 cyberattack that quickly spilled worldwide.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 28, 2022

CMS redesigns controversial Medicare direct contracting model

The decision to retain the direct contracting model — albeit with numerous changes and a new name — was met with mixed reactions from stakeholders.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Feb. 28, 2022

HHS sets out plans to make medical device, diagnostics supply chains pandemic-proof

The department wants to shore up the public health supply chain by investing in personal protective equipment, durable medical equipment and testing. 

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 28, 2022

DOJ moves forward with suit to block UnitedHealth's acquisition of Change

The lawsuit alleges that if UnitedHealth acquired Change, the payer would be able to gain a competitive advantage by seeing "very competitively sensitive" data from other insurers.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 25, 2022

FTC seeks public comments on pharmacy benefit managers' impact on patients, pharmacies

After a failed bid to launch a formal inquiry into PBMs, the FTC now says it wants to collect comments from the public to study a wide array of PBM practices. 

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 25, 2022

Rhode Island's largest health systems abandon merger after FTC sues to block union

Lifespan and Care New England's boards decided "not to pursue litigation," according to a joint statement released Wednesday.

By Hailey Mensik , Samantha Liss • Feb. 24, 2022

Texas judge throws out piece of surprise billing rule in win for providers

The ruling tosses out the part of the rule that instructs arbiters must begin with the presumption that the qualifying payment amount, or median in-network rate, is the appropriate out-of-network amount to be paid to providers.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 24, 2022

FTC sues to block Rhode Island's largest health systems from merging

Regulators allege a union between Lifespan and Care New England would increase prices and diminish quality as the combined system would control at least 70% of the state's hospital market.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 18, 2022

FTC to vote on investigation into PBMs' drug pricing practices

The agency's commissioners will weigh Thursday whether to investigate PBMs and their relationship to drug prices and "practices that may disadvantage independent or specialty pharmacies," according to the meeting agenda.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 17, 2022

FTC fails to get enough votes to launch study into PBM practices

Numerous pharmacists urged commissioners to probe the practices of PBMs, which they allege harm their independent pharmacies and threaten to drive them out of business.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 17, 2022