Senators pinpoint MA oversight, cutting drug costs to address looming Medicare insolvency

"We should be addressing this in a more serious fashion than we are," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Feb. 3, 2022

Staffing firms defend traveling nurse rates as industry groups, Congress push for investigation

Legislators in some states are even looking to cap the rate hospitals can pay agencies for temporary nurses as worker shortages persist across the U.S.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 3, 2022

FDA must improve medical device interoperability through data standards: JAMA article

The authors list a range of potential positive outcomes of improved device interoperability, using the experience of the consumer technology and telecommunications industries to make their case.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 3, 2022

Along with rate increase for MA plans, CMS pitches closer look at social determinants of health

Cowen analysts said the rate increase "should support another year of benefit enhancements & strong enrollment growth," and noted that in recent years the final rate has been higher than what was first proposed.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 3, 2022

The pipeline of new antibiotics is drying up. A bill in Congress aims to change that.

Despite the growing threat of drug-resistant bacteria, few new antibiotics are reaching the market because of hurdles that biotech executives and experts say stand in the way.

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 2, 2022

Pfizer, BioNTech begin process of asking FDA for COVID-19 vaccine clearance in young kids

The companies said the FDA, in an unusual step, requested they submit the clinical trial data they currently have while testing of a third dose in children under 5.

By Kristin Jensen • Feb. 2, 2022

As hospitals sue over surprise billing ban, healthcare experts ask why

While provider associations take the battle to court, private equity backed physician groups are absent from the litigation.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 1, 2022

FDA's OTC hearing aid proposal exposes industry, stakeholder rifts

Different manufacturers have lined up on opposite sides of a debate about key aspects of the agency's proposed rule that would create a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 1, 2022

Payers, researchers warn CMS proposal could cut funds to insurers enrolling high-risk consumers

Insurers are flagging concerns about changes to a CMS model aimed at encouraging more healthy consumers to sign up for coverage, while new research finds the proposal could backfire.

By Susan Kelly • Jan. 31, 2022

Staffing agencies 'exploiting' nurse shortage, hospital lobby says in letter urging White House to investigate

With nurses in high demand, hospitals and nursing homes are forced to accept "exorbitant" rates set by staffing agencies, their lobbies argue.

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 28, 2022

ACA open enrollment period drove record number of sign-ups

Expanded tax credits through the American Rescue Plan made coverage more affordable and greater outreach efforts helped accelerate enrollment, health officials said.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 27, 2022

FDA finalizes guidance on including patient perspectives in medtech clinical trials

The documents elaborate on how to engage patients to improve trial design and use patient-reported outcomes.

By Nick Paul Taylor • Jan. 27, 2022

HHS to distribute $2B in COVID-19 relief funds to providers this week to ease staffing, financial challenges

The agency is sending payments to more than 7,600 healthcare providers nationwide this week to help them as staffing shortages and heightened labor expenses pose new financial challenges.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 26, 2022

Hospitals request more federal help battling rising labor expenses, staffing shortages amid omicron

The hospital lobby also is renewing its push in requesting the Federal Trade Commission investigate travel-nurse staffing firms for anticompetitive behavior as facilities have seen elevated pay rates throughout the pandemic.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 25, 2022

OIG audit targets hospital compliance with surprise billing rule

The effort aims to gauge whether providers receiving federal relief funds to help survive the pandemic complied with restrictions on unexpected bills for inpatients with COVID-19.

By Susan Kelly • Jan. 25, 2022

Insurers falling seriously short in mental health, substance use disorder benefits, federal departments say

Though progress has been made, compliance with parity laws is still patchwork in the U.S., even as COVID-19 continues to throw disparities in health access into sharp relief.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 25, 2022

Medicaid stakeholders warn of hurdles for redeterminations process

Resuming the process of determining whether people are still eligible for Medicaid may sound easy, but stakeholders caution it's much more nuanced than flipping a switch, and poor planning risks massive enrollment losses.

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 24, 2022

Georgia sues Biden administration over Medicaid work requirement rollback

The lawsuit claims nixing the mandate the Trump administration put in place is a "bait and switch."

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 24, 2022

AHIP backs HHS in surprise billing suit, pushes back against provider claims

Relying on the qualifying payment amount, or median in-network rate, helps center the payment dispute, creating a starting point for when payers and providers may need to turn to a third-party arbiter, the lobby argued.

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 19, 2022

Antitrust regulators aim to revamp merger guidelines, signaling threat to health sector deals

The news sparked headlines about an attempt by regulators to target big tech, but it could have serious implications for healthcare for years to come.

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 19, 2022

Biden administration publishes long-awaited TEFCA interoperability framework

After TEFCA's many fits and starts, ONC head Micky Tripathi called its finalization a "milestone" marking the beginning of a "new era of electronic health information exchange in the U.S."

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 18, 2022

Biden administration to buy 500M more rapid COVID-19 tests to give to Americans

The announcement by President Joe Biden now brings the administration's total purchase to 1 billion test kits. Abbott Laboratories, iHealth and Roche have so far been awarded contracts for a combined 380 million tests.

By Greg Slabodkin • Jan. 14, 2022

Medicare faces blowback over plan to limit coverage of Biogen's Alzheimer's drug

Biogen, along with allies in industry, plans to pressure Medicare to water down its policy, which limits coverage of Aduhelm and drugs like it to clinical trials.

By Jonathan Gardner , Jacob Bell • Jan. 14, 2022

Providers concerned about staffing shortages post-SCOTUS vaccination mandate ruling

Nursing facilities are particularly worried about the strain a vaccination mandate could have on their shrinking workforce, and are urging CMS to consider a regular testing option for unvaccinated workers.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 14, 2022

SCOTUS narrowly upholds health worker vaccine mandate

The court's liberal justices agree with the government that CMS has the authority to impose the requirement, just one of many healthcare organizations must comply with to be eligible for Medicare and Medicaid funding.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 13, 2022