Gilead, without details, says COVID-19 drug clears crucial clinical test

No data were available from the NIH-led study Gilead said succeeded, but the drugmaker disclosed results from a trial of its own testing remdesivir in patients with severe​ coronavirus disease.

By Ned Pagliarulo • April 29, 2020

Payers, providers urge Congress to expand coverage options as COVID-19-spurred job losses soar

Relying on the $100 billion from the CARES Act "will quickly deplete the Emergency Fund and not provide the benefits of comprehensive coverage," the healthcare groups and U.S. Chamber of Commerce wrote.

By Hailey Mensik • April 28, 2020

5 key pillars of Biden's healthcare plan

As the coronavirus pandemic highlights shortcomings of the U.S. health system and millions lose coverage, here are the main tenets of the presumptive Democratic nominee's health agenda.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 28, 2020

Reimbursement portal opens for providers that test, treat uninsured COVID-19 patients

To take part in the program run by UnitedHealth Group, hospitals and doctor's offices must agree not to balance bill the patient for medical treatment.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 28, 2020

Supreme Court rules for payers in $12B risk corridors case

The 8-1 decision, with only Justice Samuel Alito dissenting, found the Affordable Care Act "established a money-mandating obligation, that Congress did not repeal."

By Shannon Muchmore • April 27, 2020

Gottlieb, Slavitt pitch $46.5B plan for COVID-19 contact tracing, isolation

Primary care doctors should be the main referral source for testing and contact tracing, according to a letter penned by a bipartisan group including former CMS head Andy Slavitt and former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 27, 2020

CMS hits pause on speeding Medicare payments to docs as COVID-19 funding reaches $175B

Health policy experts and provider groups called the move premature as the financial concerns plaguing doctor's offices and hospitals are unlikely to go away any time soon.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 27, 2020

Doctor On Demand inks pact with Massachusetts for COVID-19-related telemedicine

The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, covers the uninsured and comes on the heels of a separate agreement covering Medicaid and CHIP.

By Ron Shinkman • April 26, 2020

LabCorp coronavirus test gets 1st FDA nod for at-home sample collection

The agency re-issued an emergency use authorization for the lab giant's molecular test to permit self-collection of nasal samples. It comes days after FDA voiced concerns about at-home diagnostics to test for the virus.

By Greg Slabodkin • April 23, 2020

Another court rules against hospitals on DSH payments

Hospitals had argued CMS should only use Medicaid and uninsured patient payments toward the disproportionate share hospital payment cap. A lower court ruled in favor, but an appeals court overturned that decision Monday.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 22, 2020

2nd round of hospital CARES funding tied to patient revenue

The second wave of the $100 billion in funding includes $10 billion for areas hard-hit by the virus like New York. The larger net patient service revenue, the more funding a hospital is likely to receive based on the latest formula.

By Samantha Liss • Updated April 23, 2020

Medicare still expected to grow to 6% of GDP by 2026, but COVID-19 could speed insolvency

The Medicare Board of Trustees predicts the trust fund that finances Medicare Part A will run out by 2026 — the same estimate as 2018 and 2019's reports due to policy inaction. But the pandemic could worsen the situation.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 22, 2020

Trump admin delays interoperability deadlines amid COVID-19

The move was widely expected but controversial as the pandemic increases digital delivery of medical care and highlights the need for real-time exchange of data.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 21, 2020

Trump signs bill designating additional $75B for hospital COVID-19 response

It's the fourth major piece of emergency legislative relief Congress has approved amid the pandemic. But hospitals and providers say more help will be needed.

By Shannon Muchmore • Updated April 24, 2020

Oklahoma 1st to seek waiver to block grant Medicaid, despite pandemic

The request, which includes a work requirement and asks beneficiaries to pay premiums for coverage, hinges on Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt's controversial plan for Medicaid expansion.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 21, 2020

New York nurses sue Montefiore, Westchester hospitals over pandemic working conditions

Both systems defended themselves against the actions by the New York State Nurses Association, which also sued the state health department. Nurses argued they were not properly trained for redeployment and not receiving PPE.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 21, 2020

CMS, surgeon group offer paths forward to resume elective procedures

Most facilities have been putting off non-emergency services since mid-March, but have taken a financial hit as a result. Congress is debating a fourth coronavirus relief package that reportedly contains $75 billion for hospitals.

By Susan Kelly • April 20, 2020

Obamacare insurers on hook for $2.7B in MLR-based refunds this year, KFF says

The expected owed refunds estimated by the Kaiser Family Foundation come amid a scramble to calculate 2021 rates in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertain costs.

By Ron Shinkman • April 20, 2020

FCC releases 1st round of CARES funds for coronavirus telehealth response

Six providers, including those in hard-hit areas like New York and New Orleans, received more than $3.2 million from the $200 million fund set aside for telehealth by the CARES stimulus package Congress passed last month.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 17, 2020

Public health agencies, commercial labs warn patchy IT infrastructure hobbling COVID-19 response

"Public health is spending time digitizing the information, rather than being able to immediately analyze and act upon it," Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, said.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 17, 2020

Hospital lobby asks feds for more CARES funds, targeted distribution

The plea comes as CMS said the second round of the $100 billion package will come by the end of the week. The AHA chief said more is needed to address the worst financial crisis in history for hospitals.

By Ron Shinkman • April 17, 2020

Majority of commercial patients may receive surprise bill following ambulance ride

The amount billed to a patient was substantially higher for air ambulance services at a median of nearly $21,700, but ground ambulance rides were more likely to invoke a possible surprise bill, according to a Health Affairs study.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 16, 2020

CDC to launch clinical reporting app for COVID-19 in May

A patchwork of requirements creates confusion and leads to COVID-19 cases being "significantly underreported," a CDC official said Wednesday at a virtual meeting of health IT congressional advisory group HITAC.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 16, 2020

Teladoc, Livongo execs highlight bright spots for health IT amid pandemic

Behavioral health services are one of the fastest growing segments within virtual care, and those tailwinds are unlikely to abate post pandemic, management teams told SVB Leerink analysts.

By Hailey Mensik • April 16, 2020

Hospital CARES funding not quite 'no strings attached'

Chains like Tenet and CHS can expect to see the biggest benefit in relation to profitability as providers start to receive the first $30 billion of the $100 billion allocated, according to Jefferies analysts.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 14, 2020