Government: Page 90
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Privacy versus access debate rages on, rekindled by Epic lobbying
Promoting interoperability without clear guardrails could lead to healthcare's version of Cambridge Analytica, Epic wrote in a public statement coinciding with ONC's annual health IT conference.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 29, 2020 -
Backing for unique patient identifier picks up steam at ONC conference
The current ban on funding UPIs is "misguided policy," Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., said Monday at the gathering of IT and industry officials. But other experts warned it's "not a panacea."
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 28, 2020 -
Providers won't be financially liable for info blocking in final ONC rule, due any day
"This final rule won't dive into penalties for providers," the country's health IT chief Don Rucker told Healthcare Dive on the sidelines of the agency's annual conference. "There will be future rulemaking on that."
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 28, 2020 -
Practice Fusion pays $145M in 1st criminal action against EHR vendor
DOJ charged the San Francisco-based company, now a subsidiary of Allscripts, with two felony counts for soliciting kickbacks in exchange for using its software to encourage doctors to prescribe more opioids.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 28, 2020 -
Drug rebates from 340B, Medicaid could be applied twice, GAO finds
Poor oversight of the 340B Drug Discount Pricing Program and the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program may allow providers to improperly receive discounts from both, the watchdog said.
By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 28, 2020 -
Patient use of digital tools, 3rd-party apps to access health records rises in 2019
One in five patients granted third-party apps access to their health data last year, reviving privacy concerns as the industry waits for HHS to finalize rules setting standards around interoperability.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 27, 2020 -
Providers warned to be vigilant as coronavirus fear spreads
"We want people to have a high index of suspicion and to call if they have a patient they're concerned about," a CDC official said Sunday. Five cases are now confirmed in the U.S., but officials said they expect the number to climb.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 27, 2020 -
ACA slashed uninsured rate, but number who can't afford care still rising
Between 1998 and 2017, the proportion of the U.S. population unable to see a doctor due to the associated costs of doing so rose from 11.4% to 15.7%, according to a new JAMA Internal Medicine study.
By Ron Shinkman • Jan. 26, 2020 -
Impeachment trial, election won't dampen health investment, Fitch says
Despite the potential for regulatory changes late in the year, the outlook for healthcare products and services remains strong and the frenetic pace of M&A is unlikely to slow much, according to the ratings agency.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 24, 2020 -
Surescripts loses motion to dismiss FTC antitrust case
The e-prescribing giant argued the regulator's suit is procedurally defective, but a federal judge agreed with the bureau Friday in denying Surescripts' motion to dismiss.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 23, 2020 -
New conservative faction to lobby against benchmark surprise billing fix
The argument against a benchmark rate is popular among provider lobbies, which have spent millions to oppose such proposals — including White House-backed legislation from Senate and House heavyweights.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 22, 2020 -
UnitedHealth, Humana among Medicaid contracts nixed in Louisiana after protest
The decision came in response to appeals filed by Centene and Aetna, which were denied new contracts. The state will now redo the bidding process.
By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 22, 2020 -
HHS price transparency efforts may decode only sliver of total spending
A new examination of the push for more price transparency in healthcare concludes that while it "is not trivial, it does limit the potential impact of consumer-focused initiatives."
By Ron Shinkman • Jan. 21, 2020 -
Nation's 2nd-largest physician group backs 'Medicare for All'
The American College of Physicians said a single-payer approach would cut administrative burden, freeing more time for patient care, but would be "politically difficult" and "highly disruptive" to implement.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 21, 2020 -
FTC commissioner pledges hard line on hospital mergers
Lobbyists and legislators also spoke at a Council for Affordable Health Coverage forum, noting a surprise billing ban is still on the table for Congress despite disagreements over the policy to achieve it.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 17, 2020 -
MedPAC finds 340B effect on pricing 'modest,' going against pharma critique
The commission's report provides some new ammunition in the ongoing battle between pharmaceutical companies and nonprofit disproportionate share hospitals over the future of the 340B drug discount program.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 17, 2020 -
After 2 years of turmoil, state exchange premiums stable for now, report finds
More robust reinsurance programs and commercial offerings from insurers such as Bright Health and upstart Oscar are playing a role, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Urban Institute.
By Ron Shinkman • Jan. 17, 2020 -
Racial and ethnic disparities in care narrowed under ACA, Commonwealth Fund says
Previous progress in lowering the uninsured rate stalled after 2016.
By Linda Wilson • Jan. 16, 2020 -
Trump admin releases 5-year health IT roadmap as industry waits for interoperability update
The report will not impact long-awaited rules promoting interoperability in healthcare, which HHS plans to release early this year.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 15, 2020 -
AHA files another challenge to CMS site neutral payment policy
The same court ruled in favor of hospitals in September, but later determined it could not keep CMS from attempting the policy again for 2020.
By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 14, 2020 -
Dignity Health loses appeal of Medicaid out-of-network billing case
The hospital operator said it may try to take the case against L.A. Care, the largest public Medicaid managed care plan in the country, to the California Supreme Court.
By Ron Shinkman • Jan. 13, 2020 -
Supreme Court to take on PBM rate regulation
A federal appeals court previously ruled in favor of pharmacy benefit managers, finding federal law preempts states from regulating their rates.
By Samantha Liss • Jan. 13, 2020 -
A biotech startup launches with unusual goal: invent new drugs, and sell them for less
Founded by venture capitalist Alexis Borisy, EQRx will launch with $200 million in funding to prove out a vision as daunting as it is ambitious.
By Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 13, 2020 -
The government recovered $3B in fraud last year. Nearly 90% was from healthcare
It marks the 10th consecutive year the DOJ has recouped more than $2 billion from False Claims Act settlements and judgments for HHS.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 10, 2020 -
Kansas to become 37th state to expand Medicaid under ACA
Kansas joins a flurry of Republican-leaning states that have either expanded the program through their legislatures or via voter initiative, including Utah, Idaho and Nebraska.
By Ron Shinkman • Jan. 10, 2020
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