Government: Page 98
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Beyond the ACA: Healthcare legal fights to watch in 2020
Payers and providers are contesting a price transparency push. The Trump administration is also being challenged over risk corridor payments and the expansion of association health plans.
By Shannon Muchmore , Samantha Liss • Jan. 6, 2020 -
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Providers embrace loosening Stark Law regulations, suggest feds could go further
The Trump administration's proposed relaxation of regulations around the law has nearly unanimous support in both the hospital and physician community, most of whom say they are chafing against the requirements.
By Ron Shinkman • Jan. 6, 2020 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineSurprise Billing
Federal legislation banning surprise bills has hit a barrage of roadblocks, complicating efforts to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges.
By Healthcare Dive staff -
Pfizer, AbbVie and Gilead among drugmakers boosting prices to start 2020
List prices rose on some of the top-selling medicines in the U.S., including Humira, Opdivo, Prevnar 13 and Biktarvy.
By Andrew Dunn • Jan. 2, 2020 -
Permission granted by Geisinger Health
Despite provider claims, hospital M&A not associated with improved care, NEJM finds
The findings refute a common provider justification for rampant M&A, but the American Hospital Association pushed back on researchers' reliance on patient surveys.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 2, 2020 -
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Tenet deal to sell Memphis properties raises hackles of other area providers
One health system said it is "reasonably certain the FTC will be reviewing this proposed transaction given the potential negative impact it could have on the consumers in Memphis."
By Ron Shinkman • Dec. 30, 2019 -
Utah Medicaid expansion, with controversial work rules, gets nod
CMS did not approve other elements of the state's request, including charging premiums to adults with incomes above 100% of the federal poverty level and locking people out for violations.
By Linda Wilson • Dec. 24, 2019 -
ACA 2020 enrollment stable but dips slightly
CMS attributed the decline to a few factors, including a strong economy that may have moved more people into job-based coverage and states expanding Medicaid eligibility.
By Ron Shinkman • Dec. 23, 2019 -
Sutter to pay $575M, change contracting practices in antitrust settlement
Pending approval, the deal bars the dominant Northern California system from using all-or-nothing contracts and stops certain bundling practices.
By Shannon Muchmore • Dec. 20, 2019 -
UnitedHealth, Anthem, Cigna roped into House surprise billing probe
The Energy and Commerce Committee wants data on in-network and out-of-network pricing and the frequency of surprise billing. Private-equity backed Envision Healthcare and Team Health also received letters.
By Samantha Liss • Dec. 20, 2019 -
MA value-based plan enrollment tripling for 2020
CMS also moved to fold hospice care into Medicare Advantage, a cost-cutting step industry has expected for a while.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Dec. 20, 2019 -
ONC data reveal safety issues in some EHRs
The types of potential patient safety issues included laboratory test results not importing into the EHR properly and decimal points being removed from medication dosage entries, according to new JAMA research.
By Linda Wilson • Dec. 19, 2019 -
ACA's individual mandate ruled unconstitutional but key question kicked back to lower court
The long-awaited ruling is a win for Republican-led states attempting to kill the Obama-era law. States defending the ACA said they will challenge the decision.
By Samantha Liss • Updated Dec. 18, 2019 -
Trump administration lays out plans to import drugs from abroad
But it's not clear how effective importation would be at achieving the administration's goal of reducing drug prices. High-cost drugs like biologics, for example, are excluded from one of the two proposals.
By Ned Pagliarulo • Dec. 18, 2019 -
CMS wants to overhaul how organs are procured in the US
The agency estimates if all procurement groups met both the new donation and transplantation rate measures, the number of yearly transplants would shoot up more than 15% by 2026.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Dec. 17, 2019 -
Florida medical group to pay $85K for not providing medical records to patient
It's the second enforcement action against a provider in such a case by the Office for Civil Rights at HHS.
By Ron Shinkman • Dec. 16, 2019 -
ACA taxes repealed in year-end spending legislation, with no surprise billing ban
Lawmakers insist a ban on surprise billing will be a top legislative priority for next year, but the spending package does not touch on the issue.
By David Lim • Updated Dec. 23, 2019 -
Culling surprise billing would save $40B annually, Health Affairs study finds
The research also found that out-of-network billing was most common at for-profit hospitals and in areas with highly concentrated provider and payer markets.
By Shannon Muchmore • Dec. 16, 2019 -
Boston Scientific gets 1st US disposable duodenoscope clearance
Reusable duodenoscopes, used during procedures to diagnose or treat bile duct, liver, gall bladder and pancreas issues, have been linked to persistent contamination issues tied to multiple patient deaths.
By David Lim • Dec. 16, 2019 -
HHS watchdog accuses MA plans of inflating payments by nearly $7B annually
The apparent overpayments are tied to payers tacking on new diagnosis codes as part of a review of existing medical charts, a practice CMS is encouraged to watch more closely.
By Ron Shinkman • Dec. 13, 2019 -
Hospital group cheers CMS move to pay back outpatient payment cuts
Despite the win for hospitals, the showdown is likely to ramp up again as the federal regulator said it will keep the controversial site-neutral policy for 2020.
By Samantha Liss • Dec. 13, 2019 -
Amid legal roadblocks, CMS clears South Carolina Medicaid work mandates
The administration has approved work requirements in ten states so far, though three (New Hampshire, Kentucky and Arkansas) have seen their programs struck down by a federal judge.
By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Dec. 12, 2019 -
Few Medicare Advantage plans add new benefits for serious illness
Starting this year, CMS gave the plans flexibility to offer more benefits for nonmedical services like home-based palliative care, adult daycare services, bathroom safety devices and modifications.
By Linda Wilson • Dec. 11, 2019 -
Surprise billing ban draft: Middle ground leaves few pleased
The bill backed by a bipartisan group of Senate and House leadership would require insurers pay at least the median in-network negotiated rate for the area market for out-of-network services and has an arbitration backstop.
By Shannon Muchmore • Dec. 10, 2019 -
Supreme Court to hear $12B ACA risk corridors case this week
The justices will consider the case Tuesday. Observers say the money will not be the ultimate thrust of the court's decision — it's whether the business sector will have trust in the federal government in current and future partnerships.
By Ron Shinkman • Dec. 9, 2019 -
Competing House surprise billing plan muddies path of White House-backed legislation
The House Ways and Means Committee unveiled its own surprise billing legislation Wednesday that relies on arbitration.
By Shannon Muchmore • Updated Dec. 12, 2019
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