States should encourage their immigrant populations to access public health benefits, since the public charge rule is no longer in effect.

As part of the Biden Administration's ongoing COVID-19 response efforts, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said this week it will invest more than $1.6 billion from the American Rescue Plan to support testing and mitigation measures in "high-risk congregate settings." This is […]

Older people appear to have fewer antibodies against the novel coronavirus, a new laboratory study from Oregon Health & Science University suggests.

AHIP, the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association are among 14 national health stakeholder groups that are praising the introduction of legislation to accelerate the move to value-based payments and alternative payment models.

With deaths and injuries from shootings spiking nationwide, 18 of the nation's most prominent health system CEOs, and more than 1,300 healthcare professionals, have sent a request to Congressional leaders asking them to support President Biden's plan to invest $5 billion in hospital- and […]

Potentially avoidable hospital readmissions cost Medicare approximately $17 billion per year, research shows.

Health insurance giant Aetna voluntarily dismissed its overbilling lawsuit against medical group Mednax on July 14, ending the legal process it initiated in 2018. The suit alleged that Mednax, based in Sunrise, Florida, racked up more than $50 million in improper payments as a result of unnecessary […]

 America’s Essential Hospitals is urging member hospitals to require vaccinations for employees.

The impetus is the challenge placed on providers by high patient volumes and long work hours exacerbated by COVID-19.

Unpaid healthcare bills are one of the largest sources of debt for Americans, reaching $140 billion last year, nearly double the amount previously thought. This was the conclusion of a study published Tuesday in JAMA, in which researchers examined 10% percent of all credit reports from credit […]

Investigations related to this type of conduct will likely increase under the Biden Administration, says antitrust expert.

Capitation sets direct contracting apart from other models. While there are wrinkles to be ironed out, payers and providers are onboard.

The IRS requires hospitals to spend on community benefit but doesn't specify what type, for what purpose or how much.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing to increase the penalty for hospitals that do not comply with the Hospital Price Transparency final rule.   CMS wants to set a minimum civil monetary penalty of $300 per day for smaller hospitals that have a bed count of 30 or fewer and […]

More than 94% of the nation's hospitals are not in full compliance with the price disclosure rule mandated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, according to new data from PatientsRightsAdvocate.org.

Just as the nation seemed like it was turning a corner in the pandemic, COVID-19 infections are on the rise once more, and it's targeting a very specific population: Those who remain unvaccinated.

On the heels of coverage sign-ups surpassing 2 million people, the Biden administration is launching a campaign called "Summer Sprint to Coverage" in an effort to get more Americans signed up for health coverage during the final 30 days of the Special Enrollment Period, which ends on Aug. 15. The […]

Clover Health, a technology company focused on health equity for underserved seniors, recently announced plans to nearly double its geographic footprint. The expansion, subject to approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will make Clover's Medicare Advantage plans available to […]

Gawande would be responsible for over $4 billion in global field programs.

The lack of a pay increase in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' 2022 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule has prompted the American College of Surgeons to voice the need for Congressional intervention.

While revenues are down year-over-year, they still surpassed Wall Street’s expectations.

Dr. Shawn Murphy, chief research information officer at Mass General Brigham, is leading the team facilitating the collection and analysis of standardized data from patients suffering from lingering COVID-19 symptoms.

Since February 15, 1.5 million Americans have signed up on HealthCare.gov, with 600,000 more enrolling through state-based marketplaces.

Summit Health evaluates every acquisition and implementation decision on whether it provides ROI and helps population health initiatives.

The union specifically mentioned the Delta variant of the coronavirus, against which vaccines may be less effective.

Medicaid will see increased costs through beneficiaries’ direct payment of the drug, plus potentially higher Medicare premium payments.

An executive at its Center for Telehealth explains how the Pennsylvania health system evaluates virtual care models – and when it knows it's time for an ER visit instead.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing to lift restrictions on telehealth access in the home for the treatment of mental health disorders and to expand rural access to mental health services through interactive telecommunications.

In a proposed physician fee schedule rule released on Tuesday, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing to require clinicians to meet a higher performance threshold to be eligible for incentives under the merit-based incentive payment system, or MIPS.

People are starting to seek new avenues of care, using 2020 as an opportunity to work on health goals and reexamine priorities.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the decade-long practice of hospitals and other entities acquiring physician practices, as physicians struggled to maintain private practices, according to a report from the Physicians Advocacy Institute and Avalere Health.

The analysis will target aducanumab, recently approved by the FDA, as well as any future monoclonal antibodies that treat Alzheimer’s.

A new McKinsey report indicates consumers see telehealth as an important modality for their future needs: Around 40% of surveyed consumers said they would continue to use telehealth going forward, up from 11% using telehealth prior to COVID-19.

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting data shows 95 hospitalizations and one reported death, out of 12.5 million doses administered.

The team believes it has found the best way forward, in part through use of artificial intelligence in the EHR.

Hospital groups are responding to President Biden's executive order last week that cracks down on hospital and health insurance consolidations, saying integration and scale can be beneficial in responding to community needs, particularly during a pandemic.

An executive order issued by President Joe Biden today cracks down on hospital and health insurance consolidations and other actions it said decreases competition and drives up prices.

The goal is to standardize the electronic exchange of these pieces of information, along with other updated data elements.

Pharmaceutical companies raised compensation for their top executives while steadily increasing drug prices, the committee found.

The new capability is aimed at employer-sponsored plans, building on existing initiatives for UHC Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

The pilot incorporates an alternative payment model with an eye toward aligning provider payment to quality and cost efficiency.

Public and private providers are keen on expanding their home health programs after seeing how well it worked during the pandemic.

The partnership is intended to ensure needs are being met and that community services are being accessed.

The strategic partnership is on track to open at least 600 primary care practices in more than 30 U.S. markets over the next four years.

Of those 20 health equity committees, only eight included minority group representatives.

Hospitals realized a 30% cut in reimbursement after an appeals court ruling upheld the Trump Administration decision.

Seshamani served as vice president of clinical care transformation at MedStar Health, designing population health and value-based care initiatives.

If vaccinations remain below the threshold needed to achieve herd immunity, hospitals may be dealing with COVID-19 patients indefinitely.

Hospitals lost 5,500 jobs during the month after gaining 2,900 in May, though there were some gains in other healthcare subsectors.

Large hospital systems could have around 85,000 medical devices connected to its network, which translates into a broad attack surface, report warns.

CMS' proposal would also create a new special enrollment period opportunity for low-income consumers.

These changes may reflect a decrease in healthcare utilization and the increased flexibilities brought by COVID-19-driven regulations.

The final rule is an implementation of the No Surprises Act, which was passed by Congress last year.

MMM represents the largest MA plan in Puerto Rico, and it will allow Anthem to expand its market presence on the island.

After a spike in spring 2020 – especially in California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Hawaii and Vermont – patient utilization of video visits has dropped off, say analysts.

At the time of publishing, HHS had not extended the deadline for PRF payments.   

Expansion did not lead patients receiving care at safety net hospitals to transfer their care to non-safety-net hospitals.

The move is intended to lower medication costs for diabetes patients, and is the latest move by the retailer to establish a healthcare presence.

Having a medical home platform helps to manage care and avoid unnecessary ER visits.

Widespread use requires greater reimbursement and an enterprise-wide strategy.

At launch, the company is offering its Extra Access program to seniors in West Tennessee.  

UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum has awarded $1.4 million in maternal health grants, and will provide pro bono services to five community organizations aimed at improving maternal health outcomes and increasing healthcare access for underserved populations, the company announced on Wednesday.

The Michigan provider organization has been keeping COVID-19 patients at home – and recording a 95% satisfaction rate among patients in the program.

OIG said CMS should make changes to require accreditation organizations to perform surveys after it issues new participation requirements.

Hospitals and corporate entities such as insurance companies and venture capital firms now own nearly half of U.S. physician practices.

Daniel Tsai previously served as the Assistant Secretary for MassHealth and Medicaid Director.

The No Surprises Act prohibits most surprise out-of-network billing but doesn’t address surprise ambulance bills.

The numbers indicate the severity of the pandemic is waning, both in terms of virus transmission and hospitals’ financial health.

The agency also issued a rule meant to speed the shift to value for home-based services.