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CMS proposing 2.4% increase for hospice care
A proposed rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services seeks to increase the hospice payment rate by 2.4% – an estimated increase of $695 million in payments from fiscal year 2025.
CMS proposes 2.8% skilled nursing facility payment bump
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is making updates to Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities under the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) for fiscal year 2026.
CareSource finalizes Commonwealth Care Alliance Acquisition
Nonprofit managed care organization CareSource has finalized its acquisition of Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), a nonprofit healthcare services organization that offers health plans and care delivery programs designed for people with pressing health …
CMS signals cutting future Medicaid demonstration programs
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has signaled plans to make cuts to the Medicaid program, saying it wants to put an end to “mounting expenditures,” such as housekeeping for non-Medicaid-eligible individuals, and high-speed internet for ru…
Northwell, Nuvance receive final merger approval
Northwell Health and Nuvance Health’s roughly $18 billion proposed merger, which has been in the works since last year, has received final regulatory approval from the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, the organizations announced this week.
Rising demand challenging emergency departments
Emergency physicians across the U.S. are facing increasing financial and operational pressures that are threatening their ability to provide care, according to a new report authored by RAND and supported by the Emergency Medicine Policy Institute (EMPI).
Hospital merger and acquisition deals dip amid economic uncertainty
Mergers and acquisitions in Q1 reflect market volatility and economic uncertainty surrounding tariffs and potential policy changes from the new administration, according to a Kaufman Hall Mergers and Acquisitions Quarterly Activity Report.
Payers have poor member digital experiences compared to other industries
Health insurance members across both commercial and Medicare Advantage plans are increasingly using their health plan’s websites and mobile apps as their primary conduits of communication, but the quality of these digital experiences is lagging far beh…
Duke buys CHS hospital for $284 million
Duke University Health System in Durham, North Carolina has completed a $284 million acquisition of Lake Norman Regional Medical Center from Franklin, Tennessee-based Community Health Systems.
Alliance for Connected Care outlines policy requests to CMS
The Alliance for Connected Care is using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ recent appointment of its new administrator, Dr. Mehmet Oz, as an opportunity to advocate for digital healthcare initiatives such as expanded access to virtual car…
