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HHS announces $15 million in funding opportunities for behavioral health in nursing homes
The Department of Health and Human Services is announcing a funding opportunity of nearly $15 million for a three-year federal grant to establish a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) program meant to strengthen behaviora…
FDA expands eligibility for Pfizer COVID-19 booster to children 5-11
Under emergency use authorization, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expanded eligibility for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster vaccine to children 5 to 11 years old. People in that age group are now cleared for a single booster dose of the …
Employers, insurers paid hospitals more than double Medicare rates, finds RAND
Employers and health insurers paid hospitals about 224% above what Medicare would have paid in 2020, according to a new RAND report comparing private insurer payments to Medicare rates.
BCBS South Carolina partners with Solera on mental, musculoskeletal health
In a partnership with Solera Health, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is expanding its personalized health and wellness program to include mental and musculoskeletal health offerings.
Solera Health is an independent company that built a customiz…
Dartmouth Health, GraniteOne Health merger nixed after New Hampshire AG objects
Dartmouth Health and GraniteOne Health, both based in New Hampshire, are ditching their plans to merge into a single entity after objections from the state’s attorney general, who said the consolidation would result in higher healthcare prices.
Intermountain names Tiffany Capeles as its first Chief Equity Officer
After an extensive national search, Intermountain Healthcare has selected Tiffany Capeles, a nationally recognized diversity leader, as the health system’s first chief equity officer, the system has announced.
Hospitals can change their models of care to meet the worsening nursing shortage
There’s been a nursing shortage in the U.S. for years, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation even more dire. Nurses are retiring, leaving for new roles or abandoning the profession altogether, and there aren’t enough trainees in the academic…
Pfizer set to acquire Biohaven Pharmaceuticals for $11.6 billion
Drug manufacturer Pfizer has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, a maker of migraine treatments, for $11.6 billion, the former said this week.
Pfizer will also make payments at closing to settle Biohaven’s third par…
Almost 30% of nurses considering leaving the profession
The past two years have been difficult for nurses, and research from Nurse.com highlights the extent to which this is true: In the “Nurse Salary Research Report,” 29% of nurses said they were considering leaving the profession, a steep rise from the 11…
Shareholder sues LHC Group over proposed Optum merger
A shareholder at in-home healthcare service provider LHC Group, which UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Optum is set to acquire, is suing the latter and its board of directors over the proposed merger, court docu
