Jeff Lagasse

Author's posts

Particle Health, Epic resolve dispute but antitrust lawsuit continues

Nonprofit health information exchange network Carequality has finished an investigation into a dispute between Epic and Particle Health regarding the accessibility of patients’ health data.

Texas pauses Medicaid contracts worth $116 billion

The state of Texas is applying the brakes to its new Medicaid contracts, with a Travis County district judge issuing a temporary injunction that stops the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) from carrying out new contracts for the Medicai…

CFPB warns of illegal tactics by medical debt collectors

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has issued guidance clarifying that debt collectors are violating federal law when they collect on inaccurate or legally invalid medical debts.

Pharma execs charged in $1.3 billion drug scheme

Five pharmaceutical distributor executives and five pharma sales representatives have been charged by the Department of Justice for the unlawful distribution of about 70 million opioid pills and 30 million doses of other prescription drugs – worth more…

Medicaid insurers ‘missing opportunities’ to improve maternal care

States could do more to require Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) to improve access for maternal health, according to an Office of Inspector General report.

In M&A deals, seller size by revenue is significantly above historical norms

Healthcare mergers and acquisitions activity remained steady in the third quarter this year despite ongoing financial pressures in the industry, according to Kaufman Hall’s latest M&A Quarterly Activity Report.
Nineteen hospital and health system deals…

OIG: Opioid treatment gaps persist among Medicare, Medicaid enrollees

There are significant barriers to accessing medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) among Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly in rural and underserved areas, with many counties lacking either medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) or…

UnitedHealthcare sues CMS over Medicare Advantage star ratings downgrade

UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest players in the Medicare Advantage market, has filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) following a downgrade in its star ratings.

Employers look to dodge cost-shifting in midst of rising expenses

As the cost of healthcare in the U.S. continues to rise, many employers are rethinking their plan designs instead of passing the added expenses onto workers, found a report from global advisory and broking firm WTW.

Health system operating margins declined in August

Performance metrics were mixed for many healthcare organizations in August, with patient demand stalling as expenses continued to rise, according to new data from Strata Decision Technology.