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Pennsylvania hospital hit by data breach affecting 169K
Warren General Hospital in Pennsylvania is the latest hospital to be hit by a significant data breach, this one affecting roughly 169,000 patients.
The breach was first detected on September 24, when WGH identified suspicious activity on its network. A…
COVID-19 vaccine uptake is only at 14%, says CDC
Based on National Immunization Survey (NIS) data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said only about 14% of adults in the U.S. have received an updated COVID-19 vaccine as of November 4 – a much lower rate than desired.
BayCare expanding presence through medical group acquisition
BayCare Health System, based in Clearwater, Florida, will be acquiring Gessler Clinic, a physician-owned medical group, with the former to begin operating at the Gessler Clinic locations effective December 2.
BayCare is the region’s largest nonprofit h…
Feds settle with St. Joseph’s over alleged HIPAA violation
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights has settled with New York-based Saint Joseph’s Medical Center for potential violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 Privacy Rule. The settle…
Increase in self-pay patients coinciding with Medicaid redeterminations
The proportion of self-pay patients began increasing for emergency department, hospital and primary care visits in April, when states could start terminating Medicaid coverage for patients who no longer met requirements following the COVID-19 pandemic,…
Insurers’ outlook stable as 2023 nears its end, says Moody’s
Despite some challenges, the financial picture for health plans remains stable as the year comes to a close, finds a new report from Moody’s Investors Service.
Froedtert Health purchases Ascension Wisconsin’s stake in Network Health
Froedtert Health and Ascension Wisconsin have signed an agreement that will allow Froedtert to purchase Ascension Wisconsin’s interest in Network Health, a provider of customized commercial and Medicare health insurance plans.
Each organization current…
UnitedHealth AI algorithm allegedly led to Medicare Advantage denials, lawsuit claims
A class action lawsuit filed this week alleges that healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group unlawfully used an artificial intelligence algorithm to deny rehabilitative care to sick Medicare Advantage patients.
The suit claims that UnitedHealth knew the AI …
Nurse practitioner workforce grows 8.5%
The shortage of nurses and other healthcare professionals has made the industry’s workforce landscape challenging for several years now, but good news was delivered this week by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, which released data showi…
Blue Shield of California targets maternal health with Mahmee partnership
Blue Shield of California is strengthening its relationship with maternal healthcare technology company Mahmee, with the latter’s services now available to more BSCA members.
As part of Blue Shield’s Maternal Child Health Equity Initiative, the nonprof…
