Author's posts
Healthcare groups prod Congress to stop CMS’ payment cuts
Healthcare and doctors’ groups are unhappy with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ proposed cuts to physician payments in its annual fee schedule, and are calling on Congress to intervene, hoping to stave off a 3.34% cut to the fee schedul…
CMS expanding Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing to extend the rule allowing all suppliers under the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) to use specific MDPP COVID-19 Public Health Emergency flexibilities, including the optional virt…
Optum growth fuels strong quarter for UnitedHealth Group
Revenue growth at Optum during the second quarter helped fuel strong performance for owner UnitedHealth Group, according to a recent earnings call, with Optum growing 25% to $56.3 billion, and operating earnings growing 13% to $3.7 billion.
That strong…
HR vendor NextGen Healthcare paying $31 million in False Claims Act settlement
Electronic health record vendor NextGen Healthcare has agreed to pay $31 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by misrepresenting the capabilities of certain versions of its EHR software, and providing unlawful payment to…
Behavioral health access targeted in CMS proposals
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing to expand access to behavioral health services through coverage of intensive outpatient services – an intermediate level of behavioral healthcare.
To support practices to help curtail shortag…
Payment rate reduced by 1.25% in CMS proposed physician payment rule
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued the calendar year 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule, with overall proposed payment amounts being reduced by 1.25% compared to CY 2023.
CMS is also proposing increases in payme…
FDA approves nonprescription oral contraceptive
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has drawn praise from Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for its approval of Opill, the first daily oral contraceptive approved for use in the U.S. without a prescription.
The approval means the pro…
Telehealth linked to fewer in-person follow-up visits
Telehealth has been firmly established as a viable treatment methodology, and the COVID-19n pandemic highlighted many of its advantages, but a new Epic Research white paper has found one potential shortcoming: Telehealth visits are linked to fewer in-p…
Aspirus Health, St. Luke’s to affiliate, expand nonprofit healthcare system
St. Luke’s Duluth and Aspirus Health, based in Wausau, Wisconsin, have signed a letter of intent for the two organizations to affiliate, creating a healthcare system serving residents of northeastern Minnesota, northern and central Wisconsin and the Up…
HHS issues proposed rule to improve child care access
The Department of Health and Human Services, through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), has issued a proposed rule strengthening key policies in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), a program that subsidizes child care costs for…
