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Rush University to outsource facilities management, illustrating growing trend
Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center expects to reduce its costs by $40 million by outsourcing its facilities management to real estate firm JLL, which more providers are doing to focus on patient care.
Short-term health plans: 10 things to know
The Trump administration finalized a rule expanding access to short-term health plans. The CMS projected that 600,000 people will buy the skinny coverage next year. Here are 10 critical things to know.
CMS must impose prior authorization for chiropractors, GAO says
The CMS has not complied with a section of MACRA that requires it impose prior authorization for chiropractic services, a government watchdog found. Chiropractors have one of the highest rate of improper payments in Medicare.
Senate Democrats to force a vote against short-term plan expansion
Hoping to leverage election-year politics, Senate Democrats will introduce legislation to upend the Trump administration’s expansion of short-term plans.
Four cities sue Trump administration over ACA rollback
Baltimore, Chicago, Columbus and Cincinnati sued the Trump administration over its regulatory dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, claiming that federal actions are already overtaxing their health departments.
New York single-payer bill would save most residents money but cost the rich, study says
The bill would expand health coverage to all New Yorkers, including undocumented immigrants, and would not require copays or deductibles. The measure has passed the Assembly in each of the past four years, but it hasn’t advanced in the…
California commissioner urges DOJ to block CVS-Aetna merger
California’s insurance commissioner urged the U.S. Justice Department to sue to block the $69 billion proposed merger between CVS Health and Aetna due to its anti-competitive impact on healthcare markets.
Hospices getting $340 million Medicare raise for 2019
The CMS has finalized plans to give hospices nearly double the raise they received in 2018. The agency will also make it easier to check data on the troubled Hospice Compare website.
Shorter behavioral stays save Medicaid money, but frustrate hospitals
The shift toward value-based payment in healthcare that countless advocates say will cut costs and improve the quality of care isn’t without its downsides. This week’s earnings show the evolution is weighing on some providers’ bottom lines.
Hackensack Meridian Health and Carrier Clinic sign agreement to merge
Only a full merger would allow the 16-hospital system based in Edison, N.J. and the Belle Mead, N.J.-based behavioral health provider to reach their full potential, executives said, although healthcare economists disagree.
