Author's posts
Most ACA exchange plans feature a narrow network
The trend toward narrow-network plans has persisted since the inception of the Affordable Care Act exchanges in 2014. While it seems to have leveled out for 2019, it’s unlikely that narrow networks will become less popular anytime soon.
Federal investigation finds holes in orphan drug approval process
Of the 148 applications the GAO analyzed, reviewers granted orphan status to 26 that were missing required information.
Azar: Drive for site-neutral payment system will continue
The HHS secretary on Tuesday expounded on the Trump administration’s vision to overhaul Medicare financing.
Advanced Care Hospitalists pays $500,000 fine for violating HIPAA
As many as 9000 patients of the multi-specialty group had their data exposed when a third-party vendor posted the information to its website.
Medicare Advantage provider directories still riddled with errors
The CMS found Medicare Advantage plans’ provider directories have widespread inaccuracies for the third year in a row, which could lead to fines for the insurers.
Fewer hospitals earning Medicare bonuses under value-based purchasing
About 55% of hospitals earned Medicare incentive payments in 2019 under the Hospital Value-based Purchasing Program, slightly fewer than in fiscal 2018 when 57% of the hospitals did, or just under 1,600.
Telemedicine underused in treating addiction
Telemedicine is being underused by providers in substance use disorder treatment, and expanding its reach could allow millions more people to score access to treatment, according to a new analysis.
White House urges states to repeal certificate-of-need laws
The Trump administration gave states a blueprint for repealing certificate-of-need laws and urged them to push against industry consolidation.
Financial barriers still get in the way of telemedicine adoption
Most providers that adopted by 2016 tended to be in larger practices and members of certain specialties, such as radiology, according to a new study.
CMS changes to hospital star ratings don’t address concerns
The CMS will update star ratings for Hospital Compare in February after a 14-month delay to resolve issues with the model, but the agency did not address some of critics’ biggest concerns.
