Author's posts
Audit: Iowa Medicaid savings barely half what was projected
Iowa saved $126 million this year from privatizing its Medicaid system, barely half what former Gov. Terry Branstad projected when he forced the change in 2016.
DMC Harper University Hospital cited for infection-control problems
Regulators have notified Detroit Medical Center’s Harper University Hospital of at least 22 incidents of deficient infection-control standards found during a surprise inspection in October.
Medicare wage index overhaul urged by HHS inspector general
The CMS overpaid some hospitals at least $140.5 million due to an often inaccurate tool used to set Medicare payments. HHS’ Office of Inspector General says the wage index system needs to be overhauled to mend vulnerabilities.
Medicare considers passing pharmacy rebates to Part D patients
In a sweeping new proposal focused on Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D, the CMS is considering a policy to cut off pharmacy profits through rebates and give Medicare Part D plans more power to negotiate protected class drug prices.
Why Walgreens and Humana would talk about combining
News that the pharmacy chain and insurance giant are discussing strategic ventures showcases how critical it’s become for healthcare players to bulk up to survive a rapidly changing industry.
FDA looks to revamp medical device approval pathway
The FDA wants to make substantial changes to the regulatory pathway through which most medical devices enter the U.S. market. The clearance procedure has been in place since 1976.
Could Sanders’ plan to lower drug prices backfire?
Drug industry insiders are questioning whether Sen. Bernie Sanders’ proposal to cut pharma patent protections if drug prices are too high will be effective.
Judge rules UPMC should have protected employee data
Several years ago, hackers stole the personal information of all of UPMC’s employees. Now, UPMC is still dealing with the legal aftermath, with a judge reviving the employees’ suit against the health system.
CVS-Aetna merger imminent after clearing final state regulatory hurdle
The $69 billion merger between pharmacy giant CVS Health and national health insurer Aetna has nabbed all required state approvals and is projected to close on or around Wednesday.
Week Ahead: Senate committee looks at affordability; ONC annual meeting targets interoperability
The Senate HELP Committee continues its yearlong look at healthcare costs. Health IT leaders, meanwhile, gear up for talking interoperability at ONC’s annual meeting.
