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Healthcare outcry to HHS’ plans and job cuts limited
The Department of Health and Human Services’ plan to reduce its workforce by 10,000, and to implement agency restructuring that will raise that number to 20,000, brought swift reaction from two healthcare organizations that work with senior citizens wh…
Hospitals one of the biggest losers from Medicaid cuts, state treasurers say
Democratic state treasurers of four states warned of the consequences of Republican-proposed Medicaid cuts, not just to their budgets and state beneficiaries but to hospitals.
Most people who would lose Medicaid coverage would not get other health insu…
Walgreens pays $5 million to settle lawsuit originally brought by whistleblowers
Walgreens has agreed to pay $5 million to settle a lawsuit filed in federal court for the Northern District of Illinois more than 10 years ago.
Senate Finance Committee advances Dr. Oz’s nomination as CMS administrator
The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday advanced Dr. Mehmet Oz’s nomination to become administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The 14 to 13 vote was along party lines. Oz next faces a vote for confirmation before the full Senate
Medicare Advantage plan growth decelerates
A new report shows decelerating growth for Medicare Advantage plans.
AHA and Health-ISAC warn hospitals of a potential terrorist attack
The American Hospital Association and the nonprofit Health-ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Center) are warning of a potential terrorist threat against U.S. hospitals in the coming weeks.
Johns Hopkins to lay off over 200 after federal grant funding cuts
Johns Hopkins is laying off 237 people in Baltimore, according to two Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification notices filed in Maryland on March 13.
The layoffs include 107 staffers at the Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health…
Optum Rx announces a reduction in drug prior authorization
Optum Rx has announced it will drop prior authorization for an estimated 80 drugs starting May 1.
The program targets reauthorizations of drugs. For instance, once a genetic condition such as cystic fibrosis is confirmed through testing, there is mini…
Proposed Indiana hospital merger gets FTC pushback
The Federal Trade Commission on Monday again urged the Indiana Department of Health to deny the application for Union Hospital and Terre Haute Regional Hospital in Indiana to merge.
This is the second attempt by Union Health, which includes Union Hospi…
Dr. Oz makes no commitment to not cut Medicaid
In a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing Friday to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz would make no commitment to not cut Medicaid.
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, asked the CMS nom…
