In a vote of 384-38, the House on Tuesday passed a bill that eliminates the 2% cut to Medicare payments until the end of 2021. 
However, the bill proposes to offset the change by increasing the sequester cuts in 2030.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The cuts were tri…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced they are pausing the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to concerns of several rare blood clotting cases in individuals who have received the vaccine.

Microsoft is acquiring Nuance Communications in an all-cash transaction valued at $19.7 billion, inclusive of Nuance’s net debt. 
 
The transaction is intended to close this year.
 
Nuance is a cloud and software provider of conversational AI and cloud…

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued a proposed rule that updates hospice base payments and the aggregate cap amount for 2022. 
As proposed, hospices would see a 2.3%, or $530 million increase in their payments for FY 2022. The pro…

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has partnered with Diagnostic Robotics to use artificial intelligence to identify and monitor members with certain chronic conditions.
Health risks targeted include congestive heart failure, obesity and behavior…

The practice known as “white bagging” is exacerbating supply chain security challenges and jeopardizing patient safety, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American Hospital Association told acting Food and Drug commissioner Dr. J…

A year after the COVID-19 pandemic sent the country into lockdown, there is light at the end of the tunnel with more than 15% of the U.S. population now fully vaccinated. 

U.S. Anesthesia Partners has filed lawsuits in Texas and Colorado against UnitedHealthcare, alleging the nation’s largest insurer is “like a boa constrictor squeezing USAP-TX from all sides,” according to the Texas lawsuit.
UnitedHealthcare is driving …

This week, the Association for Community Affiliated Plans filed an amicus brief backing Maine Community Health Options and Community Health Choice in their request to the Supreme Court to review a lower court’s decision on cost-sharing reduction payments.

The American Hospital Association is asking Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to ensure that hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program continue to have access to the program despite changes in their payer mix as a result…