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CMS releases 2024 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the 2024 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for the Medicare Part A and Part B and the 2024 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts.
WHAT’S THE IMPACT: PART B Pre…
Hospital spending is projected to increase by 9.3% this year
Healthcare spending projections for 2030 are now 21% below what the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services expected a decade ago, according to a study by Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF.
Walgreens to launch direct virtual care to consumers
Walgreens will be offering direct to consumer virtual services starting later this month.
Insurance is not being accepted for these visits, Walgreens said. Most Walgreens Virtual Healthcare chat visits will be priced at $33 out-of-pocket, with pricing …
Upstate New York health systems seek approval to merge five hospitals
Upstate New York health systems Cayuga Health System and Arnot Health are seeking state regulatory approval to affiliate as members of a parent company.
Under the new structure, the new organization of five hospitals will oversee one billion dollars o…
Aetna to cut coverage for audio-only and asynchronous text-based telehealth visits
Aetna is modifying its commercial policy to no longer cover certain telemedicine services starting on December 1, the company said by statement.
This is for audio-only and asynchronous text-based visits that were expanded under the public health emerge…
DEA extends remote prescribing of controlled substances
The Drug Enforcement Administration has extended flexibilities for remote prescribing of controlled substances through the end of 2024.
Final telemedicine regulations are expected to be issued by the fall of 2024, the DEA said.
Brigham and Women’s, Samsung explore connection between digital wearables and wellness
Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, a founding member of Mass General Brigham and a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is partnering with Samsung Medical Center in South Korea to research how digital wearables affect wellness.
Minnesota AG uses new law to review two proposed health system mergers
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is using a new state law to review two proposed hospital mergers to determine whether they are in the public’s interest.
One involves the 25-hospital system that would be created by the merger of Essentia Health…
Sutter Health expands into central California through integration of Sansum Clinic
Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara, California is now part of Sutter Health.
The partnership of Sansum Clinic and its six care facilities into the Sutter Clinic system of 24 hospitals and over 200 clinics took effect on Monday. Sansum’s full integration wi…
Drug companies agree to participate in Medicare negotiations
All 10 drug companies whose drugs were selected for price negotiation with Medicare for the first cycle of the program have decided to participate in those negotiations, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The drug companies …
