Susan Morse

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CMS issues final payment rules for home health, infusion and ESRD

On Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued the 2023 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update final rule, which updates Medicare payment policies and rates for home health agencies.
CMS also released payments in final rul…

ACA open enrollment kicks off today

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra touted the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August, in getting more people off the rolls of the uninsured and onto coverage through the Affordable Care Act.
HHS celebrated the 10-year…

Final Medicare rule aims to reduce gaps in coverage

A new final rule updates Medicare enrollment and eligibility rules as eligible individuals wade through their options during the open enrollment period.

Centene CEO releases plan for star rating turnaround in Q3 report

Medicare Advantage Star Ratings declined this year as predicted prior to their release on October 6, but Centene said this week that the results were slightly worse than expected.

Medical groups support No Surprises Act lawsuit 

Three physician groups are supporting a second lawsuit brought by the Texas Medical Association against the federal departments responsible for the No Surprises Act implementation.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists, the American College of Emer…

Device recall and supply chain issues prompts Philips to announces layoffs

Technology company Philips plans to cut an estimated 5% of its workforce, about 4,000 positions, due to losses caused by the recall of a sleep apnea product and supply chain issues, according to information released by the CEO in third quarter results….

Methodist Dallas Medical Center gunman killed two maternity ward nurses 

Dallas police have identified the two healthcare workers who were shot and killed by a gunman at the Methodist Dallas Medical Center on Saturday.
Nestor Hernandez, 30, shot and killed two nurses who reportedly worked in the maternity ward at the hospit…

CMS strengthens oversight of nursing home program

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is increasing scrutiny and oversight over the country’s poorest-performing nursing facilities.
CMS is toughening requirements for completion to the Special Focus Facility Program and increasing enforcement…

DOJ is asking for additional information in the CVS and Signify merger

The Department of Justice is looking for more information on the CVS Health and Signify Health merger, according to documents filed October 20 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
On October 19, both CVS and Signify received a request for addit…

OCR is investigating pharmacies for not filling prescriptions that could induce a miscarriage

The Office of Civil Rights is investigating whether pharmacies are not filling prescriptions that could induce a miscarriage, even if the patient is not pregnant.