Until the Department of Justice explains why divesting Aetna’s Part D business now is in the public’s interest, Richard J. Leon says CVS and Aetna must remain separate.
Category: FierceHealthPayer
Aetna, Ascension join blockchain alliance targeting provider directories
Aetna and Ascension have joined Synaptic, the blockchain-focused alliance launched earlier this year by UnitedHealth, Humana, Multiplan and Quest Diagnostics. A pilot analysis by Synaptic’s founding members shows the organization may be able to capital…
New Medicare marketing guidelines raise the specter of past predatory sales tactics
The need for Medicare marketing regulations was crystal-clear 10 years ago. But a slew of changes to CMS’ Medicare marketing guidelines this year expanded what plans can do at educational events, in providers’ offices and more. Do these revisions creat…
Sen. Alexander favors 21st Century Cures oversight over new legislation
The lawmaker behind the landmark 21st Century Cures Act isn’t interested in hashing out follow-up legislation. “We’re more likely to make adjustments to it than we are to pass another big new bill like that in the next few years,” Sen. Lamar Alexander,…
New ACA innovation waiver policy brings major changes to state marketplace coverage
Fighting back against allegations that the administration is trying to sabotage the ACA, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said the new policy allows states to promote “consumer engagement, personal freedom and choice, spending smarter, price transparency,…
HHS finalizes January start date for long-delayed 340B final rule
HHS has finalized plans to roll out the long-awaited final rule for the 340B drug discount program, which would set price ceilings and monetary penalties, at the beginning of next year.
American Medical Association: Less competition in health insurance markets in half of U.S. states
Many patients had fewer choices last year as competition levels dropped in health insurance markets in half of the U.S. states, according to a new report. The report, released by the American Medical Association, found that half of all states had comme…
Verma says interoperability rule is coming, backs data sharing as a Medicare requirement
Health systems should have more clarity on a much-anticipated proposed interoperability rule “hopefully in the next couple of weeks,” CMS Administrator Seema Verma told reporters on Tuesday. She also said adding data-sharing requirements to Medicare Co…
Drug prices a bipartisan bright spot following midterms, experts say
Though the results of midterms generally bring a level of certainty to the realm of healthcare policy over the next couple of years, there is room for bipartisan work in this space ahead of the 2020 presidential race, experts say.
Study charts recent spike in telehealth usage, particularly within primary care
Recent coverage expansions have increased the use of telehealth tools, but the technology remains relatively uncommon. A new study that looks at more than a decade of telemedicine utilization data for one commercial insurer may shed light on a more eff…
