Newly eligible beneficiaries saw their bills in collection, especially medical bills, decrease by hundreds of dollars between 2014 and 2015.
Category: FierceMarkets
Health IT Roundup—Minnesota hospital filmed patients without consent; Are providers ready for the death of faxes?
CMS wants to kill the fax machines, but providers and IT staff might not be ready; Fairview Southdale Hospital in Minnesota was found filming patients without their knowledge or consent; plus more health IT news of note.
Counties with greatest well-being for seniors cost Medicare thousands less, study finds
Medicare spends nearly $1,000 less per beneficiary in counties where residents are not only healthy, but happy and satisfied with their lives.
More than half of consumers don’t understand basic aspects of the healthcare system, survey finds
Ensuring that consumers understand their insurance could save billions in administrative costs, according to an Accenture analysis. The best way to do this? Simplify the system.
MACPAC continues to ponder value of collaborations between states
At its monthly meeting on Thursday, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission continued its discussion of whether federal policies can—or should—help states collaborate to bolster their administrative capacity. This time, two key officials ch…
CVS’ Larry Merlo defends rebates, touts pending Aetna deal at Morgan Stanley conference
With the Trump administration’s focus on curbing high prescription costs, drug rebates negotiated by pharmacy benefit managers have become a popular whipping boy. But CVS CEO Larry Merlo said he doesn’t foresee either going away anytime soon.
Russian Twitter trolls attempted to cull opposition to the ACA during repeal attempts
Twitter and the government must do more to stop the spread of messages that can deceitfully sway public sentiment, experts say.
States are trying to lower drug prices. Here’s how their efforts are being thwarted
Those states are finding their efforts hit by heavy opposition, according to a perspective piece published in The New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday.
CMS announces plan to make it easier to avoid ACA’s tax penalty
Consumers who do not buy a plan this year can claim a hardship exemption without obtaining an exemption certificate number when they file their taxes next spring, according to a document released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Wedne…
Hospital groups sue HHS over long-delayed 340B final rule
Four national healthcare organizations have filed suit against HHS over the long delay of its final rule that would implement price ceilings in the 340B drug discount program.
