Category: Healthcare Finance News

CMS decreases Medicare Part B monthly premium and deductible

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released the 2023 premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance amounts for fee-for-service Medicare Part A and Part B, and the 2023 Medicare Part D income-related monthly adjustment amounts.

CDC awards $90 million to tackle infectious disease threats

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced $90 million will be awarded over the next five years to five state public health departments to establish the Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence network. 

Moody’s downgrades Envision Healthcare, says bankruptcy possible

Physician staffing company Envision Healthcare is struggling financially, and these struggles are reflected in a Moody’s Investors Service credit rating downgrade, which took into account ongoing labor pressures and a decline in volumes linked to the C…

Feds awarding $1.6 billion in funds to address overdose, addiction crises in communities

In a push to prevent drug overdoses, the federal government is awarding more than $1.6 billion in investments for communities throughout the country addressing the addiction and overdose crisis. The funds are being awarded by the U.S. Department of Hea…

How Sentara Healthcare moved managed Medicaid into the community

Sentara Healthcare advanced its vision to reach vulnerable populations by moving care into the community.
Two months ago, the Norfolk, Virginia-based health system set up two neighborhood clinics – one within an emergency homeless shelter – and also we…

Drug treatment admissions fell sharply for people of color during pandemic

Admissions to drug treatment programs declined by nearly one-quarter during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the cuts steepest among people of color, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

BCBS: Racial disparities in maternal health complications increased during pandemic

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association has released data showing evidence that women of color are at higher risk of pregnancy-related complications, regardless of having commercial health insurance or Medicaid. 
Instead, the numbers indicate U.S. mater…

New ‘digital masks’ touted as means of protecting patient privacy

Technologists writing in the journal Nature have created a digital “mask,” dubbed the DM, which they say offers a pragmatic approach to safeguarding patient privacy in electronic health records and during virtual healthcare visits.
There appear to be c…

Centene settles Medicaid fraud claims with Texas for $165 million

Centene has settled with Texas for $165 million to resolve claims of Medicaid fraud by the Texas attorney general.
Centene made no admission of liability, and maintained that its business practices were lawful. 

CVS makes strides on reducing suicide attempts by Aetna members by 20%

CVS Health has been working toward the goal of reducing suicide attempts by Aetna members by 20% by 2025, and today announced progress toward that end, seeing a 15.7% reduction in suicide attempts among Aetna members through March 2022 compared to 2019…