The Trump administration’s idea to tie Medicare drug spending to other countries’ lower prices is popular with progressive Democrats, but can HHS Secretary Alex Azar bring Senate Republicans on board?
Category: Modern Healthcare
Part D plans would take on more financial risk under new CMMI model
The CMS announced a new model to give Part D plans more skin in the game to cut Medicare’s drug spending, and will expand the scope of its Medicare Advantage value-based design model.
FDA gets closer to making naloxone available over the counter
The Food and Drug Administration is preparing to allow the over-the-counter purchase of the drug overdose-reversal medication naloxone in an effort to expand greater access to the lifesaving drug.
MedPAC recommends boosting long-term care hospital payments in 2020
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission decided to recommend Congress make a 2% payment hike for long-term care hospitals because there were concerns over whether the current payment rates are adequate.
CMS wants to cut ACA exchange fees, end silver-loading
The CMS’ proposed rule governing Affordable Care Act exchange payments in 2020 included cutting user fees and laying the groundwork to eliminate “silver-loading.”
Healthcare groups, hospitals tell president, Congress to end shutdown
Hundreds of groups including major healthcare industry associations and hospitals sent letters to Congress and President Donald Trump urging an end to the partial government shutdown, citing health consequences of the lapsed funding.
Tyson: Kaiser’s Oakland housing initiatives first step toward national model
Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson said his organization’s recent initiatives to address homelessness and housing instability in the Bay Area are a first step to develop a model that could be replicated throughout the system’s national network.
MedPAC recommends consolidating Medicare quality programs
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommended that Congress pass legislation to consolidate most of Medicare’s value-based quality programs and boost payments for high-performing hospitals.
Scott Steiner to lead Phoebe Putney Health System
Steiner will replace Joel Wernick, who is retiring after 30 years as Phoebe’s top executive. Steiner currently serves as CEO of four Tenet Healthcare Corp. hospitals in Detroit.
Ballooning costs, government mandates were hospitals’ biggest challenges in 2018
Rising costs, government mandates and patient safety and quality were hospital CEOs’ biggest concerns in 2018, per American College of Healthcare Executives’ annual survey.
