Articles and Blogs

NATIONAL How are states faring with value-based payment initiatives? AMA launches efforts to help physicians harness health data VA moves to digitize health records with $158M contract Amazon to regulators: We won’t use state licenses to sell prescription drugs MACRA: The Yardstick for Quality that Health Systems Need AMGA: 10 median salaries by medical... READ MORE

The opioid crisis has been declared a national emergency. This crisis presents a variety of legal issues and questions, including the extent to which health care providers can disclose a patient’s protected health information (“PHI”) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”). When a patient is incapacitated due to an... READ MORE

NATIONAL Surviving in limbo: 3 takeaways from physician execs on the transition to value-based care Bipartisan bill looks to change physician anti-kickback law CMS holds value-based purchasing adjustment steady for 2018 Healthcare reacts to 2018 final rule for MACRA’s Quality Payment Program CVS to offer nationwide next-day delivery in preemptive shot at Amazon Study:... READ MORE

On November 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) surprisingly finalized a proposal to reduce reimbursement by almost 27 percent for separately payable drugs purchased at reduced prices under the 340B drug discount program (“340B Program”). Currently, all 340B-participating hospitals (“Covered Entities”) except for critical access hospitals (“CAHs”) receive Medicare OPPS payments of... READ MORE

NATIONAL Opioid crisis: Feds relax HIPAA rules so doctors can share information with family members of a patient who overdoses CMS Administrator Verma Announces “Meaningful Measures” Initiative Leapfrog releases fall 2017 hospital safety grades: 6 things to know Hospice provider to pay record-setting $75 million false claims settlement Physician data offer new insights into... READ MORE

NATIONAL Pilot test will evaluate MACRA’s ability to reduce costs Telehealth laws expanded, updated in nearly every state House budget chairman wants to get rid of EMTALA Over 1,300 Hospitals Urge CMS to Withdraw 340B Drug Payment Cuts Regenstrief to evaluate how health information exchange impacts EDs More metropolitan areas are dominated by single... READ MORE

NATIONAL GOP, Dem senators push health deal as Trump keeps distance Kaufman Hall: Number of hospital mergers and acquisitions this year on pace to top 2016 Alexander-Murray Healthcare Bill: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know Trump appears to back further away from bipartisan health-care push Healthgrades: Hospital quality varies widely throughout the country... READ MORE

NATIONAL Survey: Healthcare execs name data analytics, population health among top challenges for 2018 10 Common Physician Compensation Mistakes Most hospitals tie doctor pay to productivity; new research examines how that impacts academic medicine Trump could make waves with health-care order CMS releases star ratings for Medicare Advantage and drug plans, Kaiser earns top... READ MORE

House and Senate Committees Advance CHIP Funding After Congress missed the September 30 deadline to renew funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”), both the House and Senate worked to advance bipartisan CHIP legislation this week. The Senate Finance Committee advanced a bill, known as the Keep Kids’ Insurance Dependable and Secure (“KIDS”)... READ MORE

NATIONAL Which ASC company has grown the most in 2017? Five questions on healthcare following Price’s resignation Pence protégé seen as frontrunner to replace Price Congress moves toward funding lapsed federal children’s health insurance program 3 things to know about HHS Acting Secretary Dr. Don Wright 18 things to know about the 6 CEOs... READ MORE