Articles and Blogs

NATIONAL 9 health systems working with Amazon, Microsoft, Apple 293 hospitals at immediate risk of closure AHA chair-elect participates in CEO roundtable on rural health care crisis AHA report demonstrates benefits of 340B program AHA Urges OCR to Suspend or Amend Online Tracking Guidance AMA and others launch collective call for health equity in... READ MORE

On April 4, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released a proposed rule (“Proposed Rule”) that would update Medicare payment policies and rates for skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) under the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (“SNF PPS”) for fiscal year 2024. The Proposed Rule also proposes changes and additions to the SNF... READ MORE

NATIONAL 8 Questions About Proposed Changes to Rural Floor Wage Index AHA, other hospital groups oppose site-neutral legislation before markup AHA urges OCR to finalize HIPAA privacy proposal, suspend online tracking guidance   CMS rule would mandate greater transparency on drug prices CVS, Amazon shutting down their health businesses Envision to layoff 329 employees Expert... READ MORE

The Hospital Association of Rhode Island has raised concern over Providence, RI Mayor Brett Smiley’s push for legislation that would authorize the municipality to tax hospital-owned real estate occupied by any tenant, including nonprofit physician groups affiliated with a nonprofit hospital. Managed care company Centene Corporation has listed a 68-acre, 517,000-sf corporate campus for... READ MORE

In Dental Health Products, Inc. v. Sunshine Cleaning Services, Inc., No. 21-C-1358, 2023 WL 2163495 (E.D. Wis., Feb. 23, 2023), a federal district court in Wisconsin recently dismissed the breach of contract claims brought by a buyer against a seller of medical gloves based upon the terms of the purchase agreement. This ruling reminds contracting... READ MORE

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) recently issued its technical assistance document addressing the questions related to employers’ use of algorithmic or artificial intelligence decision-making tools under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, 42 USC § 2000e‑2(k)(1)(A)(1) et seq. (“Title VII”). The EEOC’s technical assistance documents are not binding and do not have the force... READ MORE

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) is now accepting applications from ACOs to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (“MSSP” or “Program”) for the agreement period beginning January 1, 2024. The application process is split into two phases. Phase 1 of the application submission process opened May 18, 2023, and closes... READ MORE

During the COVID pandemic, more and more long-term care providers turned to staffing agencies to fill shifts and staffing shortfalls. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb recently signed Indiana House Enrolled Act No. 1461 (the “Staffing Agency Law”) into law. The Staffing Agency Law contains several changes to laws that impact Indiana long-term care providers and... READ MORE

HCA plans to invest $4.6B this year in land and construction projects for new hospital and outpatient projects. HCA has purchased land in Austin, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and in various Florida markets for new hospital projects. HCA has around 182 hospitals in the U.S. and U.K. and 2,500 outpatient clinics. California has created a $150M loan program for struggling hospitals. The program... READ MORE

NATIONAL AHA recommends congressional action to improve rural access to care AmSurg to buy Envision’s ASCs ASC operator Envision to file for bankruptcy Black communities endured wave of excess deaths in past 2 decades, studies find Congress urged to make certain Medicare telehealth access permanent FTC orders records from Zinc Health, Ascent Health as... READ MORE