Government
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Ascension hit with lawsuits days after ransomware attack
Most data breach lawsuits settle out of court rather than through litigation, an expert told Healthcare Dive.
By Susanna Vogel • May 16, 2024 -
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ONC to provide grants for AI, behavioral health projects
The agency seeks projects that evaluate and improve healthcare data used by AI and accelerate the use of health IT products among mental healthcare providers.
By Emily Olsen • May 15, 2024 -
Explore the Trendline➔
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TrendlineSocial determinants of health
The focus on social determinants of health has only increased because of the impacts of the pandemic, with payers and providers trying to new ways to address the issues.
By Healthcare Dive staff -
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Kansas jilts CVS in new Medicaid contract awards
Kansas kicked CVS to the curb in favor of an Elevance plan, while awarding contracts to incumbents UnitedHealth and Centene. The contracts are worth roughly $4 billion annually.
By Rebecca Pifer • May 15, 2024 -
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Judge dismisses FTC’s antitrust suit against Welsh Carson
Regulators sued the private equity firm for consolidating Texas anesthesia markets. Now, a judge is holding Welsh Carson blameless while allowing the suit against its portfolio company, U.S. Anesthesia Partners, to continue.
By Rebecca Pifer • May 14, 2024 -
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US hikes tariffs on medical products from China
The rate hikes focus on areas where the Biden administration has sought to boost domestic production, such as medical supplies that were essential to the COVID-19 pandemic response.
By Elise Reuter • May 14, 2024 -
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Black Basta ransomware is toying with critical infrastructure providers, authorities say
The threat group has impacted more than 500 targets worldwide, including those in healthcare.
By David Jones • May 13, 2024 -
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House committee advances bill that would extend telehealth flexibilities
The legislation would extend some Medicare flexibilities through 2026. Lawmakers have until year-end to take action before the pandemic-era rules expire.
By Emily Olsen • May 9, 2024 -
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CMS proposes mandatory kidney care model with financial risk for hospitals
The model, if finalized, will test whether putting hospitals on the hook for kidney transplant access and quality might improve the nation’s shoddy system of organ procurement and transplantation.
By Rebecca Pifer • May 9, 2024 -
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Medicare go-broke date extended to 2036, but warning bells continue ringing
The Medicare trustees’ new projection for insolvency is five years later than previous forecasts, but budget hawks warned action is still needed to shore up the insurance program’s finances.
By Rebecca Pifer • May 7, 2024 -
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Medicaid redeterminationsMedicaid redeterminations losses exceeding predicted levels in some states
As of November, eight states had blown past their projected disenrollment of adults, while 12 states exceeded their projected disenrollment of children, according to new research from the Urban Institute.
By Rebecca Pifer • May 6, 2024 -
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Deep Dive
Antitrust agencies are relying on consumers to report anticompetitive behavior. That trust might be misplaced.
Regulators want consumers to flag business practices harming market health in the healthcare sector, which could result in a tsunami of new tips — for good and ill, according to experts.
By Rebecca Pifer • May 6, 2024 -
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Change Healthcare cyberattackChange Healthcare cyberattack: 5 technical takeaways from UnitedHealth CEO’s testimony
Change Healthcare was running on legacy technology, which magnified the ransomware attack’s impact and hampered recovery efforts, Andrew Witty said.
By Matt Kapko • May 6, 2024 -
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Change Healthcare cyberattack
Congress grills UnitedHealth CEO over Change cyberattack
Legislators slammed Andrew Witty over the company’s lack of cybersecurity practices and the impact of the breach, which may have compromised the data of a third of Americans.
By Emily Olsen • May 2, 2024 -
Ruben Sprich/Reuters
Change Healthcare cyberattackChange Healthcare, compromised by stolen credentials, did not have MFA turned on
Failing to turn on multifactor authentication, a common cybersecurity safeguard, “underscores pure negligence on the part of UnitedHealth,” one expert said.
By Matt Kapko • April 30, 2024 -
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Hospitals’ COVID reporting burden to lighten as pandemic-era policies expire
On Wednesday, hospitals will no longer be required to report COVID-19 admissions, capacity or occupancy data to the federal government.
By Susanna Vogel • April 30, 2024 -
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OpinionMedical research is changing, data privacy laws have not
Congressional inaction regarding health privacy laws robs Americans of ownership over their health data, argues Senator Bill Cassidy, ranking member of the Senate HELP committee.
By Senator Bill Cassidy • April 30, 2024 -
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FDA finalizes lab developed test rule despite industry opposition
Risks associated with the tests have increased, requiring greater oversight to protect patients, the agency contends.
By Susan Kelly • April 29, 2024 -
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FTC broadens health breach notification rule to include apps
Regulators have been pursuing more enforcement actions against health applications sharing consumers’ data. Friday’s final rule should give those actions more heft.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 29, 2024 -
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Deep DiveCalifornia, Oregon eye universal health coverage
The states' proposals, which resemble Medicare for All, need approval from the federal government and face pushback from major health systems and insurers.
By John Canham-Clyne • April 24, 2024 -
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Overturning of Roe v. WadeHHS finalizes reproductive health data protections
HIPAA-covered entities will be barred from disclosing patient records on abortion, IVF or other reproductive healthcare that could be used in an investigation.
By Emily Olsen • April 23, 2024 -
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Nurse staffing rule slammed by both industry and advocacy groups
The rule places stricter staffing requirements on nursing homes than those initially proposed and offers exemptions for certain providers.
By Susanna Vogel • April 23, 2024 -
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FTC votes to ban noncompetes, with far-reaching effects on doctors
The agency estimates the final rule would lower healthcare costs by $194 billion over the next decade, while freeing up physicians to more easily move between employers.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 23, 2024 -
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Medicaid final rules hand hospitals win on supplemental payments
In two final rules issued Monday, the CMS also moved to crack down on financing gimmicks used by states and hospitals to increase federal Medicaid funding — though not until 2028.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 23, 2024 -
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Novant, CHS fire back after FTC sues to block North Carolina hospital sale
The health systems resisted regulators’ allegations that the deal would stifle competition in the Charlotte area.
By Emily Olsen • April 19, 2024 -
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Providers, drugmakers at odds over new 340B dispute resolution process
PhRMA said the new rule “panders to 340B hospitals,” while the American Hospital Association and 340B Health said the rule would preserve the drug discount program’s integrity.
By Rebecca Pifer • April 19, 2024
