‘Business as Usual’ in FTC Hospital Deal Enforcement, Former Official Says
Feb. 26—Despite an expected continuation of record hospital merger-and-acquisition deal volume, and warnings from the Trump administration, a former law enforcement leader said antitrust enforcement is not expected to change in 2018.
Governors Push Value-Based Pay Shift to Control Costs
Feb. 22—A bipartisan group of governors urged a range of steps by federal, state, and private payers to spur the shift to value-based payment and help control spiraling healthcare costs.
Feb. 22—Congress will take a look this week at one of the new breed of mergers that are shaking up the healthcare industry.
Feb. 22—Congress will take a look this week at one of the new breed of mergers that are shaking up the healthcare industry.
Congress Weighs Responses to Hospital M&A
Feb. 15—Reduced Medicare payments to practices acquired by hospitals, tightened 340B requirements, more telemedicine funding, and increased transparency were among the possible federal responses to hospital merger-and-acquisition (M&A) trends, as discussed this week by members of Congress.
Do Medical Credit Cards Make Sense for Providers?
Feb. 14—Can so-called medical credit cards help hospitals address growing bad debt challenges?
Hospital Cuts in Trump Budget Called ‘Troubling’
Feb. 13—Adverse impacts from federal spending cuts were just one type of concern that hospital advocates raised this week about the Trump administration’s proposed budget.
Title: 2018 ACA Marketplace Plan Selections Reach 97 Percent of 2017 Total
Feb. 7—Nationwide plan selections in government-run individual-insurance marketplaces reached 11.8 million during open enrollment for 2018, according to outside analysts.
Medicare Extenders and DSH Delay Face Uncertain Future
Feb. 6—Hospitals have faced a range of payment cuts since a regularly renewed package of Medicare funding lapsed at the end of 2017. But those cuts soon could be reversed.
CMS Offers Hospitals New Medicare Appeals Option
Feb. 6—A new settlement offer to resolve outstanding Medicare claims that have been denied on appeal is available for a limited time from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The offer guarantees 62 cents on the dollar for claimed payment and payable on a faster timetable than previously available.
Proposal Calls for 1.84 Percent Rate Hike for 2019 Medicare Advantage Plans
Feb. 5—Medicare Advantage (MA) plans would receive a 1.84 percent pay boost in 2019 under a recently issued proposed call letter.