CMS increases MA rate bump for 2024
Risk adjustment changes will now be phased in over three years, after payers pushed back on the proposed payment rule.
Medicaid redeterminations will restart Saturday. Here’s what we know
States can begin disenrolling ineligible beneficiaries from Medicaid on April 1, in an event the CMS has called the biggest health coverage transition since the first ACA open enrollment.
Uber Health launches same-day prescription delivery
The service is made possible through integrating Uber Health’s dashboard with ScriptDrop, a tech platform Uber first partnered with in 2021 for prescription delivery.
Judge tosses ACA preventive care mandate
The mandate requires employers to choose health plans that fully cover certain preventative medical services like cancer screenings and HIV and AIDS drugs.
Biden’s latest drug price-control plans threaten war on cancer, Alzheimer’s and more
Former Clinton health policy advisor Kenneth Thorpe argues that federal healthcare price-control policies could wreak havoc in the industry.
Fair Health finds 76% drop in telehealth use from 2020 to 2021
Although telehealth use declined overall compared to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual visits still comprised the highest percentage of medical claim lines in 2021.
UnitedHealthcare cuts back prior authorization requirements
Provider groups applauded the move, but said they’d need to see how the requirements are rolled back before passing judgment on whether the step would ease documentation burdens on physicians.
Lawmakers to reintroduce federal nurse staffing ratio bill
The bill mirrors California’s nurse staffing law which took effect in 2004 and outlines exactly how many patients a nurse in specific hospital units can care for at one time.
CVS-Oak Street deal clears regulatory hurdle as antitrust waiting period expires
Oak Street also announced on Thursday it’s canceling its annual board meeting following the CVS deal, which is expected to close in the first half of the year. Oak Street stockholders will meet on April 28 to vote on the sale.
FDA approves Narcan for over-the-counter use
It’s the first time a naloxone-based therapy for opioid overdoses has been cleared for use without a prescription, potentially helping to improve access.