Ascension taps new president
Eduardo Conrado will assume the role from Joseph Impicciche, Ascension’s current chief executive officer.
Consolidated systems charge more for ‘marginally’ better care, study finds
Care delivered by physicians in health systems costs between 12% and 26% higher than care delivered by independent physicians, according to a study published in JAMA Network.
Insurance lobby blasts Medicare Advantage audit rule
America’s Health Insurance Plans lobby said the rule seeking to claw back billions of dollars from health insurers is unlawful and fatally flawed.
Court rules for drugmakers over HHS in 340B fight over contract pharmacies
The decision is a win for drug manufacturers Sanofi, Novo Nordisk and AstraZeneca. The companies sued the HHS after regulators ordered them to stop restricting sales of 340B drugs to contract pharmacies.
COVID-19 public health emergency slated to end in May
The Biden administration warned that hospitals are at risk of revenue losses and care delays if the public health emergency ends abruptly.
Persistent, heightened labor expenses pummeled hospitals last year, Kaufman Hall reports
Negative margins and heightened labor expenses persisted for hospitals in 2022, causing them to suffer their worst financial year since the pandemic began, according to the report.
Biden admin moves to undo moral opt-out to ACA contraceptive mandate
The rule also would create an option allowing people enrolled in health coverage or plans provided by “objecting entities” to obtain contraceptive coverage.
CMS to crack down on Medicare Advantage audits, poised to claw back billions of dollars from insurers
Federal regulators have raised concerns about alleged payment abuses in the MA program for years, specifically for those tied to risk adjustments.
Louisiana sends cease-and-desist order to Express Scripts over delayed insurance claims
State officials began investigating Express Scripts in April after receiving multiple complaints from an independent pharmacy association over the Cigna-owned PBM’s handling of claims.
Minnesota attorney general asks Sanford-Fairview to delay merger
“It’s more important to do this right than to do it fast,” Minnesota’s Chief Deputy Attorney General John Keller said regarding the deal.