SPOTLIGHT -
March 26th 2024
Physician practices looking to engage in merger & acquisition activity should be cognizant of the government antitrust risks
March 25th 2024
Is your practice complying with all applicable federal and state regulations?
Change Healthcare hack prompts potential changes for Medicare payments.
March 21st 2024
How do we regulate AI purposefully to ensure that it enhances rather than hinders the practice of medicine?
March 19th 2024
CMS initiative aims to provide practices with more flexibility for meeting patients’ needs
New Making Care Primary model to start 10-year test in 2024
CMS announces goals for primary care physicians, clinicians to provide better coordination of care for chronic diseases.
House committee drills down on CDC future, actions in COVID-19 pandemic
More authority? More oversight? More data? More communication? Physicians, lawmakers, public health experts ponder what lessons will make a difference going forward.
Federal court to consider Medicare drug price negotiations of the Inflation Reduction Act
Pharmaceutical giant Merck sues HHS, CMS directors in first legal challenge to law passed last summer.
Smoking cessation: The time is now
Is tobacco use still a national health problem? Yes, and primary care physicians are in position to help patients quit.
HHS-OIG touts investigations of fraud, but says resources are limited
Semiannual report to Congress highlights last six months of enforcement actions involving physicians and millions of dollars.
Nonprofit hospitals pocketing the cash rather than providing more charity care
Profits and cash reserves increased, but charity care stagnant
Abolishing out-of-pocket medication fees could reduce health care costs
Study finds providing medications for free lowered median health care spending by $,1641 annually
Allopathic, osteopathic physicians provide similar quality and cost of care
Study finds no clinically important differences regardless of condition or severity
National unemployment rate inches up as health care adds jobs in May
Other sectors grow as president, GOP debate U.S. economic strength.
More funding needed to address social health determinants: study
Lack of funding, strict eligibility requirements are barriers to enrollment in existing assistance programs
Health care organizations join forces to promote equity
New coalition provides steps members can take to end racial injustice in health care
Many retail pharmacies not stocking buprenorphine: study
Lack of availability may hamper efforts to combat opioid-related deaths
Amazon’s Vin Gupta talks about the retail giant's entry into health care
The chief medical officer for Amazon Pharmacy talks about consolidation, burnout, and what Amazon’s entry into health care means for doctors.
Primary care physicians among doctors in federal investigations
Feds announce cases – including $43.41 million in bogus billing by surgeon – as regulators hunt for waste, fraud, and abuse.
Ace potential Medicare audits of advance care planning in 2023 with these tips
Seven tips to avoid ACP-related denials and pass any payer audits with ease
Health care inequities are costing billions across the United States
Medical care, lost productivity, premature deaths take a huge toll on patients, families, and the economy, according to researchers.
People skip their doctor appointments when inflation drives up prices
Medical cost data is part of Fed report on national economic well-being.
Prescription drug prices, PBMs become targets for more federal leaders
White House announces Medicaid drug cost audits while House committee examines pricing process.
FTC seeks to strengthen protections for personal health data
Agency wants to expand PHR breach reporting requirements to include entities not covered by HIPAA
Mental health wellness programs for clinicians now more accessible due to congressional protection
The physician and provider communities should find these new protections as welcome news.
Social media is harming mental health of nation’s youth, surgeon general says
Family physicians endorse new advisory on teens’ constant use of tech and effects their brains, attitudes, and time with family and friends.
High insulin costs lead to rationing for patients with diabetes
Recent developments drive price breaks for necessary substance.
Assistant physicians could relieve shortage of health care around nation, supporters say
Medical students, foreign-trained doctors who don’t match into residencies could be licensed to treat patients while gaining skills.
The COVID-19 public health emergency is over. Should health care workers keep wearing face masks with patients?
Physicians debate merits of face covers as virus becomes endemic in the population.
In Senate, Sanders leads new call for Medicare for All
Lawmakers introduce bills to ‘guarantee health care as a fundamental human right to all people in the U.S.’
Patients say U.S. health system is failing them, according to new poll
Patients say they want more time with providers and find it too difficult to get appointments.
Social inflation drives up malpractice payouts—and insurance rates
Large verdicts are becoming more common, putting pressure on insurers to raise rates
COVID-19 erased progress in narrowing racial mortality gap, study finds
Following some improvement, excess death rate returned to 1999 levels for Black men and 2005 levels for Black women
Appeals Court temporarily upholds ACA preventive services mandate
Health plans must continue providing free screenings pending court’s further consideration of case
Feds net guilty pleas in national scam that pumped out 7,600 phony nursing diplomas
Defendants face up to 20 years in prison, according to Department of Justice.