Medicare beneficiaries will see a 7 percent increase in monthly premiums and annual deductibles for 2020 Part B coverage, which takes care of physician services, outpatient hospital services, explicit home health services and durable medical...CMS Rules
Hospitals are increasingly gobbling up physician practices and Medicare beneficiaries are paying the price.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) offers providers better reimbursement rates for services performed at physician practices. To take advantage of this, hospitals are buying such practices and...National News
In back-to-back rulings, two federal judges struck down a rule by the Trump administration which allowed healthcare providers to decline patient care based on religious or moral objections to specific procedures, patient gender or patient sexual preference.
On Wednesday, Judge Paul A. Engelmayer of a United States District Court...News
Last Wednesday, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBS) posted a report finding that health will decline and costs will rapidly escalate for millennials over the next decade. This study draws a stark and surprising contrast with Generation X.
Analysts stated that the findings were both “interesting and concerning”
The...
And as always, there will be great opportunities to see familiar faces
and meet new contacts during the networking breakfast.
TUCSON
Wednesday January 29, 2020
The Arizona Inn
Networking Begins at 7:30 am
Program: 8 to 10:30
PHOENIX
Friday, January 31, 2020
The Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort
Networking...
Despite more child psychiatrists entering the profession, access to children's mental healthcare remains challenging in many parts of the U.S., including Arizona.
The study noted because fewer Americans are starting families, there should be an overall improvement in access to care, yet the study's author noted it hasn't translated...National News
In week two of the 2020 Open Enrollment, 754,967 people selected plans using the HealthCare.gov platform.
CMS released the following numbers Nov. 13.
...White Papers, E books, Reports and more
Agency researchers reported that drug shortages are increasing across the country and hospitals are rationing lifesaving treatments and identified three root causes and solutions for drug shortages.
The New York Times summed up the report's findings,
Chronic drug shortages that threaten patient care are caused by rock-bottom...National News
A national healthcare leader, and leader of one of the nation's largest nonprofit hospital and health systems, Bernard Tyson died unexpectedly Nov. 10.
Tyson, who began his CEO role at Kaiser in 2013, reportedly died in his sleep and recently spoke at the AfroTech conference in Oakland. He was 60 years old.
According to...Arizona News
Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades (formerly known as Hospital Safety Scores) are assigned to over 2,600 general acute-care hospitals across the nation twice annually.
The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns A-F letter grades to general acute-care hospitals in the U.S. It is the nation’s only rating focused entirely on patient...National News
This week the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released for the first time research-ready data sets containing information on Medicaid and CHIP eligible beneficiaries including demographic and eligibility, claims files, utilization and payments for calendar years 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Researchers will have to wait to...Top of The Day
The plans, Steward Health Choice Arizona (Medicaid) and Steward Health Choice Generations (MA-DSNP - "Duals") together cover more than 206,000 Arizona lives.
The sale to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is expected to close following regulatory approval. Steward Health Choice CEO Shawn Nau said in an internal announcement,
We...CMS Rules
After the publication of the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) on Friday, the Trump Administration is holding off on a controversial transparency rule that would require hospitals to publicly post all privately negotiated payer rates. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has promised to issue a "forthcoming...CMS Rules
The final rule with comment period updates and revises policies under the Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) Payment System.
Hospital advocates aren't taking the news lightly since Medicare Part B reimbursement cuts to hospitals for drugs purchased through the 340B...Arizona News
A state task force established by Gov. Doug Ducey after an incapacitated woman in the care of Hacienda Healthcare was raped and gave birth last December, issued a report with recommendations to help prevent future incidents.
The 28-page report included 30 recommendations, among them are: improving reporting requirements, better...Arizona News
Filed last week, the lawsuit alleges AHCCCS, Arizona's Medicaid program, has not reimbursed a group of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) for the full costs of the services provided to AHCCCS members.
Filed in federal court Oct. 28, the suit brought by the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers- a nonprofit group that...National News
Employers are beginning to turn away from high deductible plans and returning to traditional PPO plans. The strategy provides companies with a competitive recruitment tool for hiring highly qualified employees.
High deductible plans routinely include Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) supplemented by tax relief through Flexible Spending...National News
Warren’s plan departs from the Medicare for All proposal from the Sanders camp and also drew severe scrutiny from her opponents as well as Democratic Party leadership. Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren released her Medicare for All plan last week, after several months of high anticipation and speculation about the her...Arizona News
Arizona children without health insurance is now at the third highest percentage in the nation after increasing more than 10% between 2016 and 2018, according to a report from Georgetown University. Researchers found 8.4% of Arizona kids lacked coverage, placing the state behind Texas and Alaska. In an interview with Tucson.com, Zaida...Arizona News
Planned Parenthood is rolling out a new mobile app aimed at serving women in rural areas and those who may soon be affected by new abortion restrictions.
The app, PP Direct, was introduced in April and is gradually expanding its features and service areas. The technology connects women with live clinicians and provides an easy...
November is Native American Heritage Month and AHCCCS is celebrating by sponsoring a number of events across the state.
Arizona's Medicaid agency, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) highlighted the organization’s ongoing cooperation with Arizona’s tribes.
The agency stated in a press release,
“Led...
Haven Healthcare, the ambitious venture backed by Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Berkshire Hathaway, will begin offering services in 2020 to employees of JPMorgan Chase in Arizona and Ohio.
JP Morgan employees will have their pick of two plans, by Cigna Corp. and Aetna Inc. respectively. Amazon employees in Connecticut, North Carolina,...
Ethicon, Inc. and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson will make the payout to Arizona as part of a multi-state settlement from a national lawsuit stemming from concerns about the companies’ transvaginal surgical mesh devices.
The devices are designed to treat urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. Arizona’s suit...
This month, The Hertel Report covers the latest local news on Medicaid work requirements, the closing of St. Luke's Medical Center, navigator challenges during open enrollment, details on Mayo's Clinic's five-year expansion plan and Arizona MA and ACA individual market mixes for 2020. National coverage include's the GOP health plan,...
The U.S. healthcare system's utilization of a common commercial software platform, crucial in informing treatment decisions for millions of patients has a major flaw--racial bias.
An algorithm, widely used as guidance for the care of millions, is found to use health costs as a proxy for health needs, according to a research study...
The Hertel Report
