Over 1.5 million Americans have enrolled in an Affordable Care Act plan in the first two weeks alone of the 2022 Open Enrollment Period. That comes after 2.8 million Americans gained health insurance during the marketplace’s Special Enrollment...Arizona News
In the most recent update from the long list of ongoing scandals associated with Hacienda HealthCare, William J. Timmons, former CEO, has been sentenced to three years of supervised probation and will pay over $700,000 in fines.
Timmons and Joseph O’Malley, the company’s former chief financial officer, were indicted in August...National News
Cases are on a slow uptick nationwide with new cases on Tuesday, November 23 totaling 92,785. The rolling seven-day average for new cases is 95,481. There were 1,474 new deaths nationally and the total number of deaths nationally is now over 775,000. About 70% of the country has received at least one dose of the vaccine and just under...
On Tuesday, November 23, there were 3,057 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Arizona and 120 new COVID-19-related deaths reported. Deaths are often reported in batches and then assigned to the actual date of death. The total number of deaths in Arizona is now 22,062. Over 60% of the total population has received at least one shot of...
A new study from Weill Cornell Medicine investigators published in JAMA Health Forum suggests quality of care in long-term care facilities declined when private equity firms took over the facilities.
According to Skilled Nursing News, the study found private equity acquisition of nursing homes to be tied to increases in emergency...Arizona News
In Arizona, gender reassignment surgeries are currently excluded from Medicaid coverage, leading to a new lawsuit for the state.
Reuters reports “John Doe” wants the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to rule that excluding coverage for gender-affirming surgery is sex discrimination. While Medicaid has covered hormone therapy...National News
Last Friday, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act, the massive social and climate spending bill that carries the promises of the Biden presidential platform. After several months of negotiations between democrats and revisions in the plan for how the bill would get passed, the bill is considerably smaller and...
The Medicare enrollment period has surpassed the halfway point for the 2022 calendar year (CY) and trends are already apparent. Supplemental benefits and in-home services are demonstrating huge gains for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that offer them, although the $0 premium remains the most consistent choice for enrollees.
Online...
This week the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), began distributing $7.5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural Relief Funding payments to providers and suppliers who serve rural Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare...
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) approved a 90-day extension of grant support for services through March 2, 2022.
The free to Arizona residents affected by COVID-19, offers confidential support services including the 2-1-1 statewide...
Governor Doug Ducey directed funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to the American Heart Association (AHA), which will collaborate with neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Maricopa County hospitals to reach 5,000 families annually.
The Infant CPR Anytime Kits have all the tools needed to teach parents CPR and infant...
The gift supports student scholarships and faculty development at Bayless' alma mater, the nation’s only historically Black liberal arts college for men.
David A. Thomas, Ph.D., Morehouse College President,
Justin Bayless is an example of exactly what we prepare Morehouse Men to become–innovative industry pioneers who...
On Sundy, Arizona reported more than 3,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, two deaths and hospitalizations remain high. The state now totals 1,214,419 cases and 21,653 deaths. Only 60% of Arizonans have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 53.2% of the state is fully vaccinated, both well under national rates.
This information comes...
Nationwide, cases of COVID-19 appear to be on another up-swing. On November 16, there were nearly 90,000 cases reported nationally, following a seven-day average of 88,000 cases per day. There were 1,414 deaths on the 16th, and the total national deaths due to COVID-19 has reached 765,000. Nearly 60% of the country is fully vaccinated...
The RAND Corporation, a nonprofit policy think tank, published a report on Monday demonstrating that without enhanced subsidies the Affordable Care Act (ACA) couldn't protect many in New York from health coverage loss during the recession and pandemic.
According to researcher Christine Eibner, the Paul O'Neill Chair in Policy...CMS Rules
Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that included changes to the physician fee schedule (PFS) and changes to payments for Medicare Part B. The agency also announced an increase in Part B beneficiary premiums due in part to the authorization of the controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm,...
The federal trial to determine whether or not the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) has provided inadequate healthcare to incarcerated people is now in its third week.
Last week, the prosecution brought medical expert Todd Wilcox to the stand to establish a history of malfeasance by the...
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its guidance for nursing home visitations during the COVID-19 pandemic this week. Although the guidance relaxes previous regulations, the agency notes its concern for the vaccination rates of nursing home employees. Unfortunately, unlike most other areas of the medical...
Omar Pineda, MSN, RN, will lead Abrazo Central Campus in Phoenix and Abrazo Mesa (Ariz.) Hospital and Hans Driessnack will be the CEO of Abrazo West Campus in Goodyear.
Pineda most recently served as COO of Abrazo Arrowhead Campus and is a a former emergency department nurse. He previously served as national senior director of...
The company which invests in and provides skilled nursing and senior living and rehabilitation services purchased the 179-bed facility. Bandera Healthcare in Phoenix is an affiliate of Ensign Group.
The Ensign Group now operates 245 healthcare operations, 22 include senior living operations, across 13 states.
Other properties...
Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez expects the new Sage Memorial Hospital and another north of Winslow will keep tribal patients closer to home.
Earlier this month, Nez appeared at the groundbreaking of Sage Memorial in Ganado, Arizona. The 40-bed hospital is on an 18-acre site near the current hospital facility. The campus will...
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona's (BCBSAZ) AHCCCS Complete Care (ACC) product, Health Choice Arizona (HCA), did not receive an expanded contract from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and effective October 1, 2022, HCA's approximately 12,000 SMI members will move to Care1st, the newly awarded health plan in the...
A recently released analysis estimates federal (MA) overpayments between 2010 and 2019 resulted from private plans' "inventing new ways to increase their enrollees' risk scores," just as sales of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans skyrocket and SCAN launches "Welcome Health" an independent primary care medical group that will deliver...
About 774,000 consumers took advantage of the first week of shopping for 2022 health coverage on the HealthCare.gov platform during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for qualified health plans (QHPs) as AARP and other stakeholders warn alternative health insurance options including fixed indemnity and short-term plans, and health care...
Mike Zenobi has been appointed the Chief Financial Officer with Circle the City. Circle the City is an FQHC based medical respite, primary and behavioral health care services at four locations in Central Phoenix as well as operating several primary and behavioral health mobile outreach programs throughout Maricopa County.
Mike...
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