Growing criticism from GOP governors may be enough to convince some Republicans to kill the Senate’s ACA repeal legislation.
Worried about state budget impacts from loss of Medicaid funding and the reduction of citizens receiving Medicaid...National News
American Medical Association and consulting firm KPMG released a report this week that indicates the majority of medical practices are not compliant.
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act is well underway in its first year rollout. The survey looked at responses from 1,000 physicians who have been involved in practice...National News
The longer the Repeal and Replace debate drags on, the narrower the window for passing tax cuts.
Markets stumbled in March when ACA repeal looked to be in danger, diminishing investor confidence that President Trump can push through his fiscal agenda of tax cuts and infrastructure spending. On Tuesday, the Nasdaq composite led the...National News
Leadership had hoped to bring the bill to the floor before the recess.
The delay reflects important things. The critical need for at least 50 solid votes. The 50 are not solidly predictable. It highlights the challenge facing the GOP leadership as they try to close the gap between conservatives and moderates in the party. While the...Arizona News
The picture is developing of what the impacts are likely to be.
The Arizona Chamber of Commerce predicted in a letter to U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake that the Senate bill would harm the state's economy and "blow a hole" in the state budget.
Hospital and health leaders are particularly worried about the proposed reductions...Arizona News
The insurer, which launched an MAPD product in Colorado last year, is led by former UnitedHealth executive Bob Sheehy.
The new start-up insurance company Bright Health is entering the Arizona marketplace in 2018 in partnership with Arizona Care Network (ACN), according to two sources familiar with the deal. Marketing of MA plans...National News
After the bill has been exposed, reactions are heard.
"8 things to know about BCRA":
Medicaid expansion capped and repealed
DISH reductions restored for non-expansion states.
ACA revenue generating taxes repealed.
ACA low-income subsidies continued.
$2 billion in new funds for mental health and substance abuse...Arizona News
Based in Chandler, the company's former CEO Michael Babich, its regional sales directors and four more former employees allegedly paid pain doctors to ramp up their prescribing habits for Subsys, a spray form of Fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine.
Federal prosecutors arrested several...Arizona News
Reaction was swift to the text unveiled Thursday.
The 142-page “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017” would cut deeply into Medicaid funding and do away with the current mandate for coverage, but would also preserve some subsidies to help taxpayers afford health insurance.
Reactions from Arizona legislators were restrained or...Arizona News
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) is the national accrediting authority for medical education programs leading to M.D. degrees in the United States and Canada.
All new medical schools undergo a rigorous process designed to standardize and optimize the quality of medical education across the U.S. and Canada. The first...National News
With an eye toward passage before Independence Day, the U.S. Senate finally unveiled its path to the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act.
Republicans need 50 votes to pass the legislation - if two Republicans abandon the bill when it comes to the floor next week and Democrats remain unified in their opposition, repeal...National News
A 1058 page proposed rule to craft 2018 Updates to the Quality Payment Program is released.
Changes announced Tuesday afternoon feature continuation of "pick your pace" for the new payment system's data reporting and expands exemption of physicians from mandatory participation. "The most significant proposed changes for 2018 intend...National News
“I expect to have a discussion draft on Thursday and we will go to the bill obviously once we get a CBO score, likely next week,” Majority Leader McConnell said.
McConnell has heard complaints from Democrats and his own party members about the process for the healthcare bill. There have been no hearings on the GOP effort, and key...National News
Conducted June 15-19, the poll surveyed 2,051 registered voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Though the confidence in polls has diminished since November 8, the trends are significant. Only 35 percent of voters surveyed approve of the bill passed by the House last month. Nearly half of voters, 49...National News
This month, The University of Michigan's Center for Value Based Insurance Design published a white paper on clinically integrated therapies and produced its own animated video with tips on aligning benefit design within value-based payment models. Share the video for a high-level look at fee-for-service versus value-based care. Visit...National News
Assembly Bill 374, known as "Sprinklecare" would have been a groundbreaking opportunity for all Nevadans to buy-in to Medicaid.
So named for Assemblyman Mike Sprinkle, who sponsored the bill and believes healthcare is a right, would have permitted 3 million Nevadans to buy coverage through Medicaid. Governor Brian Sandoval, who...Arizona News
The question is whether the levy funding expanded Medicaid program is a "tax" or an "assessment".
Governor Ducey's administration is asking the high court to reject arguments brought by the Goldwater Institute asserting that taxes can be enacted only with a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate, which did not happen in this...National News
May 4 the president praised the bill in the Rose Garden, disparaged it June 14.
During a lunch meeting with 15 GOP senators, Trump’s characterizations seemed to undercut attempts by Senate leaders to mollify conservatives who want restrictions in their chamber’s bill, such as cutting the Medicaid health care program for the poor...National News
January 2016 CMS blocked marketing and enrollment of Cigna's Medicare Advantage and Plan D offerings.
The CMS said Cigna plans "posed serious threats to the health and safety of Medicare beneficiaries." For example, Cigna inappropriately denied medical care and prescription drugs to its members. Cigna and CMS spent more than a year...Arizona News
Dignity in "final stages " of merger talks with Catholic Health Initiatives.
The two non-profit agencies have combined revenue of $28 billion and employ 162,000 people.While both CHI and Dignity Health were founded by Roman Catholic Church-affiliated organizations, they also include non-Catholic hospitals. Both are known for their...Arizona News
Chronic disease prevention programs attract investors
Currently located in 4,900 square feet in Phoenix, the integrated health network employs 67 people, with plans to employ 80 by the end of the year. The addition will require more space. Downtown Phoenix will supply the need with 19,000 square feet on the third floor of the 111 W....National News
Trained in US residency programs, graduates of foreign medical schools supply vital needs.
Primary care, particularly in rural areas, has a growing shortage of physicians to meet the population's needs. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, by 2025, the nation could need 35,600 more primary care doctors than it...National News
Community Catalyst Action Fund, which bills itself as a consumer health organization, will spend $1.5 million on an ad campaign this week.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Susan Collins (Maine), Dean Heller (Nev.) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) will be targeted with television and radio ads urging them to vote no...National News
Different assumptions bring different results.
Paul Spitalnic, the chief actuary for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, released a report June 13, estimating financial effects of the AHCA. He predicted the AHCA would reduce insurance coverage by 13 million people by 2026: 10 million less than the Congressional Budget...Arizona News
After recent changes in both organization's executive teams, we reached out to Banner Health and Banner Health Network for their most recent leadership organizational charts to help make it easy for readers to connect with Arizona's largest health...
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