Melanie MacEachern

Freelance writer with skills and knowledge in healthcare policy, reproductive justice and art history. Skilled administrative assistant. Graduated from University of Michigan.

Author's Posts

Arizona News

Arizona COVID-19 Update: Testing Data, Prisons, Schools & Trump

On Monday, Arizona reported under 500 new COVID-19 cases and no known deaths, but the data accumulated by the Arizona Department of Health Services is being challenged. Meanwhile, the President visited the state again, a mobile testing van is launched in the valley and prisons are struggling to keep the virus contained. Inpatient...
Arizona News

Judge Strikes Down Ballot Initiative to Raise Hospital Minimum Wage

A Maricopa County Superior Court Judge ruled there are not enough valid signatures on petitions supporting the Healthcare Rising ballot initiative. This means the proposal to increase pay for hospital workers and guarantee protections for patients with preexisting conditions won’t be on the ballot in November. The ballot...
National News

Biden & Harris on Healthcare

As the Democratic National Convention plays out this week, the campaign platform for former Vice President Joe Biden and his selected candidate for Vice President, California Senator Kamala Harris, will finally solidify. Senator Harris, one of the sponsors of the 2019 Medicare for All bill, may once have been appealing to party...
Arizona News

August 12: Arizona COVID-19 Update

Arizona suffered a dramatic outbreak of COVID-19 in June, the effects of which were felt throughout July. This week, cases appear to be subsiding, but the state has other complications that may cause more difficulties on the path to becoming COVID-19 free. A story from CNN last week said that John’s Hopkins University data...
Arizona News

Transgender Teens File Class Action Suit Against AHCCCS

Both Arizona teens were denied coverage for chest reconstructive surgery despite the procedure being recommended by doctors as necessary treatment for dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is a medical condition related to the process of gender transition. Dysphoria comes from a discomfort or lack of identity with physical signifiers of sex...
Arizona News

CMS Unveils New ACO and Rural Healthcare Payment Model

Last Wednesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced a new payment model that will use upfront and capitated payments for accountable care organizations (ACOs). Called “the Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART),” the Model will focus on ACOs and organizations in 15 rural communities with a...
Arizona News

ASU Study Reports Severe Impact for Arizona if ACA Repealed

With 27 million people newly uninsured due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the simultaneous economic collapse, the case California v. Texas looms large over the conversation of national healthcare. A study by ASU and commissioned by the Children’s Action Alliance released this week analyzes the pros and cons of a potential...
Arizona News

Appellate Court Says Trump Administration Can Reduce 340B Subsidies

Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia overturned a decision that said the Trump administration did not have the authority to reduce subsidies from Medicare for the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The 340B program allows hospitals to buy medications at large discounts, but many have objected to this...
Arizona News

Mayo Clinic Tops U.S. News Honor Roll Again

This week the U.S. News and World Report released its list of Best Hospital Rankings with the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minnesota at the top of the list and checking in at #16 was Mayo Clinic of Phoenix, Arizona. The yearly Honor Roll is distinction awarded to hospitals ranked in the top 20 for exceptional care provided. The data used...
National News

Senate Republicans Unveil HEALS Act, Continuation of CARES Act

On Monday this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) announced “Phase Four” of the economic relief negotiations for COVID-19 related financial assistance for business and hospitals with the Health, Economic, Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act. The bill is a follow up to the Coronavirus...
National News

Bill Introduced to Make Emergency Changes to Telehealth Permanent

Last Thursday, a bipartisan group of representatives introduced a bill to the House of Representatives that would solidify some changes made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding telehealth coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill would allow telehealth visits to be conducted from a patient’s home and...
National News

CMS to Resume Medicare FFS Audits in August

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will end its suspension of audits on claims as of August 3, according to an FAQ released by the organization this week. CMS paused audits for fee-for-service claims on March 30 as part of the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fee-for-service claims reviews, which are...
Arizona News

Arizona Nursing Homes Continue to See Outbreaks of COVID-19

Arizona nursing home facilities continue to see difficulties with maintaining and controlling the spread of the coronavirus. Nationwide, some of the difficulties with containing the spread are being identified in order to assist long term care facilities with controlling future outbreaks. At Granite Creek Health and Rehabilitation...
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