Veronica Graff, Author at The Hertel Report

Veronica Graff

Business journalist and recent graduate from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication with minors in business and philosophy. Emphasis in financial, economic and market reporting. Regular contributor to The Hertel Report.

Author's Posts

News

Hospitals Urge Congress to Suspend Medicare Payment Cuts Amid Outbreak

Three major hospital groups penned a letter, addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, urging Congress to suspend the mandated Medicare sequester for the duration of the pandemic. Established by the Budget Control Act in 2011, the federal...

Arizona News

CMMI Considers New Value-Based Payment Model for Oncology Care

Last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) released a Request for Information as it sought comments for its Oncology Care First (OCF) proposal, a voluntary model open to physician groups and hospital outpatient departments offering two payment mechanisms. Now it is considering the addition of clinical laboratory...

Arizona News

Arizona Supreme Court Finds Federal Law Overrules State 'Balance Billing' Law

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Monday that hospitals are not permitted to go after payments owed to a patient if they accept payments from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), the state's Medicaid program. Sections of state law have previously authorized hospitals to impose liens on patients when AHCCCS...

National News

Healthcare Stocks Surge on the Biden Bounce After Worst Week Since 2009

The healthcare sector led the market rally on Wednesday following a Super Tuesday Joe Biden victory that drove stocks higher. In an emergency decision, the Fed cut rates 50 basis points on Tuesday, offering little relief for the market that closed down 2.8 percent - erasing any intra-day gains. With Biden the clear representative of...

News

Healthcare Among Sectors Yielding Negative Reactions to a Sanders Victory

A strong victory for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders out of the Nevada caucuses over the weekend sent healthcare stocks reeling on Monday, among other sectors, amid a global market sell-off driven by mounting coronavirus concerns. Conversely, the race to find a cure for the coronavirus sent shares of certain biotech companies up on...

National News

Walmart Disrupting Consumer Health Services Space

Last year, Walmart launched its first Walmart Health Center in Dallas, Georgia; offering a slew of healthcare services, such as primary care, dental and vision for a fraction of the out-of-pocket uninsured rate at a doctor's office. The retail giant had its sights set on becoming "America's Neighborhood Health Destination,"...

News

Physician-Led ACOs Seek Support Under New CMS Regulations

Smaller, physician-led Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) have shown they can cut costs and improve care, but risk limitations due to narrow capital and cost benchmarks present major roadblocks to success under the latest Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) regulations. A recent report published by the Duke-Margolis Health...

News

Hospitals and Insurers Fight Back on CMS Price Transparency Push

Following last year’s controversial price transparency rule mandating that hospitals disclose the rates they negotiate with insurers online for specific services, payers have decided to counter the rule with an initiative of their own. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) revealed the list of 70 mandated...

Arizona News

2021 CMS Rate Proposal For Medicare Advantage Plans

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rate increase of less than 1 percent on 2021 baseline payments for insurers managing Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. The proposal pales in comparison to the more than 2.5 percent increase plans saw this year, but the rate is set to finalize in April. An...

White Papers, E books, Reports and more

Working Paper: A Look Into CMMI's Direct Contracting Program

Physician organizations are set to benefit the most from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s (CMMI) new Direct Contracting Program, offering opportunities to expand their Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) business, while larger health systems will see a more modest impact. A working paper published by healthcare...

Arizona News

Medicaid Block Grant Talks Don't Phase Private Insurers

With two-thirds of U.S. Medicaid beneficiaries receiving care from managed care organizations, private insurers are unlikely to suffer from the Medicaid block grant plan. A majority of states contract with MCOs to provide coverage and the government space is still perceived as a prime growth strategy for large insurers such as...

Arizona News

Trump's Budget Slashes Healthcare, Few Details Given

The 2021 federal budget proposal was unforgiving to the healthcare industry, which took a $1 trillion cut into Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) over the next decade. Trump's budget, unveiled on Monday, outlines $4.8 trillion in spending, with industries such as defense getting a major slice of the pie. Medicare changes...

Arizona News

Medicaid Block Grants: A Primer

The Trump Administration's rollout of its new Medicaid block grant policy, dubbed "Healthy Adult Opportunity" was met with backlash from House Democrats, who are moving to vote on a resolution next week that would disapprove the plan. Block grants give states fixed federal grants to use toward Medicaid spending based on individual...

CMS Rules

CMS Continues Push for Transparency

National News

Hospital Systems Band Together to Address Drug Shortages

Seven hospital systems and three philanthropies joined forces to create a consortium of healthcare powerhouses with the common goal of lowering drug prices and addressing a drug shortage. The venture, dubbed Civica Rx, is a non-profit that works with generic drug companies to manufacture medications. Insurers are now getting in on...

Arizona News

NeuroPsychiatric Hospital to Open Phoenix Location

Indiana-based NeuroPsychiatric Hospital (NPH) announced the opening of a Phoenix location for the spring of 2020. The hospital company serves patients with medical as well as neurological disorders such as autism or diabetes. NPH joins psychiatry and internal medicine in one place and specializes in treating patients who...

Arizona News

Insys Founder Kapoor Sentenced to Prison, Seeks to Delay Term

Founder of opioid maker Insys Therapeutics John Kapoor, 76, was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison. The former billionaire, along with other executives, were convicted of organizing a national bribery scheme that ultimately was found to have fueled the opioid epidemic. Kapoor was given his 66 month sentence for the role he played...

Arizona News

BCBSAZ Strikes Partnership with Healthcare Startup Sharecare

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), one of the largest insurers in the state, announced a partnership with digital health startup Sharecare to improve the health and well being of Arizonans through Sharecare's app. Sharecare is a wellness engagement platform that requires users to fill out a survey to determine their...

National News

Trump Administration to Release Guidance on Medicaid Block Grants

The Trump administration is reportedly slated to introduce guidance for granting states waivers to block grant Medicaid dollars. According to Wall Street Journal reporting, federal officials are expected to release guidance this month as many healthcare professionals continue to express concern and criticism over a block grant...

Arizona News

Despite Slew of Scandals, Hacienda to Keep State License and Medicaid Contract

Terms of a settlement agreement will allow Hacienda Healthcare to keep its state license and Medicaid contract under several conditions, including the mandatory hiring of a quality improvement expert. In June 2019, the Arizona Department of Health Services issued a notice of intent to revoke the facility's license following the...

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