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

Arizona News

HHS Releases Proposal to Change Anti-Kickback Laws

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled a proposal spearheaded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on Oct. 9 to make changes to anti-kickback legislation and Stark...
National News

Trump's Healthcare Agenda for Upcoming Election

As the 2020 election nears, the battle between political parties over healthcare continues to heighten and President Trump took to Florida-based retirement community, The Villages, in early October to clarify his health policy agenda as he aims for re-election. At the crux of his proposal are four key considerations, including...
Arizona News

Maricopa County Assessor Indicted for Orchestrating Adoption Scheme

Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen received a 32 count indictment in Arizona on Oct. 15 following the discovery of an adoption scheme orchestrated by Petersen involving transporting women from the Marshall Islands to the United States to give birth. The pregnant women he brought to the U.S. were able to receive government-funded...
Arizona News

Course of Action Must be Decided in Inmate Care Suit

Five years after a settlement was reached, Judge Roslyn Silver is ordering the Arizona Department of Corrections (DOC) to act, presenting three options: comply with the settlement, create a new settlement, or go to trial. Both parties were given until Oct. 23 to decide and inform the court. Silver's order follows a recent report...
National News

Trump Order Denies Visas for Immigrants who Cannot Afford Healthcare

President Trump issued a proclamation on Oct. 4 barring soon-to-be immigrants from permanent residency in the U.S. within 30 days of entering if they cannot prove they are covered by an approved insurance plan or are unable to pay for healthcare. Effective Nov. 3, the rule includes parents and legal guardians of U.S....
National News

Hospitals Continue to Push Back on CMS Proposals

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a notice on Thursday informing hospitals of its plans to survey facilities to collect information on their acquisition costs for certain covered outpatient drugs included in the 340B Drug Discount Program. The notice follows a July proposed rule from the Trump...
Respiratory Illnesses Linked to Vaping Pop Up in the Valley Arizona News

Respiratory Illnesses Linked to Vaping Pop Up in the Valley

Three cases of vaping-related respiratory illnesses were confirmed in Maricopa County last week by the state's health department; the outbreaks are among a national epidemic totaling 530 cases. There are another three suspected cases in Arizona, one in Tucson. A surge in respiratory infections across the country has doctors scratching...
Arizona News

New SNF Value-Based Payment System Brings Big Changes

Starting Oct. 1 therapy payments to nursing facilities will shift to a value-based model, emphasizing patient needs over the amount of services provided. The Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM), a more individualized approach, aims to reduce inflated billing by basing payments on patient's medical characteristics. The new approach...
Arizona News

Medicaid Work Requirements: Arizona's Approach

Arizona's Medicaid Program, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS), is implementing work requirements beginning the fall of 2020 in Maricopa, Pima and Yuma counties. Eventually, nearly 120,000 Arizona residents on Medicaid will have to prove they are either working, studying or volunteering in order to continue...
Arizona News

Cerner EHRs: A Current Fan Favorite

Healthcare information technology giant Cerner has proven to be a favorite among health systems when selecting electronic health records (EHRs) as it recently secured a spot in the Mayo Clinic and Oxford University partnership and three new rural health system. As Mayo Clinic establishes its first health facility in the United...
National News

New Generation of Apple Watch Pushes Heavily into Healthcare

During its new product event on Sept. 10, Apple unveiled the fifth generation Apple Watch along with the updated iPhone and iPad. The company also announced partnerships with the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association for three research studies aimed at assessing the watch’s capability to monitor certain...
News

Final Rule Gives CMS Tools to Identify Risky Providers & Organizations

Another reason to be careful who you do business with. Last week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule centered around expanding the agency’s jurisdiction to prevent fraudulent payments by keeping corrupt providers out of federal programs and creating new revocation and denial authorities.  The...
Plaintiffs in Arizona Prison Suit Appeal for Federal Takeover Arizona News

Plaintiffs in Arizona Prison Suit Appeal for Federal Takeover

Despite a settlement almost five-years-old, lawyers representing inmates in the Parsons v. Ryan suit filed a request for receivership, citing the Arizona Department of Corrections’ (ADC) failure to comply with previous rulings as impetus for the sanction. Attorneys from the Prison Law Office (PLO) and the American Civil Liberties...
National News

'Walmart Health' Big Box Retailer Launches First Standalone Clinic 

Walmart is slated to open its first standalone primary care clinic, the “Walmart Health” pilot care center, in Georgia on Sept. 13. Patients will be able to receive lab tests, immunizations, dental care, optometry, audiology and behavioral health services. The announcement comes on the heels of CVS’ “HealthHub,” which...
Page 3 of 1812345...
© The Hertel Report 2017. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy