News Briefs
SCOTUS Affirmative Action Ruling May Impact Healthcare Sector
Doctors are concerned that a Supreme Court ruling issued June 29 will have far-reaching effects not only on the diversity of doctors and other care providers in training but ultimately also on patient care. The decision found it is unconstitutional for colleges and universities to use race as a factor in student admissions, which will affect enrollment decisions at public and private educational institutions, including medical schools.
(Source: KFF Health News, 2023-07-06)
READ MORE >
New Guidance on Drug Price Negotiations Unveiled by CMS
The U.S. government revised its guidance for its Medicare drug price negotiation process, allowing drug companies to publicly discuss the talks, but did not make major changes likely to convince drugmakers to end their suits seeking to halt the program. The program was established under the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law last year.
(Source: Reuters, 2023-06-30)
READ MORE >
FTC Proposed Pre-Merger Changes Could Impact Healthcare Sector
The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice have proposed changes to the premerger review process to allow more effective screenings of healthcare deals for competition issues. The proposed changes apply to the premerger notification form and the premerger notification rules implementing the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.
(Source: RevCycle Intelligence, 2023-07-05)
READ MORE >
FDA Usually Follows Drug Advisory Recommendations, Study Finds
The FDA tends to agree with the recommendations of its drug advisory committees most of the time -- especially if the committee votes in favor of approving a drug -- but it is also convening advisory committees less often than before, a qualitative study showed. During the years 2010 to 2021, the agency approved 142 of the 147 drugs for which its advisory committees recommended initial approvals and 33 out of the 36 drugs for which committees recommended approval for supplemental indications, reported Aaron S. Kesselheim, MD, JD, MPH, of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues.
(Source: MedPage Today, 2023-07-07)
READ MORE >
HHS to Pay 340B Hospitals $9 Billion in Wake of Lawsuit
The federal government will pay eligible hospitals in the 340B program $9 billion to offset payment cuts the Supreme Court ruled unlawful last year. In 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services cut prescription drug payments for 340B-covered entity hospitals by nearly 30 percent.
(Source: FierceHealthcare, 2023-07-09)
READ MORE >
Nursing Homes Believe CMS Staffing Minimums Will Boost Unions
Nursing home and labor leaders believe more labor organizing will happen in conjunction with the forthcoming federal staffing minimum mandate, as the sector has historically seen a low proportion of workers covered by union contracts. Having a federal standard in place could begin collective bargaining efforts, or maybe remove this sticking point in labor negotiations, according to an article published in Axios. But a mandate with waivers could dilute such a rebound in staffing, reform advocates warn.
(Source: Skilled Nursing News, 2023-07-05)
READ MORE >
AI Could Save Revenue Cycle $9.8 Billion, Statistics Show
Automation, particularly through AI, holds the promise of greater efficiency and fewer denials in the revenue cycle. There's $9.8 billion in potential savings through automation in the revenue cycle, according to statistics provided by TruBridge, a consultant and IT services provider.
(Source: Healthcare Finance News, 2023-07-05)
READ MORE >
Patients Report Comfort with AI-Led Primary Care, But Not a Preference for It
Nearly one-third of American adults and 40 percent of adults under 34 report that they would be comfortable with an artificial intelligence-led primary care appointment, according to a new survey released by Outbreaks Near Me and SurveyMonkey. But the option isn't their preference.
(Source: Healthcare Dive, 2023-07-05)
READ MORE >
More Hospices Seeking to Enter Home-Based Primary Care Market
As healthcare stakeholders work to improve care coordination, more hospices are exploring home-based primary care. Offering those services can help hospice and palliative care providers engage patients further upstream, as well as offer a more comprehensive suite of services to meet their needs, according to Melissa Singleton, chief learning officer at the Home-Centered Care Institute.
(Source: Hospice News, 2023-07-10)
READ MORE >
Study Looks at How Physicians, Nurses Prefer to Address Burnout
To address burnout, physicians and nurses prefer actions to boost nurse staffing, increase clinician control over workload, and improve work environments rather than wellness programs and resilience training, a new research article found. The article, which was published by JAMA Health Forum, is based on survey data collected from more than 15,000 nurses and more than 5,000 physicians at 60 Magnet-recognized hospitals in 2021.
(Source: HealthLeaders Media, 2023-07-10)
READ MORE >
National Telehealth Use Declined 5.4 Percent in April
Following a rise in the prior month, the FAIR Health Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker reported that telehealth use decreased across the board, nationally, and in all four United States census regions, in April. Specifically, national telehealth use dropped 5.4 percent at the national level, from 5.6 percent of medical claim lines in March to 5.3 percent in April.
(Source: mHealthIntelligence, 2023-07-10)
READ MORE >
