News Briefs
Telehealth Access Challenged as Internet Subsidy Program Ends
More than 23 million low-income households -- urban, suburban, rural, and tribal -- are enrolled in the federal discount program Congress created in 2021 to bridge the nation's digital connectivity gap. But the program is expected to run out of money in April or May, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
(Source: KFF Health News, 2024-04-04)
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Biden Administration Responds to Medicare Drug Price Negotiations
The Biden administration said it has responded to offers from the manufacturers of 10 high-cost drugs selected for the U.S. Medicare program's first-ever pricing negotiations but provided no details. Part of 2022's Inflation Reduction Act allows Medicare to negotiate prices for prescription drugs that had been particularly expensive for the federal health program that covers millions of Americans aged 65 and older as well as the disabled.
(Source: Reuters, 2024-04-03)
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Report Finds Hospitals' Cash Reserves Weakening, Declined 25.4%
Following the challenges of the past two years, hospitals' days cash on hand has weakened and put many organizations in a financially unstable position, according to a report by Syntellis, now part of Strata. The data from over 1,900 hospitals revealed that the median change in days cash on hand dropped 25.4 percent in February 2024, compared to February 2022.
(Source: HealthLeaders Media, 2024-04-04)
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Rural Hospices Urge Congress to Boost Federal Support
Calls are growing louder for Congress to build stronger reimbursement and workforce incentives aimed at improving the availability and sustainability of rural-based end-of-life care. Current reimbursement structures within the federally established Medicare Hospice Benefit do not sufficiently support the level of care needed in rural-based communities, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
(Source: Hospice News, 2024-04-04)
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DEA Urged to Review Proposed Virtual Prescribing Rule
More than 200 virtual care stakeholders, including trade associations, healthcare providers, and telehealth companies, have signed a letter urging the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to release a revised proposed rule allowing virtual prescribing of controlled substances soon. The letter states that a revised rule permanently allowing controlled substances to be prescribed via telehealth without a prior in-person examination "is crucial for access to mental health, substance use disorder, and other telehealth care."
(Source: mHealthIntelligence, 2024-04-04)
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AI Not Yet Prepared to Replace PCPs, Study Finds
A recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine sought to evaluate the accuracy of two prominent AI models, ChatGPT-4 and Bard, in providing recommendations related to preventive medicine and primary care. The findings revealed varying degrees of accuracy in the responses provided by ChatGPT-4 and Bard.
(Source: Medical Economics, 2024-04-04)
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AHA Warns Hospitals About IT Help Desk Social Engineering Schemes
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued a warning that hackers are attempting to target the helpdesks of hospitals in order to gain access to critical hospital systems. The hackers have been observed contacting hospital IT help desks using local area code phone numbers and then pretending to be a hospital employee, providing the helpdesk with stolen identification.
(Source: Tech Radar, 2024-04-08)
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Cybersecurity Performance Linked to Shareholder Returns
Strong cybersecurity performance in healthcare is crucial for ensuring patient safety and operational continuity at all times, especially during a cybersecurity incident. But new research shows that the strength of an organization's cybersecurity program is directly tied to financial performance as well. Companies with advanced cybersecurity performance over a five-year and three-year period delivered an average total shareholder return of 71 percent and 67 percent, respectively, according to a new report from Diligent Institute and Bitsight.
(Source: HealthIT Security, 2024-04-08)
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Government Agencies Launch Probe into P.E. Healthcare Deals
The government agencies in the U.S. have collaboratively initiated a cross-government public inquiry to scrutinize the growing influence of private equity companies and corporations in the healthcare sector. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have released a RFI to gather public input on a range of healthcare-related deals.
(Source: GlobalData, 2024-04-05)
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CMS Issues Rules to Speed Up Prior Authorization Process
The federal government is addressing delays caused by insurers requiring prior authorization for many procedures and prescription medications. Experts say speeding up the process can aid patients and cut healthcare costs.
(Source: Medical Economics, 2024-04-04)
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P.E. Tool Aims to Cut Costs, While Also Boosting Insurer Profits
Insurance companies have long blamed private-equity-owned hospitals and physician groups for exorbitant billing that drives up healthcare costs. But a tool backed by private equity is helping insurers make billions of dollars and shift costs to patients. The tool, Data iSight, is the premier offering of a cost-containment firm called MultiPlan that has attracted round after round of private equity investment since positioning itself as a central player in the lucrative medical payments field.
(Source: The New York Times, 2024-04-07)
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