News

In a deal that greatly accelerates its move into the Medicare supplement market, Aetna announced in June an agreement to buy Genworth Financial's Medicare supplement business, Continental Life Insurance, for $290 million.

A recent study in Health Affairs examined for the first time the effects that differences in healthcare service volume and price, rather than simply spending and use, have on state and regional Medicaid spending.

Opponents of a proposed revision of the "advice" exemption of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) of 1959 would restrict access to legal counsel and forward an organized labor agenda.

In early July, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued proposed changes that would update payment policies and rates for physicians, dialysis facilities and services to Medicare beneficiaries in hospital outpatient departments and decrease Medicare payments to home health agencies.

In the age of healthcare reform and the advent of coordinated care models such as accountable care organizations, nurses have an increasing number of career opportunities, say industry insiders. Topping the list are care managers and leadership roles in the C-suite – positions key to controlling healthcare costs.

With patent expirations looming for some of the world's top-selling brand name drugs, the outlook for the global pharmaceutical industry is negative, said Moody's in its annual Industry Outlook report, released in June.

The June 2011 report to Congress by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) called for a move away from fee-for-service reimbursement and toward a payment system that rewards quality and efficiency in the delivery of healthcare services.

It's no secret that the Republicans who swept into power in the 2010 elections are intent on defunding and dismantling, piece by piece, the Affordable Care Act. The latest portion of the ACA to come under fire – somewhat obscured by the wrangling over the country's debt ceiling – is a cornerstone of the law meant to keep Medicare spending in check, the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).

President Barack Obama has requested $54.9 billion in healthcare funding for the Department of Veterans' Affairs for fiscal year 2012 and $56.7 billion for fiscal year 2013, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office in June.

Community Health Systems, Inc., one the largest publicly-traded hospital companies in the United States, has executed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Tomball Regional Medical Center, in Tomball, Texas.