Medicare & Medicaid
Government says the ratings, which will award between one and five stars to each hospital, will be more useful to consumers than its current mishmash of more than 100 individual metrics, many of which deal with technical matters. The hospital industry, however, fears the ratings will be misleading and oversimplify the many types of care at the institutions.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is in the spotlight this week as the man Donald Trump has picked to be his running mate. Pence's decisions about health and health care in Indiana have drawn attention from within and outside the state. His record could be important in November, because Trump doesn't have a legislative record at all.
One in three deaths are caused by heart attacks and strokes, resulting in over $300 billion in healthcare costs each year.
Nineteen states have yet to expand their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, and a new study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows just how much enrollment would increase if they did: 7.8 to 8.8 million, while the number of uninsured would decline between 4.1 and 5 million, the research found.
Teaching hospitals had slightly lower star ratings than non-teaching hospitals, while critical access hospitals showed high marks.
Anthem and Aetna plan to pursue in court the Department of Justice's injunction to block their respective mergers with Cigna and Humana, according to statements from both insurers.
Sources close to the deals are saying the U.S. Department of Justice is about to block the proposed mergers between Anthem and Cigna, and Aetna and Humana. Federal regulators are expected to file a lawsuit as early as this week or next on the proposed deals.
Official says one of the best ways physicians can prepare for MACRA is to sift through the list of 90 activities laid out in the rule.
Research letter published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry found Medicare beneficiaries had the highest and most rapidly growing rate of "opioid use disorder." Six of every 1,000 recipients struggle with the condition, compared with one out of every 1,000 patients covered through commercial insurance plans.
If the law doesn't become too complicated, the CMS chief said it will lead to better care and happier doctors.