BCBS of Tennessee to Drop OxyContin Coverage in 2019
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee will stop covering the prescription opioid OxyContin beginning January 1, 2019.
Survey: 90% of Americans use Digital Health Tools
Consumers continue to embrace digital health tools, with 90% of respondents in a new Rock Health survey using at least one last year, up from 80% in 2016.
Virtual Care Adopted by All Generations
Millennials, generation Xers, baby boomers and seniors vary in how they're using virtual care, according to a Deloitte report.
CMS Pushes ACOs to Take on Risk with Overhaul of MSSP
CMS issued a proposed rule Aug. 9 that would make sweeping changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program, including overhauling the way ACOs share in risks and rewards.
Which Patients Are Less Likely To Get A Fatal Hospital Infection?
Patients who stay in private rooms as opposed to double occupancy rooms have a reduced risk of central line infections, a hospital-acquired infection that causes thousands of deaths each year, a study published in PLOS ONE found.
Security Holes in Medicaid Security Program Risks Patient Data
Maryland did not adequately follow federal requirements to secure its Medicaid data and information systems, according to an HHS Office of Inspector General report.
Why Physician Burnout Is On the Rise
Physician burnout increased from 45.5 percent to 54.4 percent between 2011 and 2014, according to an article in the American Journal of Medicine.
Postsurgery Opioid Overdose is ‘Rare’
A study published in JAMA examined the frequency of opioid overdoses after discharge from surgery.
AHA Urges Creation of Stark Law Exception
The American Hospital Association has made various recommendations to ease the burdens of Stark Law compliance, including protection for value-based payment arrangements.
Most Consumers Would Prepay For Prescriptions For A Discount
Sixty-four percent of consumers reported that they would jump on an opportunity to prepay for medications to receive a discounted price, according to a survey from DrFirst, a provider of e-prescribing and patient medication management solutions.