CMS’s Price Transparency Initiatives for 2020
CMS released three proposed rules on July 29, which include payment updates for outpatient and physician services and expanded price transparency initiatives.
Best Hospitals 2019-20 Honor Roll
U.S. News & World Report released its Best Hospitals rankings for 2019-20 on July 30.
Behavioral Healthcare Top Reason Members Seek Telehealth Treatment
Telehealth continues to grow rapidly in both availability and popularity for members with behavioral healthcare needs. The use of telehealth grew 624% from 2014 to 2018, according to a new study from FAIR Health.
Provider-to-Patient Telehealth Usage Up Nearly $1,400%
Private insurance claim lines for non-hospital based provider-to-patient telehealth spiked 1,393 percent from 2014-18, according to a recent Fair Health report.
Medicare Appeals Backlog Reduced 20%
HHS is making progress on reducing the backlog of Medicare appeals at the administrative law judge level, according to a recent status report.
Privacy Issues with Patient Portals
It can be difficult to effectively document sensitive health information of pediatric patients and older adults whose family members have access to their patient portals without violating the patient’s privacy, according to a viewpoint article in AAP News and Journals.
Telemedicine Services Expanding
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed a new bill into law that aims to increase Medicaid patients’ access to telemedicine services, according to New Hampshire Public Radio.
Cancer Deaths Cost $94B in Lost Earnings
In 2015, cancer deaths cost the U.S. $94 billion in lost earnings, according to a study published in JAMA Oncology.
Opioid Overdose Associated With Opioid Prescriptions to Relatives
A new study provides more evidence that America’s ongoing opioid epidemic was fueled by doctors prescribing more painkillers than patients needed — leading to what’s now the deadliest drug overdose crisis in US history.
Opioids Caused 66% of Drug Deaths Worldwide in 2017
Two-thirds of drug deaths around the world were caused by opioids in 2017, and that proportion was even higher in the U.S., where overdose deaths reached a new high, according to a report from the United Nations.