Humana Announces New Value-Based Contracting Program
n the latest sign that private payers are moving compensation into value-based contracting, Humana announced four participants in its new Hospital Incentive Program (HIP).
ACA Plan Enrollment Declines to 8.5 Million People
Signups through the ACA health insurance exchanges declined year over year during the 2019 open-enrollment period, CMS revealed on Dec. 19.
Study: Opioids Have Little Benefit in Long-term Pain Management
Chronic pain patients don’t fare much better taking opioids to manage their pain than they do by taking placebos, a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association found.
Insurers Convert Nearly Half of Business to Value-Based Payments
The Health Care Transformation Task Force, a 41-member group that includes some of the nation’s top health systems and payers, revealed Dec. 18 that members have made substantial progress toward transitioning to value-based payment arrangements.
Fitbit Data Could Help Hospitals Battle Nurse Fatigue
A UW-Madison School of Nursing professor is using fitness trackers to monitor nurse movement in hospitals and reveal what causes nurse fatigue during hospital shifts.
Rate of Opioid Use Rises Among Pregnant Women
One in 25 women hospitalized for a pregnancy-related reason tested positive for an illegal drug or a drug used to treat drug addiction in 2016-17 in Pennsylvania, according to a new report.
Neonatal Telehealth Reduces Transfers; Boosts Hospital Revenue
Telehealth programs for neonatal resuscitation were associated with a reduction in transfers from hospitals without newborn intensive care units, a reduced transfer risk and an increase in community hospital revenue
Best Practices for Payer-Provider Partnerships
When healthcare providers and payers forge strong collaborations, it quickens the amount of time it takes to turn medical research into usable procedures, according to a report from the Alliance of Community Health Plans.
Winners & Losers Amid CMS’ Prescription Drug Policy Changes
CMS issued a proposed rule Nov. 26 that would allow insurers to implement broader use of step therapies or drop coverage of certain protected classes of drugs if price increases outpace inflation. Below is a breakdown of the winners and losers under the proposed rule changes.
Full-Year Results for Shared Savings Program
Change Healthcare and ACO Partner announced results for the first complete plan year of its novel shared savings program with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ)