340B Targeted in Trump Administration Drug Push
May 15—Hospital advocates and others raised concerns about impacts of the Trump administration’s recently announced initiative to address rapidly rising drug prices in part through policy changes to an existing drug discount program.
Former CMS Leaders: ACO Changes Are Coming
May 11—Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs) are likely to face an imminent overhaul, according to former leaders of the program.
May 14-18: Senate Holds 340B Hearing Amid Surge in Activity
May 10—Congress will once again examine the 340B discount drug program next week amid several judicial and regulatory developments related to the program.
Azar: Actions Coming on Drug Prices, Transparency, Interoperability
May 9—Coming Trump administration healthcare initiatives will include a push to curtail pharmaceutical prices, a price and quality-data transparency effort, and incentives for greater sharing of patient data, the administration’s senior healthcare official said.
Congress Most Likely Pass Regulatory Reduction Bill, Says Leader
May 8—Although many healthcare issues are calling for congressional action this year, the run-up to the mid-term elections likely will limit legislative advancements to a regulatory relief package, according to a congressional health leader.
Medicare Chief Targets Upside-Only ACOs
May 7—Medicare accountable care organizations that don’t accept downside risk are not producing results, says Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Federal Health Policy Changes Expected After Mid-Terms
May 4—The healthcare industry should prepare for major federal healthcare policy changes after the federal congressional election five months from now, no matter which party is in the majority, say policy analysts.
May 6-11 Policy Watch: Hospital-Backed Data-Sharing Bill Gets Hearing
May 3—Legislation to allow more patient data sharing—long sought by hospitals—is expected to continue advancing in Congress next week.
Azar Plans ‘Fundamental Rethinking’ of Provider Pay
May 2—A newly proposed direct primary care payment model is part of a “fundamental rethinking of provider compensation” by the federal government, said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar II.
Where Health Plan-Provider Value-Based Partnerships Trip Up
May 1—An inability to successfully integrate clinical and claims data is among the key challenges in creating and sustaining health plan-provider value-based partnerships, said an executive involved in one such effort.