News

Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and John Thune, R-S.D., introduced the Improving Seniors' Tmely Access to Care Act (S. 5044), bipartisan legislation that would require Medicare Advantage plans to establish an electronic prior authorization system and provide “real-time” decisions for routine services and items.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said that will audit a sample of hospitals in January for compliance with the agency’s hospital price transparency rule that takes effect Jan. 1, 2021.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released updated guidance for states and territories on Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program and Basic Health Program coverage and reimbursement for COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has extended to Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. ET the deadline for clinicians participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System to apply for an extreme and uncontrollable circumstances exception to reweight the MIPS performance categories.

In an article published in JAMA, Jonathan Perlin M.D., president, clinical operations, and chief medical officer, HCA Healthcare, discusses how with the COVID-19 pandemic, “the less appreciated ravage has been excess morbidity and mortality from patients who have forgone essential care due to patient fears of contracting COVID-19 in health care settings and to policy makers’ restrictions of care activities to ensure capacity” for COVID-19 patients.

The American Medical Association announced Current Procedural Terminology immunization and administration codes for reporting on medical claims the COVID-19 vaccine under development by AstraZeneca and University of Oxford.

The National Institutes of Health announced enrollment in phase 3 of the clinical trial of two disparate therapies. This trial is specifically looking at the safety and effectiveness of the therapeutics in people hospitalized with moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

The Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee Dec. 17 recommended the approval of Moderna’s mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

To continue emphasizing the message of protecting against both the flu and COVID-19, AHA’s Wear A Mask and United Against the Flu campaigns released new resources, including new sample social media messages, several graphics and a video that hospitals and health systems can use to reiterate the importance of getting a flu shot, wearing a mask and practicing good hygiene.

To help advance the public’s confidence and trust in the safety of COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution, the AHA has launched a COVID-19 vaccine webpage for individuals.

The AHA urged Congress to extend the Paycheck Protection Program as part of end-of-the-year legislation and to maintain eligibility at the current level of 500 or fewer employees for those organizations who need additional support through a second loan.

For 50 weeks this year, this Friday column has tracked the ups and downs, the triumphs and the setbacks of the most heroic chapter in the history of America’s hospitals and health systems.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that it is extending the third quarter 2020 data submission deadlines for several of its quality reporting and value programs for hospitals, post-acute care and other providers.

Children’s Wisconsin developed a communication tool — Patient Journey — to proactively address families’ expectations and concerns by providing information before, during and after procedures.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that it is extending the third quarter 2020 data submission deadlines for several of its quality reporting and value programs for hospitals, post-acute care and other providers.

The AHA announced key leadership appointments to reflect the increasing focus and importance of health equity and workforce in the association’s strategic activities.

In an alert this week, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) reminded health care providers and researchers to patch any vulnerabilities in their Picture Archiving Communication Systems that could expose patient records to unauthorized access.

As the nation grapples with the complicated logistics of fair and efficient vaccine distribution, this conversation with two senior officials from the National Urban League explores best practices and strategies hospitals and health systems can use to reach Black, Latinx and underserved communities.

Enrollment in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program increased 5.6% between July 2019 and July 2020, driven largely by the economic downturn created by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services posted additional information to help health care providers implement six new ICD-10 diagnosis codes for reporting conditions related to COVID-19 on medical claims effective Jan. 1. The information includes updated coding guidelines, code descriptions and other details.