The American Hospital Association (AHA) has come out against the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC’s) proposed Non-Compete Clause Rule, writing in a letter to the agency that it should be withdrawn due to insufficient congressional authority and the unforeseen impacts it could have on a volatile healthcare labor market. “The proposed regulation errs by seeking to […]
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division recently withdrew its support for three joint policies with the Federal Trade Commission, which each created antitrust safety zones in the health-care industry. These included a 1993 policy with safety zones for mergers, participation in exchanges of price and cost information, and joint purchasing arrangements. In addition, a 1996
Axing Health-Care Antitrust Safety Zones Will Impact Transactions Read More »
Medicare managed care plans are nearing a major enrollment milestone just as the Biden administration is pushing for tighter oversight of the popular plans. After covering 49% of eligible beneficiaries with both “Part A” hospital coverage and “Part B” outpatient coverage last year, private Medicare Advantage plans now cover nearly 30.9 million of these people
Private Medicare Plans See Scrutiny as 50% Enrollment Mark Nears Read More »
Digital health companies should re-evaluate how user data is acquired and shared following the Federal Trade Commission’s enforcement action against GoodRx, experts said. Earlier this month the Justice Department, on behalf of the FTC, filed a complaint and proposed order for permanent injunction against GoodRx. Under the order, the company would be prohibited from sharing
FTC’s Enforcement Action Against GoodRx ‘A Wakeup Call’ for Digital Health Companies Read More »
After years of trying to squash the expansion of government-funded health care and preserve business from private payers, the health care industry is suddenly facing new threats to the revenue it receives from the Medicare. Behind all of the political posturing around sustaining the program is a cold, hard fact — the program’s trust fund
Health Industry Could Be Playing Defense on Medicare Read More »
Amid growing acceptance of psychedelics, advocates in blue states like Colorado and Oregon began their pushes with ballot measures proposing to decriminalize psychedelics like magic mushrooms. Advocates in red states like Utah and Missouri are starting in a different way, proposing studying them or first making them legal for medical use — a strategy that
Red States Join Push to Legalize Magic Mushrooms for Therapy Read More »
The latest ruling in the Wit v. United Behavioral Health case disappointed many behavioral health parity advocates. On Jan. 26, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released a ruling that essentially undid a favorable and sweeping 2019 district court decision on how payers may handle behavioral health claims. It also ordered United Behavioral Health
‘I Don’t Think This Is Over’: Reactions to the Latest in Wit v. United Behavioral Health Read More »
The Federal Trade Commission’s skepticism of tech-fueled healthcare mergers could spell trouble for Amazon and One Medical, experts say. For years, the FTC has tried to thwart mergers between large hospital systems. Recent action reveals its focus could be widening to include mergers involving digital health providers and big tech companies. Erik Gordon, an assistant
Could the FTC Put a Damper on Amazon’s Healthcare Ambitions? Read More »
More states are working out differences over what medical services non-doctors can provide in order to ease stubborn workforce shortages plaguing health systems. The pandemic prompted states to waive certain licensure requirements which allowed providers to more easily practice in other states or to expand the services they were allowed to provide to patients, including
States Eye Compacts, Scope of Practice Laws to Fill Holes in Health Workforce Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a proposed rule to require nursing homes to disclose more information regarding their ownership and management, including information related to assets held by real estate investment trusts (REITs) and private equity firms. Nursing homes will be expected to disclose this information as part of the
