CMS Suspends Agents Operating On The Exchange Enrollment Platform
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has suspended 450 agents and brokers from selling products through healthcare.gov, which enrolls the uninsured in the Exchange program. The move was one in a number of reforms to stop illegal switching of enrollees and fraudulent enrollments.
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#exchanges #aca #obamacare #marketing #fwa
Hospital Groups Wants Government To Take Action on J & J’s 340B Policy Change
Hospital groups want the federal government to take action against Johnson & Johnson for requiring hospitals and other eligible providers to pay full price up front for two medications before the drug maker then pays a rebate or discount later. The federal government has warned J & J it must accept payment of the discounted amount from eligible providers.
(Article may require a subscription.)
#340b #hospitals #providers #drugpricing #branddrugmakers
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/legal/johnson-johnson-340b-drug-pricing-aha-aeh-hrsa
Hospital Margins Strong In July
U.S. hospitals had strong operating margins in July, propelled by growing patient volumes for both inpatient and outpatient. Hospitals’ median year-to-date operating margin climbed from 4.9% in June to 6.5% in July, due to increasing demand for both inpatient and outpatient services. Expenses, though, are up, especially for drugs and supplies.
#hospitals #margins
https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/hospital-operating-margins-july-strata/725525
Part 2 Of George Halvorson’s Blog Pushing Back On MedPAC And MA Opponents
At the link is Part 2 of George Halvorson’s pushing back on MedPAC and other Medicare Advantage (MA) opponents’ claims of overpayments in the program and much more. In both blogs he does a great job of debunking much of the overpayment mythology as well as pointing out the value MA brings. I tend to agree with Halvorson that MedPAC has moved far away from being an unbiased advisor to Congress.
#medicareadvantage #medicare #medpac
— Marc S. Ryan
