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FTC Approves Rule Extending Data Privacy To Digital Apps On a 3-2 vote, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) finalized a rule that extends the scope of its breach notification rule to include personal health information collected by health apps and other technology that are outside the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.  It is a very controversial move and may be beyond the FTC’s authority. Additional article: https://insidehealthpolicy.com/daily-news/ftc-issues-controversial-breach-notification-rule-despite-two-commissioners-dissent #cybersecurity #breaches https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/health-tech/ftc-finalizes-changes-data-privacy-rule-step-scrutiny-digital-health-apps Study Shows Hospital Mergers Raise Price, Little Government Scrutiny Two academic studies say hospital mergers and acquisitions raise price and receive little scrutiny from regulators. That could change with the Biden administration’s new focus. #manda #mergers #acquisitions #hospitals https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/finance/hospital-ma-studies-highlight-higher-prices-tepid-antitrust-intervention Centene Reports Positive Financial News Centene reported reasonably good financial news, beating expectations.  It says its Medicaid dominant business is doing well against forecasts for redetermination enrollment losses and is about 90% through the process. Q1 medical costs were up. 

Cigna Arm To Offer Humira Biosimilar At $0 Cost-Share Finally, we are making some advances on biosimilar adoption.  For awhile, pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) were teaming up with brand drug makers to stop the uptake of biosimilars through rebate arrangements.  That still happens, but PBMs are seeing the light. Evernorth’s Accredo Specialty Pharmacy will make a Humira biosimilar available to patients with no cost-share. Evernorth is partnering to produce the biosimilar. The biosimilar price is about 85% lower than that of the brand. #biosimilars #drugpricing #brandrugmakers #cigna #evernorth https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payers/evernorths-accredo-offer-humira-biosimilar-0-out-pocket Kaiser Permanente Reports Major Breach A data breach at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan affected more than 13 million individuals.  It is not a hack or ransomware attack.  It appears the plan’s technology may have inadvertently transmitted personal information to Google, Microsoft Bing and X. (Article may require a subscription.) #cyberattacks #kaiserpermanente #breaches https://www.modernhealthcare.com/cybersecurity/kaiser-permanente-data-breach Mixed News For Molina Healthcare The Molina stock went