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January 2, 2024

KHN Series On Rural Healthcare Crisis Good article from Kaiser Health News on the rural healthcare crisis.  It tackles how primary care doctors may be able to help with the maternal healthcare crisis.  #ruralhealthcare #healthcare Link to Article More States Cover Illegal Immigrants’ Healthcare This was surprising to me.  Eleven states and Washington, D.C.  provide full health insurance coverage to more than 1 million low-income immigrants regardless of their legal status.  Most are in California, but even Republican Utah is getting into the act. Coverage is expected to almost double by 2025. In this other article, ABC News reports that CA becomes first state to offer full health benefits to all immigrants regardless of status: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/california-1st-state-offer-health-insurance-undocumented-immigrants/story?id=105986377 #immigrants #coverage #healthcare Link to Article Drug Price Hikes Coming As happens each January, drug makers plan to raise prices in the United States on more than 500 drugs, according to data analyzed by

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January 1, 2024

Happy New Year! The Healthcare Labyrinth Newsfeed is off January 1. We wish you a very Happy and Prosperous New Year! You can read previous Newsfeed entries at the Newsfeed page. Visit out Blog page for the latest Blogs. Also visit Spotify for The Healthcare Labyrinth Podcasts. Search “healthcare labyrinth.” We now have three posted. Stay tuned for our predictions blog coming out tomorrow. Read our year-in-review blog already posted first. As well, our podcast this coming Friday will summarize 2023 healthcare events and go into predictions. — Marc S. Ryan and The Healthcare Labyrinth Website

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December 29, 2023

Devoted Health Has Successful Funding Raise Kudos to Devoted Health for its successful Series E funding raise. Devoted has been one of the few very successful insurtechs. It has excelled in the Medicare Advantage (MA) market as a startup. Run by career veterans with discipline, it is giving big plans a run for their money in some markets. Devoted’s record is very different to some of the other insurtechs, who cratered this year or are performing poorly. (Article may require a subscription.) #insurtechs #devotedhealth #medicareadvantage Link to Article Buchanan Right On Scoring Reform Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-FL and chair of the Ways and Means health subcommittee, wants a bipartisan group of lawmakers to work on legislation to revise the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) scoring techniques to include long-term savings from preventive healthcare. Others have backed changes too. Without getting into the technical details of CBOs methodology (I often see it

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December 28, 2023

Retailers Targeting Senior Populations In Primary Care Investments Good article showing why retailers are targeting seniors for their primary care initiatives. Retailers are interested in the potential financial arrangements (risk funds) that Medicare Advantage plans are focusing on. In addition, the seniors will tap other important features of their offerings, including pharmacies. (Article may require a subscription.) #retailhealthcare #medicareadvantage Link to Article Rural Hospitals Cite MA For Plight As Medicare Advantage (MA) grows, rural hospitals are saying that MA is responsible at least in part for their financial plight.  The argument is that even if MA plans pay traditional Medicare rates, they are getting so much less due to claim denials.  The net is not the same.  In addition, you have the wait time to get paid. This may be true in part, but I ask whether there is not waste and abuse in what the traditional system pays. Just

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December 27, 2023

Healthcare Lawsuits To Watch in 2024 Good article on the healthcare lawsuits to watch in 2024, including many challenging the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Medicare drug price negotiations as well as preventive service mandates in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). #aca #ira #exchanges #obamacare #drugpricing Link to Article Lower Quality When Private Equity Firms Acquire Hospitals There is a lot of good data on hospital combinations leading to higher costs and no improvement in quality.  This study points to a rise in adverse events after a private equity takeover of a hospital.  This is despite the pool of lower risk patients in PE targeted hospitals. Additional article here: https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/practicemanagement/108014 #mergers #acquisitions #hospitals Link to Article Insurtech Overview In 2023 Interesting review of insurtechs in 2023.  In general, insurtechs have been a huge disappointment for investors over the years and the companies have failed to make important gains in the market. 

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December 26, 2023

Predictions That Hospital M and A Will Pick Up in 2024 The article says that hospital mergers and acquisitions will pick up in 2024. A number of factors are cited, including financial pressures and outside forces. Deals were robust before the COVID pandemic and then collapsed.  They picked up in 2023 and will grow more in 2024. They won’t hit pre-pandemic levels though. New merger guidelines and the Biden administration’s anti-trust views could be a wild card and impact the ongoing recovery of M and A. (Article may require a subscription.) #hospitals #mergers #acquisitions Link to Article Threats From FTC Push Brand Drug Makers To Change Orange Book Entries The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) threats to come after brand drug makers who misrepresent patents in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Orange Book are leading several drug makers to change or pull patent entries.  It is good news as these

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December 25, 2023

The Healthcare Labyrinth Is Off For Christmas Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! — Marc S. Ryan and The Healthcare Labyrinth website.

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December 22, 2023

Predictions for Healthcare M and A A good article on what to expect in M and A. Discusses consolidation and technology as well as has suggestions for healthcare leaders. #manda #acquisitons #mergers #healthplans #hospitals #providers #2024 Link to Article Government Shutdown Looms Congress does not appear to be any closer to a deal on a FFY 2024 budget to keep government operating. Some CR funding expires on January 19, with the remaining CR ending in February. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, has proposed a year-long CR at 2023 spending levels. A few months ago, the hard right from which the Speaker hails declared that such a proposal would be terrible given all the COVID spending that has inflated the budget bottom line over the past few years. This led to the ouster of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker and weeks of paralysis on Capitol Hill. Democrats view flat spending as detrimental

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December 21, 2023

Prospects In 2024 For Payers and Providers A good article on what is in store for payers and providers in 2024. Included is retail healthcare, health plan investments, hospital struggles, and M and A prospects. #manda #retailhealthcare #healthplans #hospitals #providers #2024 Link to Article Star Achievement In Medicare Advantage Is Key Good article on the financial impacts of the drop in Star power in Medicare Advantage and what plans need to do to get things back on track. Focusing on member satisfaction is key as is measuring well into the future to see how changes will impact ratings, including with the Health Equity change. There also is conversion to digital for a number of Star measures (from manual chart review). Technology investments, including data analytics, are also key. #medicareadvantage #stars Link to Article Will PBM Reform Bill Pass in 2024? Good article on the prospects of PBM reform in 2024.

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December 20, 2023

Feds Expect 19M On Exchanges Based on current enrollments on the Exchanges, the feds say enrollment will break a record with 19 million in 2024.  Up from 16.4 million in 2023.  This is driven by the extension of the enhanced premium subsidies and other investments in outreach and marketing. Additional articles here: https://insidehealthpolicy.com/daily-news/admin-least-19m-enrolled-aca-plans-nationwide-nov-1 and https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4369743-white-house-touts-record-breaking-obamacare-enrollment/ CMS release here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/healthcaregov-enrollment-exceeds-15-million-surpassing-previous-years-milestones (Some articles may require a subscription.) #aca #obamacare #exchanges #coverage Link to Article Health Equity A Top Goal in 2024 More than 80% of executives from healthcare and life sciences organizations say health equity is a top-10 goal for 2024. #healthequity #healthinsurance Link to Article Hospital At Home Program Interesting interview on prospects of hospital-at-home extension and growth. There are a number of good pilots in several lines of business that show great promise. (Article may require a subscription.) #hospitals #hospitalathome Link to Article Conflicting Reports on ACO Success This study

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