Editor's Note The October 1 vice presidential debate showcased sharp divisions between the candidates on healthcare policy, focusing primarily on the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and reproductive rights. A summary published October 2 in Stat details how Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) proposed changes that could allow insurers…
Editor's Note Research shows black women are 25% more likely to undergo cesarean sections (C-sections) than white women, even when presenting similar medical histories, The New York Times reported September 10. The article focuses on a study analyzing nearly one million births across 68 New Jersey hospitals. Conducted between 2008…
Editor's Note The healthcare portion of the September 10 debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris focused on two issues: abortion and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Becker’s Hospital Review published key takeaways from the exchange September 11. According to the article, Trump reiterated that the…
Editor's Note More than 700 rural hospitals, representing 31% of all rural hospitals in the country, are at risk of closure, according to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform. Chief Healthcare Executive reported the news August 8. According to the article, 16% of all rural…
Editor's Note Growth in healthcare spending is outpacing nominal economic growth, Hospice News reported June 12. Citing a study from the Office of the Actuary (OACT) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the outlet reports that healthcare spending’s share of GDP is projected to rise from 17.6%…
Editor's Note A recent analysis by the RAND Corporation, a research and analysis nonprofit, revealed a disparity between hospital and ambulatory surgery center (ASC) prices paid by employers and private payers compared to Medicare prices, Revcycle Intelligence May 15 reports. The study, covering data from 2020 to 2022, showed private…
Editor's Note Average prices for healthcare services trended upward from 2018 to 2022 despite fluctuations in utilization of service, according to the annual Health Care Cost and Utilization Report (HCCUR) from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI). In the same timeframe, per-person spending increased nearly 19%. "Prices, in particular, pose a…
Editor's Note Personal information about a “substantial portion of people in America” could be at risk from the February 21 cyberattack on UnitedHealth’s Change Healthcare division, The Associated Press reported April 23. Although the company reports no signs of full medical histories or charts were released, notifying all who were…
Editor's Note Fallout from the February 21 cyberattack on Change Healthcare continues to threaten physician practices and their patients nationwide, with respondents to a recent American Medical Association (AMA) survey indicating difficulties with insurance claims and eligibility verification. AMA published the results of the informal survey April 10. Conducted March…
Editor's Note The practice of concierge physicians is expanding as thousands of doctors at large hospital systems shift to a model facilitating high fees and decreased patient load, according to an April 1 report in KFF Health News. The concierge physician model began decades ago in wealthy areas of Florida…