News Briefs
20 AGs Seek Immediate Injunction Over Nursing Home Staffing Rule
A group of 20 attorneys general asking a federal court to strike down the nursing home staffing rule also has now asked the court for an immediate injunction. An injunction would pause implementation and enforcement of the rule immediately as the court considers written and oral arguments in the broader case.
(Source: McKnight's Long-Term Care News, 2024-10-28)
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HHS Proposes HIPAA Modifications to Strengthen Cybersecurity
The Department of Health and Human Services has filed proposed modifications to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 security rule to strengthen the cybersecurity of electronic protected health information with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. This rule will propose modifications to the Security Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information under HIPAA and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, according to the abstract.
(Source: Healthcare IT News, 2024-10-25)
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FTC Rule Changes Likely to Impact Hospice M&A Activity
Changes to federal rules governing mergers and acquisitions could have sweeping effects on hospice and other healthcare transactions. The Federal Trade Commission recently finalized a rule that will implement changes to required pre-merger notification forms.
(Source: Hospice News, 2024-10-24)
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Price Transparency Regulations Showing Mixed Results
Have federal hospital price transparency regulations led to lower healthcare costs? It's complicated, according to an analysis from Turquoise Health. It might be more accurate to say that healthcare prices are leveling out, with the cost of the most expensive services going down and the cost of the least expensive services going up.
(Source: Tech Target, 2024-10-25)
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PBMs Pay Big Chains Far More Than Smaller Pharmacies
Serving as brokers among drugmakers, pharmacies, and health insurers, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have drawn scrutiny from Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, and state legislatures for their role in the increase in drug prices. An analysis showed big chains were paid well beyond family businesses for many of the same medications.
(Source: KFF Health News, 2024-10-24)
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400 Health Organizations Victims of Ransomware, Microsoft Says
Microsoft has found that nearly 400 U.S. healthcare organizations have fallen victim to ransomware attacks this fiscal year. These campaigns aim to breach sensitive patient data, disrupt vital operations, and put patients' lives at risk.
(Source: Petri, 2024-10-25)
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Change Data Breach Largest on Record, Impacting 100M Patients
The Change Healthcare data breach that was first reported in February is officially the largest on record reported to the federal government, with an estimated 100 million patients impacted, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Change Healthcare's parent, UnitedHealth Group, reported the security breach in a February 21 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission in which it said it had "identified a suspected nation-state associated cyber security threat actor" had accessed some of its information technology systems.
(Source: Medical Economics, 2024-10-28)
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Providers Using AI to Compete with Payers Over Claims Reviews
In an escalating technology arms race, providers are beginning to adopt the same technology they say insurers are using to deny claims in masse -- artificial intelligence -- to combat claims disputes. Insurers so far have the upper hand in the race to implement AI into the claims review process, panelists at HLTH said.
(Source: Healthcare Dive, 2024-10-24)
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Study Finds Telehealth as Effective as In-Person Care
One of the largest randomized clinical trials to directly compare telehealth and in-person care has found that they are equally effective in improving quality of life in patients seeking palliative care -- specialized care focused on managing the symptoms of serious illness. The findings highlight the importance of keeping telehealth accessible to patients, the study's authors argue.
(Source: Yale School of Medicine, 2024-10-23)
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Organizations Launch Telehealth Accreditation Programs
Given the rapid evolution of virtual healthcare, ensuring high-quality and evidence-based tools and models is a challenge. To address this issue, two organizations focused on promoting healthcare quality have launched telehealth accreditation programs.
(Source: Tech Target, 2024-10-24)
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Zoom Teams Up to Offer AI-Powered Medical Notetaking
Zoom has announced it's partnering with Suki, a startup for AI-powered medical notetaking. Zoom plans to use Suki's AI engine, Suki Platform, to generate clinical notes and incorporate AI capabilities into its solution to improve patient care, or as it describes, to "power ambient clinical documentation supporting Zoom telehealth visits and in-person visits."
(Source: Fast Company, 2024-10-22)
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