The Gist Healthcare Podcast

Elevance Health’s proposed $2.5 billion acquisition of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is back in play. CMS reopens the No Surprises Act dispute portal. And, a new poll shows that Americans are growing more dissatisfied with healthcare. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily, we hear the second part of JC’s conversation with Micky Tripathi, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about proposed penalties for healthcare providers that engage in information blocking and how they fit into the federal government’s overall interoperability goals.  You can find the first part of our conversation here. You can read HHS’ proposed rule here.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Department of Health and Human Services released a set of three proposed monetary penalties for healthcare providers–both organizations and physicians–that engage in so-called information blocking. That practice interferes with, prevents, or discourages access, exchange, or use of electronic health information. It was banned in 2016’s 21st Century Cures Act. Today, Micky Tripathi, head of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), joins the podcast to talk more about what information blocking looks like among healthcare providers and what the proposed penalties aim to do. You can read HHS’ proposed rule here. Be sure to tune in for the second part of our conversation tomorrow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Healthcare spending reached $4.5 trillion in the United States in 2022. A new class action lawsuit alleges Humana used an algorithm to deny care to Medicare Advantage patients. And, WW–formerly known as Weight Watchers–unveils its new telehealth service to prescribe blockbuster weight loss drugs. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Supreme Court agrees to review a lower federal court ruling that could curtail access to mifepristone…a key drug used in medication abortions. Massachusetts will remove stigmatizing mental health and prior drug use questions from its physician credentialing process. And, Nemours will launch a pediatric hospital-at-home program in 2024. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The House passes a broad healthcare bill targeting site neutral payments, price transparency, and pharmacy benefit managers. A congressional inquiry finds that the nation’s largest pharmacy chains share medical data with law enforcement without a warrant. And, Moody’s downgrades Walgreens rating to ‘junk’ amid the pharmacy company's recent healthcare strategy push. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cigna and Humana abandon their reported merger. The FDA approves two groundbreaking gene therapies to treat sickle cell disease. And, Congressional lawmakers introduce a bill that would prevent Medicare payment cuts to physicians next year. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hospitals in states with restrictions–or even bans–on abortions are providing their physicians with little guidance on how to provide emergency abortion care. State laws are often unclear and don’t spell out exactly which exceptions are permitted and which are not. This leaves hospitals–and physicians–in a tricky situation as they navigate providing care while avoiding liability. On today’s episode, Washington Post national healthcare reporter Dan Diamond joins the podcast to talk about an article he recently co-authored that investigates how physicians and hospitals are navigating these laws. You can read Dan and Caroline Kitchener’s article here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden Administration will go after patents in an effort to bring down drug prices. Michigan’s governor signs two bills that increase fines for violence against healthcare workers. And, NorthShore-Edward-Elmhurst Health rebrands as Endeavor Health. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Contract negotiations between Adventist Health and Blue Shield of California break down. Residents at Northwestern Medicine announce they plan to unionize. And, a new study finds that the number of FDA drug manufacturer inspections dropped sharply after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s coming up on today’s episode of Gist Healthcare Daily. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.