Stay in the know with Becker's Hospital Review's weekly roundup of the nation's biggest healthcare news. Here's what you need to know this week.
1. CMS releases 2018 IPPS proposed rule
CMS released its 2018 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule on April 14, which increases payments to acute care hospitals next year. The rule also includes proposed rates for long-term care hospitals. Overall, the proposed rule would apply to about 3,330 acute care hospitals and 420 long-term care hospitals. The rule will be published in the Federal Register April 28, and comments will be accepted through June 13.
2. Kaufman Hall: Hospital transaction activity jumps 8% in Q1 — 7 takeaways
The number of hospital transactions increased 8 percent from 25 transactions in the first quarter of 2016 to 27 transactions in Q1 2017, according to an analysis by advisory firm Kaufman, Hall & Associates.
3. Overall healthcare M&A deal value drops 35% in 2016
Global management consulting firm Bain & Co. released its latest report examining trends in healthcare private equity and corporate mergers and acquisitions. According to the report, the overall deal value of healthcare M&A, which includes global and corporate deals, fell 35 percent in 2016.
4. Trump extends Veterans Choice Program: 4 things to know
President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law the Veterans Choice Program Extension and Improvement Act. The law extends the program "so that more veterans can see the doctor of their choice," President Trump said at a signing ceremony. He added: "Some people have to travel five hours, eight hours, and they'll have to do it on a weekly basis, and even worse than that. It's not going to happen anymore."
5. Tom Price rolls out $485M in grants to combat opioid epidemic
The federal government will provide $485 million in grants to fund evidence-based prevention and treatment initiatives to address the nation's opioid abuse crisis, HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, said this week.
6. CMS wants to make accrediting organization surveys public
CMS may require national accrediting organizations to make provider and supplier survey reports and plans of corrections available online. Right now, accrediting bodies like the Joint Commission do not make their survey findings publicly available, but CMS does.
7. CHS and Tenet stock tumbles after HCA warns of Q1 earnings, revenue miss
Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Holdings released preliminary financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2017 on Monday, which fell short of analyst expectations.
8. Theranos reaches settlements with CMS, Arizona AG
Theranos, a troubled Palo Alto, Calif.-based blood testing startup, is starting to settle its differences regarding issues with its original finger-prick blood testing device. The company resolved its legal and regulatory issues with CMS, according to a Monday announcement. The company was sanctioned after a CMS inspection found five categories of major infractions at the Newark, Calif.-based lab, and Theranos failed to adequately correct deficiencies. Theranos originally appealed the sanctions, but agreed to withdraw its appeal as part of the settlement.
9. KentuckyOne Health to lay off about 150 employees
Louisville-based KentuckyOne Health is laying off about 150 employees, or roughly 1 percent of its total workforce, according to an emailed statement to Becker's Hospital Review.
10. Without new owner, Kansas hospital to close this summer
Denver-based SCL Health will cease operating St. Francis Health in Topeka, Kan., this summer. If a new owner isn't found, the hospital will close.
11. Huntsman Cancer Institute CEO fired via email with no explanation
Several members of the Huntsman family, whose charitable donations helped found the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, have condemned and threatened to sue the University of Utah Health Care system in the wake of the abrupt firing of the institute's CEO, reports The Salt Lake Tribune.
12. UnitedHealthcare names CEO; Optum appoints CEOs across 3 divisions
Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group made changes to the executive teams of its UnitedHealthcare and Optum operations, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports.