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. Rep. Tom Price confirmed to lead HHS
The Senate voted along party lines early Friday morning to approve the confirmation of Rep. Tom Price, MD, R-Ga., for secretary of HHS.
2. Judge blocks $54B Anthem-Cigna deal: 7 things to know
A U.S. District Court judge sided with the Justice Department and blocked Indianapolis-based Anthem's proposed $54 billion acquisition of Bloomfield, Conn.-based Cigna on grounds the combined insurer would harm consumers and impede innovation.
3. Physician imposter gains access to 5 Brigham and Women's ORs
A 42-year-old woman dressed in scrubs attended patient rounds and observed operations at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston even though she wasn't a physician, according to the Boston Globe.
4. Recently discharged patient found dead in Illinois hospital
A man was found dead in a bathroom at UnityPoint Health-Methodist in Peoria, Ill., on the morning of Feb. 3 after being discharged from the hospital the day prior, according to the Journal Star.
5. Hospital execs share concerns about revenue, ACA repeal with Republican lawmakers
Hospital executives met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., and expressed concerns over losing insured patients and revenue under an ACA replacement plan, reports The Wall Street Journal.
6. Zenefits to lay off 45% of its workforce
Zenefits, a health insurance and human resources startup based in San Francisco, is laying off 430 employees, or about 45 percent of its workforce, according to the San Francisco Business Journal.
7. UnitedHealth expects $4B loss in premium revenues from ACA exchange withdrawal
Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group anticipates it will cover roughly 1 million fewer consumers through individual insurance plans this year due to its widespread ACA exchange withdrawal — resulting in a $4 billion loss in premium revenues, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
8. HHS: Stark Law, Anti-Kickback Statute are barriers to innovative payment models
HHS recently released a report that provides observations on the effect healthcare fraud and abuse laws have on the industry's transition to value-based payment models.
9. Theranos under fire, again: Inspection finds Ariz. lab breached its own policies
The Wall Street Journal dug up more deficiencies at Palo Alto, Calif.-based blood testing startup Theranos, this time at its Scottsdale, Ariz., lab.
10. Cerner, Allscripts win top EHR ranking from Black Book, Epic left off
A recent Black Book survey unveiled the EHR vendors that ranked No. 1 in client experience in 2017.
11. Humana to lay off about 500 workers
Louisville, Ky.-based Humana will lay off about 500 workers by April 3, as it scales back its home health division's workforce, according to The Enquirer.