Week in review: 11 biggest healthcare stories this week

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. Trump nominates Indiana physician for surgeon general

President Donald Trump nominated Jerome Adams, MD, the current Indiana State Health Commissioner and an anesthesiologist, for U.S. surgeon general.

2. Republicans add continuous-coverage provision to BCRA
Senate Republicans amended the Better Care Reconciliation Act Monday to include a provision that would replace the ACA's individual mandate, The New York Times reports. The new version of the bill would instead encourage health insurance enrollment through a continuous-coverage provision beginning in 2019. This provision requires enrollees buying insurance in the individual market to demonstrate a year of continuous coverage to enroll again.

3. Hospital groups launch $1M ad campaign against BCRA
Major healthcare associations and hospitals — including the American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals and the Catholic Health Association — are funding a television ad campaign worth at least $1 million against the Senate healthcare bill, according to a report from Bloomberg Politics.

4. 17% of Americans approve of Senate healthcare bill
A new poll finds 17 percent of Americans approve of the Better Care Reconciliation Act, according to NPR.

5. 10 states that would lose the most Medicaid funding under BCRA
Under the Senate's Better Care Reconciliation Act, states that expanded Medicaid coverage under the ACA would face deep cuts to the program while states that didn't expand would still see substantial losses in funding by 2026, according to Avalere Health.

6. US News names 10 children's hospitals to its Honor Roll: 6 things to know
For the fourth year in a row and the sixth year overall, Boston Children's Hospital earned the top spot on U.S. News & World Report's Best Children's Hospitals Honor Roll this year.

7. Gallup: Healthcare costs top Americans' financial concerns
Americans named healthcare costs as their top financial anxiety in a Gallup poll administered in early June. A total of 17 percent of those surveyed said healthcare costs were a top financial concern — the highest portion since 2007, when 19 percent of Americans had similar concerns.

8. Washington health system to file for bankruptcy
Kennewick, Wash.-based Trios Health's board of commissioners voted June 29 to file for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, a bankruptcy proceeding that offers distressed municipalities protection from creditors while a repayment plan is negotiated.

9. Summa Health System to cut 300 jobs due to $60M operating loss
Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health System plans to cut 300 positions in the next month to help offset operating losses of more than $60 million this year, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.

10. CHI St. Luke's Health CEO Michael Covert suddenly resigns
Houston-based CHI St. Luke's Health CEO Michael Covert submitted his resignation, effective Aug. 31. He is also stepping down as senior vice president of operations for Englewood, Colo.-based Catholic Health Initiatives, the health system's parent.

11. Memorial Hermann to cut additional 350 jobs
Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System will lay off an additional 350 employees, or less than 2 percent of its total workforce of more than 25,000. Health system officials attributed the decision to the changing healthcare climate and the local economy.

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