Here’s what you need to know this week.
1. OIG: CMS made $729.4M in erroneous EHR incentive payments
Medicare made approximately $729.4 million in EHR incentive payments to hospitals, physicians and other health professionals who did not comply with federal requirements, according to a report by HHS’ Office of Inspector General.
2. Trump calls AHCA ‘mean’
President Donald Trump called the American Health Care Act “mean” June 13 at a lunch with Republican senators, calling for more money to be added to the bill for marketplace enrollees, according to a report from CNN.
3. Michigan HHS director charged with involuntary manslaughter in Flint water crisis
Nick Lyon, Michigan’s director of Health and Human Services, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for his role in the public health crisis in Flint that stemmed from lead in the drinking water, according to CBS News.
4. CMS scores the AHCA: 8 key takeaways
CMS’ Office of the Actuary released its score June 13 of the American Health Care Act, which the U.S. House of Representatives approved May 4.
5. AHA asks CMS to suspend hospital star ratings
In a letter issued to CMS Administrator Seema Verma June 13, the American Hospital Association urged the agency to suspend its “deeply flawed” overall star ratings program, which is less than 1 year old.
6. Palmetto Health, Greenville Health to create 13 hospital system
Columbia, S.C.-based Palmetto Health and Greenville (S.C.) Health System declared their intent to integrate June 15.
7. AHCA could cost 725k healthcare jobs
The American Health Care Act could cost the U.S. economy nearly 1 million jobs by 2026, with most of the job losses concentrated in the healthcare sector, according to a report from The Commonwealth Fund.
8. Cleveland Clinic, Oscar Health to offer co-branded health plan
Cleveland Clinic will offer a joint health plan with New York City-based Oscar Health, marking the clinic’s entrance into the health insurance market and Oscar’s expansion into Ohio.
9. Patient stabs, seriously injures nurse at Massachusetts hospital
A patient stabbed a nurse with a knife in Southbridge, Mass.-based Harrington Hospital’s emergency department June 14, according to WCVB.
10. Mississippi health system cuts more than 100 jobs
Meridian, Miss-based Rush Health Systems is cutting 4 percent of its 2,800-person workforce, or about 112 jobs, according to WTOK.
11. Sutter Health, Aetna to launch joint health plan
Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health and Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna will offer a jointly-owned health plan to residents in northern California next year.
12. Lawsuit claims CHS failed to provide up to $110M in charity care
A nonprofit group filed a lawsuit June 12 against Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, alleging the for-profit hospital operator failed to provide sufficient charity care at two of its Washington hospitals, according to the Nashville Business Journal.
13. Ronald Peterson to retire as president of Johns Hopkins Health System after 44-year career
Ronald R. Peterson, president of Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Health System, announced his retirement. He will retire at end of the year after 44 years of service at Johns Hopkins.
14. CHS fires Lutheran Health Network CEO Brian Bauer: 6 things to know
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, the parent company of Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Lutheran Health Network, fired the network’s CEO Brian Bauer, according to wane.com.
