Newswire Archives
In Texas v. United States, the plaintiffs argue that the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA) should be invalidated due to the elimination of the individual mandate penalties under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. An analysis from the Urban Institute provides details on how individuals with different characteristics would be affected under such a finding.
The analysis can be obtained at https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/100409/qs_txvus_repeal_of_aca_03a_-_near_final_0.pdf.
13 bills were announced by Democrats to improve the Health Profession Opportunity Grant (HPOG) program. Democrats plan to introduce legislation that will reauthorize the HPOG program before its current authorization expires on September 30, 2019. HPOG provides opportunities for individuals to gain experience or education in healthcare fields that expect to see a high demand or face workforce shortages.
Read more here.
An article appearing in the June 2019 issue of the journal Health Affairs discusses how caregiving in the last years of life is associated with increased depression and negative health outcomes for surviving spouses, many of whom are themselves in poor health. Yet, it is unclear how often spouses are caregiving alone, how they differ from supported spouses, and whether lack of support affects post-bereavement outcomes.
The article can be obtained at https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00087.
The Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) issued its June report to Congress. It includes a recommendation approved at its recent meeting that Congress change the definition of Medicaid shortfall to exclude costs and payments for all Medicaid-eligible patients for whom Medicaid is not the primary payer.
The report can be obtained at https://www.macpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/June-2019-Report-to-Congress-on-Medicaid-and-CHIP.pdf.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission Friday (MedPAC) issued its June 2019 report to Congress. It includes several recommendations approved by the panel during its January and March meetings.
The report can be obtained at http://medpac.gov/docs/default-source/reports/jun19_medpac_reporttocongress_sec.pdf?sfvrsn=0.
A new report from the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy discusses how to build on the Affordable Care Act and achieve coverage gains using a tool known as “auto-enrollment,” i.e., policies that enroll individuals in coverage without requiring them to seek out or submit an initial application.
The report can be obtained at https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Young_Autoenrollment_6.13.19.pdf.
The United Health Foundation released "America’s Health Rankings 2019 Senior Report," created in partnership with the Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association (GAPNA).
The report can be obtained at https://www.americashealthrankings.org/learn/reports/2019-senior-report/executive-highlights.
The Department of Education is requesting public comment on their proposed regulations from their Negotiated Rulemaking sessions focusing on accreditation and state authorization. Topics include accreditation for distance education, reciprocity agreements, disclosures for educational programs, and licensure notifications for students. All comments must be received by July 12, 2019.
For more information or to submit a comment, click here.
The 14th meeting of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030 will be held online via webinar at Noon Eastern Time on June 26, 2019 and is open to the public. Individuals must pre-register to join the Committee meeting.
Recently arrived U.S. immigrants represent a growing part of the nation’s foreign-born population, which reached a record 44.4 million in 2017. According to a report from the Pew Research Center, their profile differs from immigrants who have been in the country longer.
The report can be obtained at https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/06/03/recently-arrived-u-s-immigrants-growing-in-number-differ-from-long-term-residents/.
According to a report by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, as the health care industry transforms, health plans also will need to broaden their focus beyond enrollment and risk to managing health and well-being for members and collaborating across traditional and nontraditional players. A relevant question is whether health plans are ready to flip current business models on their heads?
The report can be obtained at https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/4920_Health-plans-of-the-future/DI_Health-plan-of-tomorrow.pdf.
Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requested new and innovative ideas for reducing administrative burdens for health care providers and patients as part of its Patients over Paperwork initiative. CMS will publish a request for information in the June 11, 2019 issue of the Federal Register. Comments will be due by August 12.
The contents of the request can be viewed at https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-12215.pdf.
New federal rules have the potential to help consumers access their personal health data more easily and improve the interoperability of health information technology, according to six key individuals who had the task of implementing the latest advances in health IT and electronic information exchange nationwide. They signed a letter to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in support of the new regulations.
The letter can be obtained at https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20190604.428654/full/.
According to the Pew Research Center, despite improved broadband availability over the past decade, rural Americans continue to lag behind urban and suburban adults in tech adoption.
Additional information can be obtained at https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/31/digital-gap-between-rural-and-nonrural-america-persists/?utm_campaign=2019-06-05+Rundown+(subject+line+first)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Pew.
In a study reported in the journal Health Affairs, researchers describe how many accountable care organizations (ACOs) are employing home visits as a strategy to improve care management, identify patients’ needs, and reduce hospital use. They found that 80% of ACOs use home visits within 72 hours of hospital discharge for at least some of their patients.
The study can be obtained at https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00003.
A federal task force created by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 to recommend updates to best practices for managing chronic and acute pain issued its final report, addressing the following pain treatment categories: medications, restorative therapies, interventional procedures, behavioral health approaches, and complementary and integrative health approaches.
The report can be obtained at https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pmtf-final-report-2019-05-23.pdf.
According to a report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the number of students enrolled in colleges and universities across the country continued its downward trend this year. Enrollment overall fell by 1.7 percent in the spring compared with last year.
The report can be obtained at https://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/CurrentTermEnrollmentReport-Spring-2019.pdf.
The latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer Overall that was released yesterday indicates that cancer death rates continue to decline for U.S. men, women and children. Death rates for all cancers and ages combined decreased an average 1.8 percent per year for males and 1.4 percent per year for females between 2012 and 2016.
More information can be obtained at https://seer.cancer.gov/report_to_nation/.
The George E. Thibault, MD Nexus Award celebrates exemplary interprofessional collaboration between health systems, clinics, educational institutions, and/or community organizations whose thinking and acting has redesigned healthcare education and delivery. They will be awarding in two categories: local, single-system implementation and broader, multi-system implementation. Application deadline is June 7, 2019.
View more info and apply here.
Millennials couldn’t be the youngest generation forever. The oldest of them turn 38 this year. So how will the next generation change U.S. national discourse? A report from the Pew Research Institute explores Gen Z's opinions on today's top issues, from education to the economy.
The report can be obtained at https://magazine.pewtrusts.org/en/archive/spring-2019/who-is-generation-z?utm_campaign=2019-05-29+Rundown&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Pew.
