News Briefs
HHS Drops Appeal of Court's Ruling in Hospital Web Tracking Case
The Department of Health and Human Services is dropping its appeal of a June U.S. District Court ruling that vacated the government's restriction of third-party online tracking technologies on hospital webpages. The case had been brought in late 2023 by the American Hospital Association, the Texas Hospital Association, Texas Health Resources, and United Regional Health Care System, which had argued that HHS' Office for Civil Rights overstepped its authority with guidance it had issued in 2022.
(Source: FierceHealthcare, 2024-08-29)
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ATA Seeks to Extend Telehealth Flexibilities in 2025
The American Telemedicine Association and ATA Action, in a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, seeks to preserve pandemic-era Medicare telehealth flexibilities that it says are responsible for improving access to healthcare across the U.S. Without an extension or legislative change to the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule when it expires at the close of 2024, telehealth would essentially downshift to limited coverage of services to certain rural areas and specific physical locations, the organizations said.
(Source: Healthcare IT News, 2024-08-29)
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Government Audit Finds FDA Medical Device Oversight Lacking
A U.S. government audit found shortcomings in the Food and Drug Administration's oversight of medical devices and cited the results of a data analysis by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists of device-related injuries and deaths. The audit report by the Government Accountability Office said that FDA officials were struggling to implement an "active" surveillance program mandated by law 12 years ago due to a lack of information that would allow them to identify devices used by patients and detect potential safety issues.
(Source: ICIJ, 2024-08-28)
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Drugmakers, Pharma Groups Concerned About Price Cut Roll Out
Major drugmakers and pharmacy groups are weighing how they will implement the first Medicare negotiated drug prices amid concerns about reimbursement practices and the impact of pharmacy benefit managers on how prices reach eligible individuals. The CMS is on track to finalize guidance in the fall, but drugmakers and pharmacies are already scrutinizing implementation approaches that could make the pharmaceutical supply chain more complex with new payment models and reimbursement practices.
(Source: Bloomberg Law, 2024-08-29)
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Some States Using Federal Program to Force Cheaper Medications
In their ongoing quest to lower prescription drug prices, some states are forcing drugmakers to continue to sell cheaper medications to thousands of pharmacies through a federal drug-discount program. Under the 32-year-old 340B program, pharmaceutical companies that participate in Medicaid must sell outpatient drugs at discounted prices to clinics, community health centers, and hospitals that primarily serve low-income patients.
(Source: Stateline, 2024-08-28)
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PRECISE-AI Initiative Aims to Improve Medical Devices
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new funding to help improve the use and maintenance of artificial intelligence-enabled medical devices. That initiative is known as the Performance and Reliability Evaluation for Continuous Modifications and Useability of Artificial Intelligence, or PRECISE-AI.
(Source: Healthcare IT News, 2024-08-29)
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Ransomware Attacks Particularly Detrimental to Rural Hospitals
Rural hospitals -- and their patients -- are particularly vulnerable to the aftershocks caused by ransomware attacks, a new study reports. An attack on rural hospitals can have more pronounced effects, as those facilities are often financially vulnerable and serve older, poorer patients with worse health, researchers noted.
(Source: U.S. News & World Report, 2024-08-30)
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Lawmakers Introduce Healthcare Cybersecurity Act to Protect Data
Lawmakers have introduced the Healthcare Cybersecurity Act in the House of Representatives to bolster protections for healthcare data amid ongoing cyberattacks against the sector. The legislation directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and HHS to collaborate on improving cybersecurity in the healthcare sector, and also proposes that CISA and HHS make cyberthreat defense resources available to nonfederal entities.
(Source: Tech Target, 2024-08-29)
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Home Care Companies Turn to Automation to Retain Caregivers
While home care leaders haven't been able to completely eliminate turnover, some have embraced creative solutions that have moved the needle. Companies like Griswold Home Care and Senior Solutions Home Care have begun to leverage automation, gamification, and more.
(Source: Home Health Care News, 2024-08-30)
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Hospitals Rethinking Pharmacy Operations Amid Changing Times
For an increasing number of hospitals, the path to healthcare innovation leads through the pharmacy. Whether it's to keep the doors open in a rural region or address care gaps brought on by retail pharmacy closures and disruptor drawbacks, healthcare leaders are taking a closer look at hospital pharmacy operations.
(Source: HealthLeaders Media, 2024-08-29)
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Report Projects Health Worker Shortage Will Reach 100,000 by 2028
The U.S. will be short 100,000 healthcare workers by 2028, according to Mercer's new Future of the U.S. Healthcare Industry: Labor Market Projections by 2028 report. The healthcare worker deficits are not evenly spread out.
(Source: Staffing Industry Analysts, 2024-08-29)
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