Third Way is calling on Congress to pass a national charity care law that would rein in hospitals’ debt collection practices, establish minimum requirements for charity care, and simplify how charity care is provided as part of a new report released Tuesday (Feb. 13). The center-left think tank points to data showing non-profit hospitals’ […]

Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded $3,125,845.45 to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept through New Jersey, St. Joseph’s implemented emergency protective measures to combat the spread of the virus. The federal award announced today will reimburse the hospital for expenses […]

Stakeholders and congressional staffers remain unclear about the status and structure of hospital reform provisions that might be included in a bicameral health package as the countdown to Congress’ March 8 continuing resolution begins in earnest. The savings from hospital site-neutral provisions are entwined with a set of other extenders, including a so-called doc fix […]

In the battle to control health care costs, hospitals are deploying their political power to protect their bottom lines. The point of contention: For decades, Medicare has paid hospitals — including hospital-owned physician practices that may not be physically located in a hospital building — about double the rates it pays other doctors and facilities for the […]

  The nonprofit groups that solicit, retrieve, and transport human organs for transplantation say the Biden administration should issue long-awaited guidance on how a revamped decertification process for the groups will unfold in 2026. Nearly three-fourths of organ procurement organizations (OPOs) were either failing in their responsibilities or under-performing, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid […]

The hospital-at-home program has been essential in helping hospitals free up beds and staff for patients in need of greater care. However, the current hospital-at-home program only covers acute patients, not observation status patients. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tom Carper (D-DE) introduced the At Home Observation and Medical Evaluation (HOME) Services Act to establish a […]

A proposed alliance of two New Jersey healthcare companies maintains broad support a year after the institutions announced intentions to merge. Cape Regional Health System formalized its decision in late 2022 with Cooper University Health Care, citing a need to affiliate with a more robust company for financial support to provide better services to the […]

HOW TO REGULATE AI? The Senate Finance Committee took its first crack Thursday at examining the regulation of artificial intelligence in health care, focusing on payment policies, responsible use and accountability. “This committee has a responsibility to ensure there are guardrails in place to protect patients, particularly in Medicare and Medicaid, and I do not […]

The measure would prohibit PBMs from engaging in “spread pricing” — when they charge a health plan more for a drug than they reimburse to pharmacies and keep the difference — in state Medicaid plans. PBMs contract with health plans to negotiate discounts and formulary placement with drugmakers, and negotiate drug distribution and reimbursement with […]