Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Anesthesia Provider Will Pay $260K To Settle 'Surprise Billing' Claims
The Boston Globe: Weymouth-Based Anesthesia Provider Agrees To $260k Settlement With State Over ‘Surprise Billing’ Allegations
A Weymouth-based health care provider has agreed to pay the state $260,000 to settle allegations that it used “surprise billing” methods with patients at South Shore Hospital, the attorney general’s office said in a statement Tuesday. Authorities say South Shore Anesthesia Associates, the anesthesia provider for the hospital , did not “adequately disclose to certain patients that SSAA was out of network with those patients’ health plans” and then sought to collect “unfairly high charges” from the patients. The sum South Shore Anesthesia Associates owes to the state includes a $185,000 civil penalty, the attorney general’s office said. (Stoico, 6/1)
Modern Healthcare: Quorum Health Sells Consulting Division To Private Equity Firm
Almost a year after emerging from bankruptcy, Quorum Health announced it has sold its consulting division to a private equity firm. The Brentwood, Tenn.-based rural and mid-sized market hospital operator sold a majority stake in its advisory and outsourced services subsidiary, QHR Health, to Grant Avenue Capital, a healthcare-focused private equity firm in a deal that took effect May 28. Quorum CEO Dan Slipkovich said in a statement that the sale will allow the company to focus on its primary goal of building out the hospital system, both by capturing market share in existing locations and through strategic acquisitions. (Bannow, 6/1)
Modern Healthcare: AHIP Rebrand Reflects Shifting Insurance Business
What's in a name? A more diversified membership, America's Health Insurance Plans hopes. After nearly two decades, the Washington D.C.-based powerhouse has rebranded and will simply be known as AHIP, with the revamp coming at a time when the traditional health insurance business has transformed from simply taking on individuals' health risk to directly providing care, social services, technology products and much more. (Tepper, 6/1)
Modern Healthcare: Epic Begins Return To In-Person Work, Others Consider Hybrid Method
Employees at Epic Systems Corp. will soon be required to work in person at the company's headquarters—at least part-time. Beginning July 19, employees at Epic will return to work on the company's 1,000-acre campus in Verona, Wis. for at least three days a week. The electronic health records system developer considered public health policy, employee input and competitor practice in its plans to return to office. In August, workers will physically clock in at least four days a week, and in September, workers will be required to be on campus for nine days during every two week period. (Devereaux, 6/1)
Stat: How CVS Is Tapping Into Its Consumer Expertise In A New Venture Fund
CVS Health recently expanded its investing efforts with the launch of the CVS Venture Fund, a $100 million vehicle to provide promising upstarts with access to CVS’ wealth of financial and strategic expertise and generous physical footprint. While the retail and pharmacy giant had previously backed more than 20 upstarts through a partnership between CVS Pharmacy and Aetna Ventures, it was spurred to create the new fund after seeing how the pandemic changed in health care delivery, including the rise of digital pharmacies and increasing interest in at-home testing and treatment, Josh Flum, CVS’ executive vice president of enterprise strategy and digital, told STAT. (Brodwin, 6/2)
Genomeweb: Amazon Web Services Doubles Down On Genomics
Amazon Web Services has been expanding its reach into genomics and continues to grow in areas like molecular diagnostics through new initiatives. As might be expected of one of the world's three largest commercial cloud platforms, AWS counts some well-known names in the genomics and bioinformatics world among its customers. "Over the past 15 years, AWS has helped remove the undifferentiated heavy lifting so that customers are able to figure out what's the differentiating value for them," Wilson To, AWS global head of healthcare, life sciences, and genomics, said this week during AWS's Healthcare & Life Sciences Virtual Symposium. "Genomics" is a recent addition to his title, indicating the field's increased importance to the company. (Versel, 6/1)
