Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bonus Outcome Of Telehealth Cancer Care: A Smaller Carbon Footprint
NPR: Telehealth, Decentralized Care Cut Cancer Care's Carbon Footprint Significantly
Cancer patients often prefer the convenience of video visits over in-person medical visits. A new study reveals another benefit – telehealth reduces greenhouse-gas emissions. By moving online all oncology visits that need not be done in person and by allowing patients to have blood drawn and other tests and procedures performed at clinics closer to their homes, researchers estimated they could reduce nationwide carbon-dioxide emissions generated as a result of cancer care by 33%, the study published Monday in JAMA Oncology found. (Cohen, 6/6)
In other health industry updates —
Stateline: For Some Rural Communities, A Stripped-Down Hospital Is Better Than None At All
On many days, some small hospitals in rural Mississippi admit just one patient — or none at all. The hospitals are drowning in debt. The small, tight-knit communities they’ve anchored for decades can do little but watch as the hospitals shed services and staff just to stay afloat. The federal government recently offered a lifeline: a new Medicare program designed to save dying rural hospitals that will pay them millions to stop offering inpatient services and instead focus on emergency care. (Claire Vollers, 6/6)
Modern Healthcare: Why The Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Hit UnitedHealth, Centene Finances
Health insurance companies are bracing for a near-term hit to their Medicaid finances as fallout from the eligibility redeterminations process takes shape. Insurers say they are pleading with state policymakers to boost the payments they receive for covering Medicaid beneficiaries, stressing that millions of people exiting the program over the past year has created unfavorable risk pools consisting of higher-acuity members. (Berryman, 6/6)
The CT Mirror: Prospect Medical Files Countersuit Against Yale New Haven Health
Prospect Medical Holdings is suing Yale New Haven Health, claiming the health system breached its contract with Prospect by “failing to deliver the agreed-upon purchase price” for the three Connecticut hospitals it has made a bid to buy. The California-based company also alleges that YNHH failed to make “reasonable best efforts” to complete the acquisition of the three Prospect-owned facilities and has “actively worked to prevent the closing of the transaction” in order to get a lower purchase price. (Carlesso, 6/6)
Modern Healthcare: Mental Health Parity Requirements Must Be Finalized: Senate Dems
A group of Senate Democrats wants to know when the federal government will finalize a nearly year-old proposed rule to toughen enforcement of mental health parity laws. The Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury departments announced the draft regulation last July. The White House even touted it, signaling mental health parity as a priority for President Joe Biden. (Early, 6/6)
