Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
JD Vance's Fraud Task Force To Remove 760,000 ACA Enrollees
AP: Trump Administration To Remove 760,000 ACA Enrollees Over Fraud Claims
Vice President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials said Tuesday they plan to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees from public healthcare exchanges, alleging that the individuals were fraudulently enrolled in the program, or simply do not exist. Vance said the discovery and canceled subsidy payments for hundreds of thousands of people from the exchanges, part of an administration-wide crackdown on fraud, would result in $2.2 billion in cost savings. (Hussein and Price, 9/22)
On Medicaid and Medicare —
Fierce Healthcare: Hospitals Urge Minimal Disruption As CMS Trims Provider Taxes
Hospitals are urging the Trump administration to implement Medicaid provider taxes as outlined in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act “with the least possible disruption,” with calls this week to more closely stick to statute and existing policy in order to limit administrative burden and uncertainty. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in July shared its proposed rule addressing the process states use to draw healthcare funds from the federal government—namely a matched tax on providers and Medicaid managed care companies that’s later returned to providers. (Muoio, 9/22)
Modern Healthcare: Nebraska Started Work Requirements Early. Here’s How It’s Going
An early effort to implement Medicaid work requirements in Nebraska is causing confusion and anxiety, according to providers and patient advocates. Under President Donald Trump’s signature tax law, most adult Medicaid beneficiaries eligible under the Affordable Care Act of 2010 expansion and other expansions in a handful of states will be subject to work requirements nationwide in January. Nebraska went first and launched its program this May. Montana followed in July, while Arkansas started screening applicants and enrollees the same month but is not enforcing penalties until next year. Georgia had a different form of work requirements already in place. (Early, 9/22)
Stat: UnitedHealth, CVS Push Back On Medicare Plan To Curb RPM
Major insurers are pushing back on a Medicare proposal that would significantly disrupt how many doctors bill for tracking the health of patients using devices like connected blood pressure cuffs, scales, and blood glucose meters. These remote monitoring services help patients manage a range of medical conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, and heart failure. (Aguilar, 9/23)
More healthcare industry news —
Healthcare Dive: Texas Hospitals Sue Independence Blue Cross Over Denied Claims
Five Texas hospitals are suing Pennsylvania insurer Independence Blue Cross, a local licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, for failing to pay more than $345,000 in claims between 2022 and 2024. The hospitals, which are all affiliated with HCA Healthcare, argue that IBX wrongfully denied or underpaid claims for medically necessary services to eight of its members based on lack of authorization, lack of medical necessity and coding issues, even for emergency services. (LaPointe, 9/22)
Stat: Quorum’s Hospitals Are Going Nonprofit – And Adding 30% More Debt
When Greg Kiser gave the mayor and county judge a heads up about a change underway at his hospital, they responded with sighs of relief. One of the town’s biggest employers wasn’t closing. (Bannow, 9/23)
The Baltimore Sun: St. Agnes Nurse Challenges Union Over Nonmembers’ Contract Voting Rights
A nurse at Ascension Health’s St. Agnes Hospital filed a complaint Tuesday with the National Labor Relations Board challenging a union tactic she alleges is designed to coerce workers into signing union membership and dues cards. (Castaneda, 9/23)
Cardinal News: State Program To Boost Virginia's Nursing Workforce Relaunches With $4.8 Million To Award
A program designed to bolster the state’s healthcare workforce by providing financial assistance to nursing programs has been restarted after the management of the program was shifted to the newly created Virginia Nursing Workforce Center. (Schabacker and Beyer, 9/23)
KFF Health News: Nursing Home Beds Are Becoming More Scarce
The San Vicente de Paúl Nursing Home in the South Bronx hasn’t admitted a patient since December 2024. ArchCare, which operates the facility, has reduced its capacity from 120 available beds to 53 and plans to shrink it further. Another ArchCare nursing home, on Staten Island, has shut down a full floor. North of the city, in Dutchess County, its Ferncliff Nursing Home has contracted from 309 available beds to 196. (Span, 9/23)
