Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Industry Trying 'Empath' Units Versus ERs For Mental Health Crises
Bloomberg: Mental Health Crisis Leads Hospitals to Create a New Type of ER
With mental health treatment in short supply, Americans experiencing a psychiatric crisis frequently land in a hospital emergency room—brought in by the police or loved ones—and usually stay there until they can be safely discharged or transferred. That means patients can spend hours or even days stuck on a gurney until a spot opens in a psych ward, the only other setting deemed appropriate. (Tozzi, 9/26)
In other hospital news —
Modern Healthcare: Not-For-Profit Health Systems Navigate Lower Cash Reserves
Days cash on hand at not-for-profit hospital systems is trending downward as the sector recalibrates after last year’s higher-than-normal balances. For some, it's requiring tough choices to be made. (Hudson, 9/26)
AP: West Virginia University Children's Hospital Set To Open
A new children’s hospital at West Virginia University is set to open in a matter of days. Officials held a ribbon cutting Saturday in Morgantown for the new WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital. The 150-bed, $215 million facility will open on Thursday. (9/26)
Stat: Google And Fitbit Launch New Cloud Tools To Help Hospitals Use Wearables
Google Cloud and Fitbit are rolling out a new offering they hope will ease some of the challenges hospitals face collecting and processing data from wearable devices. (Aguilar, 9/27)
On insurance and billing —
KHN: Health Plan Shake-Up Could Disrupt Coverage For Low-Income Californians
Almost 2 million of California’s poorest and most medically fragile residents may have to switch health insurers as a result of a new strategy by the state to improve care in its Medicaid program. A first-ever statewide contracting competition to participate in the program, known as Medi-Cal, required commercial managed-care plans to rebid for their contracts and compete against others hoping to take those contracts away. The contracts will be revamped to require insurers to offer new benefits and meet stiffer benchmarks for care. (Wolfson, 9/27)
Crain's Detroit Business: Blue Cross Blue Shield To Sell Advantasure Subsidiary To California Firm
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is quietly selling off its Advantasure subsidiary. Last week, Aliso Viejo, Calif.-based health insurance administrator UST HealthProof announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to buy the Glen Allen, Va.-based Advantasure for an undisclosed sum. (Walsh, 9/26)
Axios: Providers Hit Biden Admin With New Surprise Billing Court Challenge
Providers are once again challenging the Biden administration on the surprise billing law and the method for deciding who picks up the tab in disputes over out-of-network care. (Bettelheim, 9/26)
