Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Luigi Mangione Set For First Court Date In UnitedHealthcare CEO's Slaying Case
The Baltimore Sun: Luigi Mangione Due In Court Friday As New Website Raises Questions About His Defense Strategy
When last seen publicly in December in a Manhattan courtroom, Luigi Mangione both pleaded not guilty to murder and spawned a sellout of the burgundy sweater he was wearing. Since then, the 26-year-old Towson native and 2016 Gilman valedictorian accused of killing Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, has been the silent center of a much-watched case, an outlaw hero to some who share his apparent rage at the health insurance industry. But the silence is lifting. Not only is Mangione due in court again on Friday for a pretrial hearing, his defense lawyers last week launched a website to deliver a statement from him, provide links to the criminal cases against him in three different courts (along with maps to the courthouses for upcoming hearings) and answer questions such as how to contribute to his defense fund (GiveSendGo) or send him photos (Shutterfly and FreePrints). (Marbella, 2/20)
More health care industry news —
Modern Healthcare: DOJ Charges Marketers With $162M Exchange Fraud Scam
The U.S. Justice Department alleges two insurance marketers defrauded the federal government of $161.9 million by improperly signing up low-income consumers in subsidized health insurance exchange plans. Federal investigators charged Cory Lloyd, 46, of Stuart, Florida, and Steven Strong, 42, of Mansfield, Texas, with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering, the agency announced in a news release Thursday. If convicted, Lloyd and Strong could face up to 35 years in prison, according to the release. (Tepper, 2/20)
Modern Healthcare: CVS Health, Emory Expand MinuteClinic Primary Care Services
CVS Health's MinuteClinic is collaborating with Emory Healthcare Network to extend primary care services to more patients in Georgia. With the new partnership, MinuteClinic now offers in-network primary care services at all 35 clinics in the state to most payers through Emory's integrated network. Patients also have access to Emory's network of acute care, specialty care, labs, radiology and diagnostic services, according to a Thursday news release. (Hudson, 2/20)
Modern Healthcare: HCA, Community Health Systems Battle High Specialist Fees
The high cost of employing third-party specialists is expected to create more financial headaches for health systems this year, despite ongoing work to mitigate the impact. Health systems often enlist third-party staffing companies and independent practices to fill openings for hospital-based physicians in specialties such as emergency medicine and anesthesiology. (Hudson, 2/20)
Axios: Global Warming Has Deadly Toll On Hospitals, Study Says
Heat waves can gum up hospitals enough to bring deadly consequences even beyond patients directly afflicted, a new study finds. It's the first estimate of extreme heat that "unpacks the direct from the indirect effects that arise due to hospital congestion," it states. (Geman, 2/20)
