Senators Want UnitedHealth Group’s Records On Nursing Home Transfers
Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have asked to see internal company documents after a Guardian investigation alleged that the company partnered with nursing homes across the country to cut back on residents' hospital transfers in an effort to reduce expenses.
The Guardian:
Senators Seek UnitedHealth Records On Push To Curb Nursing Home Hospitalizations
Lawmakers are asking UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest healthcare conglomerate, to disclose internal documents about its efforts to reduce hospital transfers for nursing home residents and the bonuses it has given to nursing homes which help it to do so. In an Aug. 6 letter, Democratic senators Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren asked UnitedHealth’s CEO, Stephen Hemsley, to hand over a trove of company records about a partnership program it has with nursing homes across the country, which aims to decrease hospitalizations and thereby coverage expenses for the conglomerate. The document demand letter follows a Guardian investigation into the initiative. (Joseph, 8/7)
Stat:
DOJ, UnitedHealth Reach Agreement On Amedisys Deal
The Department of Justice and state officials have reached a proposed settlement agreement with UnitedHealth Group and Amedisys that would allow the companies to complete their $3.3 billion combination so long as they agree to sell 164 home health and hospice locations across 19 states. (Bannow, 8/7)
On the high cost of prescription drugs —
The Hill:
2 More Cases Challenging Medicare Negotiation Rejected In Federal Courts
Federal judges in Texas and Connecticut on Thursday ruled against arguments challenging the constitutionality of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, delivering two more blows to the pharmaceutical industry this week after an appeals court upheld the dismissal of a similar case. In Connecticut, the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a decision granted by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea last year against pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The company’s diabetes medication Jardiance was among the first 10 drugs chosen for Medicare negotiations, and two more of its products were chosen for the following round of negotiations. (Choi, 8/7)
Becker's Hospital Review:
The Health Systems Betting Big On Centralized Pharmacy Hubs
A growing number of health systems are investing heavily in centralized service centers to help reduce costs, address drug shortages and streamline operations. In March, Indianapolis-based Eskenazi Health opened a $10 million, 32,000-square-foot central fulfillment center designed to fill 60% of the health system’s prescriptions over the next five years. The facility relies on automation to handle high volumes of prescriptions and aims to reduce staff burdens by routing non-urgent prescription fulfillment away from in-store pharmacists. (Murphy, 8/7)
More health industry news —
Wyoming Public Radio:
A Hospital Opens In Rural Wyoming Amid State, Federal Budget Cuts
Before this week, every county in Wyoming had a hospital – except Sublette County. But as of this week, that’s changed. On Monday morning, the doors to the Sublette County Hospital unlocked. (Tan, 8/7)
Chicago Tribune:
Concerns Swirl About Potential Closure Of Weiss Hospital
With just days to go before Weiss Memorial Hospital was scheduled to lose Medicare funding, concerns swirled Thursday about whether the hospital was about to close. Dr. Manoj Prasad, the head of the company that owns the hospital, and other hospital officials did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. But three hospital staffers, who asked to remain unnamed, told the Tribune that they’d been told the hospital would close at 7 a.m. Friday. (Schencker, 8/7)
The Baltimore Sun:
UMMC Residents And Fellows Ratify First Union Contract
Residents and fellows at the University of Maryland Medical Center voted unanimously Thursday to ratify their first-ever union contract, after months of negotiations. (Schumer, 8/7)
