Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
UnitedHealthcare Pauses Plans To Scrutinize ER Visit Payments
USA Today: UnitedHealthcare Delays ER Claims Policy Following Backlash
Facing mounting criticism from hospitals and doctors groups, health insurance giant UnitedHealthcare said it will delay a policy that would scrutinize payments for non-urgent emergency room visits. The policy to review and potentially clamp down on some hospital payments drew outcries from the American Hospital Association and the American College of Emergency Physicians about potential harm of patients' health and finances. In a Thursday statement, the Minnesota-based insurer said the policy will be halted until the end of the pandemic. (Alltucker and Freeman, 6/10)
In other health care industry news —
The Wall Street Journal: The Ruthless Hackers Behind Ransomware Attacks On U.S. Hospitals: ‘They Do Not Care’
A ransomware attack on a national hospital chain nearly brought Las Vegas hospitals to their knees. Another attack in Oregon abruptly shut down alerts tied to patient monitors tracking vital signs. In New York, one county’s only trauma center briefly closed to ambulances, with the nearest alternative 90 miles away. Multiple attacks were carried out in recent months against U.S. hospitals, suspending some surgeries, delaying medical care and costing hospitals millions of dollars. The Wall Street Journal tracked the most disruptive attacks to one group: a notorious gang of Eastern European cybercriminals once called the “Business Club,” with ties to Russian government security services, according to threat analysts and former law-enforcement officials who closely follow Eastern European cybercrime operations. (Poulsen and Evans, 6/10)
WUSF Public Media: Forget The Nasal Swab: Dog At Sarasota Hospital Smells Patients With COVID
When visitors enter the lobby of Doctor's Hospital of Sarasota they're greeted by Buffy, a friendly yellow Lab sporting a work vest. Her handler, hospital employee Grace Welsby, approaches guests and asks if Buffy can smell their shoes. "I'm going to have her walk by you and she's going to sniff at your feet,” Welsby tells them. “If you do have COVID, she will lay down. If not, she's just going to walk on by.” (Carter and Miller, 6/10)
The Baltimore Sun: As Coronavirus Pandemic Winds Down, Demand For Psychiatric Beds In Maryland Remains Stubbornly High
Nearly all of the beds in use at state-run psychiatric facilities are occupied and private providers said they’re also packed, as the strains of the coronavirus pandemic threaten to overwhelm the state’s mental health system. Even as the worst of the sickness and death recedes from view, behavioral health professionals and mental health advocates warn a shortfall in treatment options could have devastating effects on those rubbed raw and reeling from the monthslong public health crisis. (Miller, 6/10)
Modern Healthcare: Mental Health Startup IPOs Boom As Insurers Add Benefits
Shares for mental health company LifeStance Health soared during its public debut Thursday, with the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based startup reaching a nearly $8 billion valuation after raising $720 million in its initial public offering. LifeStance, which is owned by private equity firm TPG, claims to be one of the largest mental health platforms in the nation, employing more than 3,300 licensed mental health professionals across 27 states and 370 centers. The company offers a mix of in-person and virtual care for its 357,000 patients, who can suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and more. In 2020, the startup conducted 2.3 million patient visits on the platform, according to its S-1 filed in May with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (Tepper, 6/10)
KHN: Doctor On Call? Lawmakers Debate How Much To Pay For Phone Appointments
It took covid-19 to give millions of Americans the option of telling their doctor about their aches and pains by phone. But now that more doctors and patients are returning to in-person appointments, policymakers across the country are divided over how much taxpayer money to keep spending on phone appointments. Although they were a lifeline for Medicaid and Medicare patients who don’t have the technology for video visits, critics say they don’t provide the same level of patient care and aren’t worth the same price. (Bluth, 6/11)
